We miss Stefan Everts. Without him, this year’s Motocross des Nations was boring. Team USA not only won every moto, it would have finished first and second in two of the three motos had Ricky Carmichael not had trouble at the start of the first moto. As it turned out, Carmichael stormed back to third place in that moto, and Team USA finished 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 in the three motos comprising the Motocross des Nations.
The second place team had more than three times as many points as Team USA (the team with the lowest number of points wins based on one point for first place, etc.).
Will Team USA continue to dominate this race? Carmichael says he has retired, and probably will not race outdoors again. Team USA won without James Stewart, however, and Stewart is young and likely to race in future Motocross des Nations. Ryan Villopoto is very young, and he and Stewart might be the two fastest outdoor riders in the world right now.
Tim Ferry, who also rode well for Team USA this year, was not even the highest placing American in the U.S. Motocross championship this year. That honor went to young Mike Alessi, who moves to the Suzuki factory team here in the U.S. next year, and will be guided by the great Roger DeCoster.
In short, Team USA should be very strong for the foreseeable future.
