USA, Belgium and Germany top three in MXoN

The KTM factory riders had mixed fortunes at the Motocross of Nations
in Thunder Creek in Colorado at the weekend, with Germany's Max Nagl
emerging the top rider of the group, helping to push Team Germany onto
the podium in third overall.

 
Max Nagl: It was amazing to be on the podium and its
the first time for us since 1985 and that's a long time. The last years
have been really tough but now we had three top riders. I was quite
happy with my riding. The speed was there and I had the same lap times
as the big guys. I had a crash in the second moto and I hurt my hip but
I'm happy that I wasn't injured although for sure it will be sore for
the next couple of days.

 
Strong showing from Tony Cairoli

Tony Cairoli, riding the 350 SX-F also put on a good show for Italy
and helped to propel the team to fifth overall behind the winners USA,
Belgium in second place, Germany and Britain. Tony, like many of the
Europeans had some difficultly adjusting to the altitude (1800 meters),
which for an asthma sufferer was not easy. He looked in top form in the
first moto and made a hard challenge on the USA's number one rider Ryan
Dungey, coming in in second place to make a valuable effort for Team
Azzuri. It was clear after the first moto that Team USA was in the
running to take the overall victory even though there would be
challenges by Germany, Belgium and Australia.

 
Tony Cairoli: "it was an okay weekend for me. I had a
good start but I wasn't feeling so good with the altitude and it wasn't
good for my asthma. But I finished second behind Ryan and it would have
been possible to win the moto but I made a small mistake going over a
jump and I hurt my wrist and back then I didn't have such a good start
in the second moto and I was back at 15th and had to fight back again
into fourth place. Overall for Italy it was better than last year to be
fifth. Also the federation (Italian) called me back just last week to
race here. I had not been training as much as I am used to so my
condition was not as good as it could be."

 
Musquin remains positive despite mixed fortunes

Marvin Musquin, who had to swallow the disappointment of two DNFs
and was very disappointed for the French team who were expected to be
among the top teams, was stoic about the weekend, saying it was a
learning experience and that he is still very much looking forward to
racing in the USA in the 2011 season, especially with the newly
appointed, KTM team boss for North America, the legendary Roger
DeCoster

 
Marvin Musquin: It was a bad weekend for me and the
French team. I wasn't good on Saturday but I was better in the warm-up.
I was happy at the beginning of the first moto. I was good and my speed
was good but then I had some problems with the bike. I need to really
learn about the injection bike and I am excited to begin testing and
working the Roger DeCoster and the guys in the team. I am happy about
coming here to ride."

 
Goncalves helps Portugal to best ever MXoN result

Rui Goncalves KTM's factor rider from Portugal also managed to help
put his team in overall ninth place, which wyas so far their best
performance in the MXoN. Rui Goncalves: I finished in the top
ten in the first race and I had a good start in the second but then I
got hit on my shoulder by a big rock. I lost the feeling in my shoulder
and from then on it was very tough. I couldn't really push hard."

 
KTM rider Jake Nichols also made a contribution to vaulting Britain into fourth placed overall in the MXoN.

 
The MXoN lived up to its reputation as being one of the
toughest and most challenging of events, but one that is imbued with
the kind of spirit that results in it being known as the Olympics of
Motocross. The format is a simple three race series: MX1 vs. MX2; MX2
vs Open and MX1 vs Open. Teams are allowed to drop their worst score,
points are allocated according to the finishing order and the team with
the least number of points is the winner.

 
KTM congratulates the three top national teams for 2011: USA,
Belgium and Germany and looks forward to the "Nations" returning to
Europe in 2011.

 
KTM Results Service

Sunday Sept 26

 
MX of Nations (Thunder Valley Colorado)

 
Top three (scroll down for full results)

1, USA (21st victory in the MXoN)

2, Belgium

3, Germany

 
Race One (MX1 & MX2)

1, Ryan Dungey, USA Suzuki

2, Tony Cairoli, Italy, KTM (best KTM rider in this race)

3, Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda

4, Jonathan Barragan, Spain, Kawasaki

5, Gautier Paulin, France, Yamaha

6, Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki

Other KTM riders

9, Rui Goncalves, Portugal KTM

DNF Marvin Musquin, France, KTM

 
Nations standings after race one (MX1 & MX2) Note: teams can drop worst score.

1, USA 13 points

2, Germany, 20

3, Belgium, 20

4, Australia, 21

5, Italy, 22 (with KTM's Cairoli)

6, Spain, 26

7, Estonia, 37

8, Latvia, 39

9, Portugal 40 (with Rui Goncalves)

12, France 44 (with Marvin Musquin - DNF)

 
Race Two (MX2 and Open)

1, Ben Townley, NZ, Honda

2, Kyle Regal, Puerto Rico, Honda

3, Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki

4, Clement Desalle, Belgium, Suzuki

5, Max Nagl, Germany, KTM

6, Dean Wilson, Britain, Kawasaki

7, ´Trey Canard, USA, Honda

8, Brad Anderson, Britain, Honda

9, Manuel Monni, Italy, Yamaha

10, Jeremy van Horebeek, Belgium, Kawasaki

DNF Marvin Musquin, France, KTM

 
Nations standings after race two (MX2 and open)

1, Germany, 28 (With KTM's Max Nagl)

2, USA, 33

3, Belgium, 34

4, Italy, 56 (with KTM's Tony Cairoli)

5, Britain, 59

6, Australia, 66

7, Puerto Rico, 67

8, New Zealand, 77

9, Spain, 86

10, Portugal, 91 (with KTM's Rui Goncalves)

11, France, 95 (with KTM's Marvin Musquin)

 
Race three MX1 and Open

1, Ryan Dungey, USA, Suzuki

2, Andrew Short, USA, Honda

3, Clement Desalle, Belgium, Suzuki

4, Tony Cairoli, Italy, KTM

5, Brett Metcalf, Australia, Honda

6, Steve Ramon, Belgium, Suzuki

7. Xavier Boog, France, Kawasaki

8, Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Suzuki

9, Gautier Paulin, France, Yamaha

10, Jay Marmont, Australia, Yamaha

Other KTM

12, Jake Nichols, Britain, KTM

DNF Max Nagl, Germany, KTM