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For a top rider the US nats pay well, you can live in a sunny part of the world, ride all the time, show off in stadiums. Eat familiar food. The life style in general in the lure.
The US nats depth of talent however is way less, so a bad start for the likes of Roczen is no problem, getting through to top 5 is like passing back markers. Must take the pressure off somewhat.
US nats does not have the same range of circuits, it is not as diverse as GP's. Therefore the skill set required is not as big. The tracks are more flowing & are easier to find a good rhythm.
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US nats lack proper hard pack & proper sand.
The best riders will always be the ones that travel around the world & test themselves the most.
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How would Grant seriously do at the sharp end of the season?
Charlotte was like a typical cali practice track. Nothing to separate the guys.
Lommel made your top riders look like an average LCQ.
RV had a shock to the system when he tried to over ride proper hardpack.
These are the skills the US dont obtain, because they stay national for an easy life.
And I mean that literally: I would *love* to see Tomac ride for MXGP Monster Energy Kawasaki. For that matter, I'd love to see Roczen return to Europe and race for, say, Suzuki World MXGP (lord knows they need him). But they'd be facing Gajser and Febvre and Cairoli and Herlings every week, week after week. Think they're gonna just dominate on that circuit? Think it's that easy? Ya know, the way Villopoto was dominating?
Things are tough all over.
As for talent, pro motocross at the highest level should be about quality, not quantity.
Do you really get a kick out of watching such a big disparity between riders in AMA nats, The privateers are worlds away. Not having a go at them, its tough I know. But with the GP's the consistency of the top 20 is much higher in standard.
Quality over quantity.
One question I would like to ask US mx fans, please think about it before you reply.
Are you not disappointed that your top riders do no race the likes of Gajser, Herlings, Cairoli, Paulin, Nagl. Fevre etc all season?
As true fans why arnt your top guys mixing with the rest of the world, traveling around the world ?
Imagine Dungey, Tomac, Barcia in the mix too.
Where's your national pride ?
Im not delusional, did you not watch the US 450 class last year ? KR, MM, ET were the only world class riders. At times KR made the rest look like amateurs. (Millville)
Why are you lot so obsessed with your top guys racing a couple of fast guys mixed with a field of privateers?
Come play with the big boys.
When you guys say Gasjer would figure out Supercross I think you are correct. He is truly a world class racer but SX and MX are VERY different. It would take some time. But to say that the US guys wouldn't figure out the GP series is disrespectful to say the least. US MX is not nearly as different to MXGP as MXGP is to SX. Do you really think Kenny, Dungey, Tomac, Webb, Martin, Anderson, Plessinger, Forkner and several more, wouldn't figure out the GP tracks if they were given some time and were truly motivated to be there? And that's the variable that matters the most... Desire. If they don't want to be there, the will not be at the same level as if they wanted to be there. Doesn't matter if you're Herlings coming to the US or Tomac going to Europe.
Pit Row
I wish MXGP was as prestigious as MOTOGP, but its not. That is why our guys dont go there, its not as important as the 2 US series combination.
Where I part company with some people here is with the idea that Americans would magically dominate MXGP if they tried, and that a small sample like Charlotte/Glen Hellen 2016 (when the MXGP races were basically meaningless) somehow proves it. (Meanwhile, Herlings was top guy in MXoN 2016 despite minimal 450 experience, but that's hardly proof of anything either.) So, as I wrote in an earlier post, we'd need to see a couple top Americans go to Europe and see for themselves. I think the transition should be less than going from motocross to Supercross, but the circuits are grueling and diverse, and the field is deep. It'd be a helluva challenge.
One last thing. People act as if Roczen is an American, bred in the AMA. I don't get that.
But you're right, MXGP is not MotoGP, and that's in part because the USA has strong national series on dirt that attract international riders. US road racing is just crap, and if you wanna race with the best, there's no doubt where you have to go.
Personally im in the camp that right now the top riders in either 450 series could be a top rider in the opposite series given enough time. Talent is talent.
They get on a roll about the inherent superiority of American riders, then neglect to say, "Meanwhile, an FIM guy from the MX2 series looks set to dominate American motocross for a while."
Maybe if the top US riders did decide to man up & race the GP's it would obtain that level of prestigious.
How can any serious race fan tell me they would rather see 5 top guys battle with each other wk in wk end, couple bad injuries before you know it its 3 top guys in one major series. (US NATS)
Or you could add the US guys to an already stacked MXGP & have super exciting racing each round guaranteed.
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I'd hope for a top 5 though
Post a reply to: How would Gasjer have done if he did ride A1?