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Edited Date/Time
6/10/2019 12:44pm
Kevin Windham and Marvin Musquin never achieved a premiere class title but, both riders were runner-up in several seasons. Marvin still has a solid chance as still shows tremendous speed at most races.
K-Dub achieved success in more seasons (so far) but, Marvin has only finished off the podium in the premier class during his first season on a 450.
Windham results from The Vault: https://vault.racerxonline.com/rider/kevin-windham/points
Musquin results from The Vault: https://vault.racerxonline.com/rider/marvin-musquin/points
Although he will never eclipse Windham in popularity, if Marvin can achieve the same level of success during the next 4 seasons will he surpass Windham as the most successful rider without a title?
K-Dub achieved success in more seasons (so far) but, Marvin has only finished off the podium in the premier class during his first season on a 450.
Windham results from The Vault: https://vault.racerxonline.com/rider/kevin-windham/points
Musquin results from The Vault: https://vault.racerxonline.com/rider/marvin-musquin/points
Although he will never eclipse Windham in popularity, if Marvin can achieve the same level of success during the next 4 seasons will he surpass Windham as the most successful rider without a title?
Josh Coppins in the GPs without a doubt.
Both were respectful guys as well.
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* Despite his age, Marvin Musquin (b. 12/30/1989) has only been in the premier class since 2016! Though they are younger, all of his main competitors save Cooper Webb have been on a 450 longer (Barcia: 2013, Tomac: 2014, Roczen: 2014, Anderson: 2015), etc. So despite all the blather about "old washed up Marv," he's practically a rookie compared with the competition. Zach Osborne is the only exception, being the same age as Musquin yet a 2019 450 rookie!
Because all were born within literally WEEKS of each other, we can conveniently compare Musquin's career arc to that of his former RBKTM teammates Ryan Dungey (b. 12/4/1989) and Broc Tickle (b. 11/23/1989):
Dungey famously graduated to a rookie 450 championship in 2010. He retired in 2017, one year after Musquin graduated to the 450. Tickle far more reluctantly "pointed into" the premiere class in 2012 following his 2011 250W championship. So despite being almost perfect contemporaries of Musquin, both Tickle and Dungey average a 5 year jumpstart on him in the 450s. That's HUGE in MX career years, which can be measured like dog years.
* After the customary rocky rookie season, Musquin's ascendancy has been phoenix-like. He truly blasted on the scene in 2017, in which he snagged many SX podiums and 2 wins (3 if you count East Rutherford, LOL). He has been a consistent win/podium threat since.
* Marvin's main Achilles heels have been injuries and poorly-timed mistakes/bad luck. If not for those things, I FIRMLY believe he would have a championship or two under his belt already. He is consistent as all hell, and when 100% healthy/prepped, a serious threat.
Here we are talking about Marvin being the best to never win a title the day after he signs a contract extension..
As for Windham, I think I tallied up the times he was runner-up to RC, and it was something like 6 or 7 big-bike titles he'd have had if it weren't for the GOAT. Kinda sucks for #14 that he competed when he did.
The only thing the argument hinges on is age. If you absolutely insist on comparing the two riders, considering KDub hung it up at 34, that gives Marvin, at 29, a good 5 more years.
There is absolutely no question that the heat is on Marvin for the next few years. And absolutely no question the window is narrowing on his championship chances. But it is FAR too soon to whip out the KDub comparisons.
On what we know his talent and ability is/was, however, he is probably at the top. His entire 450 career was unorthodox and stop/start but he still did okay. He still showed why some of us thought so highly of him often in practice and what not and in some seasons impressive races.
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