World's Best in Colorado!

The 2010 Motocross des Nation was held in Lakewood Colorado. This is only the third time it has been held in the United States and the first in a western state. A huge crowd greeted riders from across the world on a picture perfect Colorado weekend. Near record temperatures of ninety degrees without a cloud in the sky was the rule for both days of racing.

Sunday’s racing started with the ten teams that had not qualified directly into the event on Saturday.  A wide range of talent was evident. AMA National rider, Martin Davalos holeshot and lead the entire event on his 250F. Riders from Ireland and the rest of Davalos’s Ecuadorian team struggled to match his pace. In the end, Ireland, on the strength of Grand Prix competitors Gordon Crockard and Martin Barr earned the last team position to make it into the actual competition.

The last place teams from Costa Rica and Mexico were lapped twice in the first five laps and were doing a good job of being a moving chicane on the track, with lap times almost a minute slower then Davalos. I doubt those team riders could have won the novice class back home at Marysville’s E-street MX.  Though lacking in talent, Mexico did have a great team transporter. Former power house Sweden, ran mid pack in the event and had former competitor Gunnar Lindstrom wondering how the situation had changed so much.

In the first moto, a combined MX1 and MX2 event had Spain’s Jonathan Barragan out front. He lead for two laps before US team veteran Ryan Dungey flew past him and rode unchallenged to the win. US hopes took a serious set back when our 250F rider, Trey Canard hit the ground in the first turn. He came around almost twenty seconds behind the pack on the first lap. From there, Canard put in a strong ride to finish in 12th place.

Moto two started with what has become a US norm; Andrew Short grabbing the hole shot and leading the first two laps. New Zealand’s Ben Townley was pressuring Short and passed him in front of the grandstands in what many who saw the pass described as a “take out move” which left Short on the ground with a broken clutch assembly. Canard started about fifteenth and put in a strong ride to finish 7^th. Short without the benefit of a clutch picked himself off the ground and ended the moto in thirteenth. Germany put in an amazing ride with 250F rider Ken Roczen holding down second for most of the moto. The sixteen year old was very fast and smooth. He ended the moto in third with Team “Puerto Rico” and Texas resident Kyle Regal finishing second.

Going into the final moto the US team found itself in second to Germany one point down with the Belgium team in a close third. Our riders responded to the pressure with another Short hole shot with Ryan Dungey in tow. At about half way Dungey passed Short and pulled out a comfortable ten second lead. Townley pressured Short for second but eventually crashed himself out of the event. Short held second to the end and ended the moto with an impressive whip off the finish line table top. The Colorado native finish capped the event for the local crowd who could only be described as enthusiastic.

The one two moto finish’s allowed the US to win the event, with Belgium and Germany sharing the podium. It was a great finish in what can only be described as a fantastic weekend.