Just for a bit of fun in the build-up to the Motocross of Nations in France, Dirt Hub put a call out to a host of top British Championship riders, plus a few others who used to be in the team, to get their predictions for the big race this weekend!
Words: Ben Rumbold, Featured Image: MXGP
We had a great response to our queries, with 36 riders replying with a firm top three as well as some giving their individual predictions. Of those 36, a massive 26 picked the home team France as the winners, with nine others going for Australia, and a patriotic Calum Mitchell going for Team GB!
Taking all of the top three picks as podium predictions, everyone except a brave Charlie Putnam put France on the box somewhere, and the Aussies also featured in the vast majority of the lists. Only 6 went for reigning Champions the USA to even get on the box, whilst Belgium and the Netherlands were the next favourites, and a few optimists plumped for Team GB getting up there!
Those podium stats are:
France 35, Australia 32, Belgium 14, Netherlands 6, GB 6, USA 6, Spain 5, Italy 3, and Germany 1
See below for the reactions from each of our responses, and then check the opinion of your Dirt Hub editor and contributor! Who will buy the booze at the Christmas do?! The loser!
Dean Wilson
- France
- Australia
- Netherlands
“I think they’re the strongest teams. I do think Australia have a chance of winning too but I feel France because it’s home turf and I’m not sure how Ferris will fare up.”
Bailey Johnston
- Australia
- France
- Netherlands
“Jett will be P1 from the 450 guys and a wild one – Everts will take a moto win!”
Max Anstie
- France
- Australia
- Great Britain
“You can never bet against France at home! Australia obviously have a mega team and I have to get behind our boys, would love to see them get back on the box! It’s gonna be good to watch!”
Tom Grimshaw
- France
- Australia
- Spain
“Each team is affected somehow by a rider who is not 100% or don’t have their number one guy, but I still think France will wrap it up just due to it being on home turf and the extra motivation that goes with that. Class winners, I’m going Febvre for MXGP, Laengenfelder MX2 and got to go Prado in Open.”
Brad Anderson
- France
- Australia
- Belgium
“I’d say Jett Lawrence, Jago Geerts, and Romain Febvre for individual results.”
Jack Brunell
- France
- Australia
- USA
“I’ll have to go for France to win, they’re at their home race and they’ve got a real strong team. Australia to come second with the Lawrence brothers and third is a tough one. Maybe America I guess, then the UK.”
Charlie Putnam
- Australia
- USA
- Belgium
“Sorry GB! Class winners – Seewer because he is the b*ll*cks! More of a wish than a prediction, and Lucas Coenen because he’s pretty special on a bike!”
Billy Mackenzie
- Australia
- France
- Great Britain
Glenn McCormick
- France
- Australia
- Belgium
“I think France have a solid all round team and with the home race they will be hard to beat! Though I think the other teams will not be far away! I think it will be close racing!”
Stuart Edmonds
- Australia
- France
- Belgium
“Individual winners will be MX2: Vialle, MXGP: Lawrence, Open: Prado”
Charlie Heyman
- France
- Italy
- USA
“I’d say Tom Vialle to win the 250 class and Prado in the 450.”
Callum Green
- France
- Australia
- Germany [The only rider to pick this team for anything – genius or madness??]
“I think Febvre will win MX1, Laengenfelder MX2 and Renaux the Open class. I think France will just have the home advantage and be more comfortable on those types of track conditions.”
Ben Mustoe
- France
- Australia
- Netherlands
MX1 – Jett Lawrence. MX2 – Andrea Adamo. Open – Maxime Renaux.
“France is looking like a strong team and being on home soil will be a huge advantage. It will be close between France and Australia because of how good the Lawrence brothers are. Hopefully Great Britain will be top 10.”
Dylan Woodcock
- France
- Australia
- Italy
Jamie Wainwright
- France
- Belgium
- Australia
“France have a strong rider line-up and a small advantage with it being in their own country! Belgium have the younger riders but top contenders, so they will be hungry for it this weekend. Australia I believe have two of the fastest riders out there at the minute so they will have a good chance.”
Ben Franklin
- France
- Australia
- Belgium
“MX1 – Jett, MX2 – Tom Vialle, Open – Maxime Renaux”
Evgeny Bobryshev
- Australia
- USA
- France
“I’m thinking it will be a battle between Australia and USA for 1st place, and France and Italy for 3rd place. Also Netherlands has a strong chance to be close for the podium.”
Shaun Simpson
- Australia
- France
- Great Britain
Sam Nunn
- France
- Australia
- Spain
“MX1 – Jett Lawrence, Open – Jorge Prado, MX2 – Tom Vialle. I think there’s a good 5 or 6 teams who can all get a podium so it’s going to be tight. Will also be nice to see how the Lawrence brothers do because I think all the Euros will want to beat them for sure!”
Jamie Carpenter
- France
- Belgium
- Australia
Jason Meara
- Australia
- France
- Belgium
“MXGP – Jett Lawrence, MX2 – Lucas Coenen, Open – Ruben Fernandez. I think it will be close between Australia and France, both with great reasons for why they would want to win but I think the Aussies never winning before they will want to put their name on there a little more.”
Joe Brookes
- France
- Belgium
- Netherlands
“MXGP – Romain Febvre, MX2 – Simon Laengenfelder, Open – Jorge Prado”
Tristan Purdon
- Australia
- France
- Spain
“I think this year is gonna be a tough one, and in this race anything can happen. So it’s really a tough one to call, but hopefully those three get the job done, and I hope Team South Africa can do well!”
Steven Clarke
- France
- Australia
- USA
Dan Thornhill
- France
- Australia
- Great Britain
“I think the French have a solid team and being at home they will have so much support behind them. Australia have the Lawrence brothers and they always perform. I’ve gone GB for the podium because I’d love to see the boys do well and support our home team. Individuals – Jett Lawrence MXGP, Simon Laengenfelder MX2, Jorge Prado Open.”
Calum Mitchell
- Great Britain
- France
- Belgium
“Rooting for the UK lads strong team! I’m looking forward to Roczen and Jett being over in Europe as well. It’s a hard one to call but I think whoever can deal with the pressure the most will be the winners.”
Alfie Jones
- Australia
- France
- USA
“Australia have a strong team with both the Lawrence brothers showing their speed and Dean Ferris being a strong rider also.”
Charlie Cole
- France
- Australia
- Netherlands
“For France you’ve got Febvre the man, Australia are a strong team and the Dutch have three podium riders. Individual winners MX2 Vialle, MXGP Febvre, and Fernandez Open.”
Taylor Hammal
- France
- Australia
- Spain
“MXGP Jett Lawrence, MX2 Tom Vialle, Open Jorge Prado”
Louie Kessell
- France
- Australia
- Belgium
“MXGP Febvre, Open Renaux, MX2 Laengenfelder, just because these riders and teams have three strong riders at the front of their championships at the moment.”
Joel Rizzi
- France
- Australia
- Spain
“France cos they’ve got the strongest team and they’re in their home nation. MX1 – Febvre, MX2 – Vialle, Open – Jett.”
Rob Holyoake
- France
- Belgium
- Italy
“It’s hard to bet against France on home turf. Australia and the Netherlands could creep onto the podium if it falls their way. Open, Prado. MXGP, close between Febvre & Lawrence. MX2, Adamo or Kay de Wolf if he is on form.”
Bobby Bruce
- France
- Australia
- Belgium
“If I was to pick a top three I would probably have to go France, Australia, then Belgium. I feel France are going to be on form especially as they’re on home soil. MX2 overall, Coenen, MXGP overall Lawrence, and MX Open overall Prado.”
Liam Knight
- France
- Netherlands
- Australia
“Looking at the teams I’d say France could be favourites, Netherlands 2nd and Australia 3rd. I’d say Coldenhoff to win the Open, he’s usually on top form at these events. Adamo to win MX2 with Geerst being on a 450, and Hunter doesn’t start as well as Adamo. Febvre to win MXGP, home soil and he’s been very fast this year.”
Jay Hague
- France
- Australia
- Great Britain
“Don’t really know what riders are in what class but I think Jett and Hunter will be solid, also France always have strong riders, and my mate Conrad is gonna shock a few he’s in good form lately.”
Brad Todd
- France
- Australia
- Belgium
“I chose them because Dirt Hub asked me why I chose them.”
Thanks Brad! 😉
Paul Oughton, Dirt Hub Founder
- France
- Australia
- Spain
“I think France being on home soil and with the crowd behind them will edge it, but I think Australia will only be a couple of points behind. I think Prado will be in the top two in his motos and Fernandez top five in each of his. I think there will probably be only 10 points separating third to tenth. USA will be fourth. I think Team GB will surprise a few and finish fifth. Individually, Tom Vialle MX2, Roczen MXGP (just got a vibe on him) and Prado Open.”
Ben Rumbold, Dirt Hub Contributer
- Australia
- France
- Belgium
“I think Renaux will buckle and Vialle will struggle because he won’t holeshot against 450s. Jett will be untouchable, with Hunter fighting through and Ferris sticking in the one good result that they’ll need from him, and he has always gated well. Geerts & Coenen will be strong enough to get Belgium on the podium. I can’t see any better than 7th for Team GB but I would love to be proven wrong!
Individually, I think Febvre and Gajser looked faster than Prado at the end of the MXGP season and will be fired up to beat Jett, although I would be very surprised if they do! Geerts could do what he did at RedBud and spring a surprise. MX2 I think it’ll be Hunter from Coenen and Hampshire, just because they are the battlers rather than the fast starters like Vialle, Laengenfelder, and Adamo, who will struggle amongst the 450s off the gate. The Open class should go to Prado but Coldenhoff could be strong at the Nations again and I’d put Mewse in with a chance of top three as he is fired up to do well. I have doubts about Everts, Plessinger, Craig, and Renaux in that sort of company, but I reckon Kullas could pull a good start or two and Gifting could be strong on the 450 as well!”
So if it’s Aussie, the boss will be buying the beers on the Christmas do! If it’s France, I’ll have to cough up!
The race features 7 World Champions, 3 AMA Champions, and one rider who has won them both! It’s going to be a stacked field and I will be trackside. Simply cannot wait!
Massive thanks to all of the above riders for replying to our messages.
