Belgium Wins the Motocross of Nations Without Winning a Moto — and Spain Nearly Stole It
Belgium's young trio took the Chamberlain Trophy at Ernée by three points over Spain, the country's first MXoN win since 2013, while Team USA missed fourth by a single point.
Belgium just won the Motocross of Nations by three points over Spain, and the way it happened is the kind of thing you only get at this event: consistency beat speed. The 79th Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations wrapped up October 4 at Ernée, France, and Belgium's Lucas Coenen (KTM), Sacha Coenen (KTM) and Liam Everts (Husqvarna) finished on 23 points to Spain's 26 (Speedweek).
The final podium
The top of the board, per the official results as reported by Cycle News:
- Belgium — 23 points
- Spain — 26
- Netherlands — 34
- Latvia — 52
- USA — 53
- Italy — 69
It's Belgium's first Chamberlain Trophy since 2013 and its 16th overall, with the youngest winning team the event has seen according to Cycle News. Spain, with Jorge Prado, Guillem Farrés and Francisco García, delivered its best-ever result at the Nations.
How it came down to the last race
MXoN scoring drops your worst result, so one bad moto doesn't sink you, but two will. In the deciding third race, Everts stalled while running third, and Spain's García also stalled and fell back, which kept Belgium's total just ahead (Speedweek).
Out front, Jeffrey Herlings, newly crowned MXGP world champion, took the final race win for the Netherlands after a hard fight with Prado. It was only enough for third overall, though; a team result is three riders' worth of finishes, not one rider's brilliance.
Team USA and the one-point miss
The Americans finished fifth on 53 points, one point shy of Latvia in fourth. Cooper Webb, who moved onto a Husqvarna just days before the event, posted back-to-back sixth places in his two motos. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) had a rough Race 1, and Julien Beaumer stepped in on a KTM in the premier class (Dirt Bike Magazine).
One point. Over a whole weekend, that's one position in one moto. Ask any rider who's finished a race behind someone by a bike length: the margin is never as big as it feels while you're chasing it.
What you can take from it
You don't have to race a moto at Ernée to learn from it. Belgium won by never having a disaster. Staying upright, getting a solid start, and keeping your bike healthy beats chasing one heroic lap. That goes for your own riding season, too. Most of us aren't losing a trophy by one point; we're losing a Saturday to a missed oil change or a loose chain. Do the boring maintenance, ride within yourself on tired laps at the end of the day, and you'll string together more good rides than the rider who's always chasing a hero line.
Gear worth having
- 100% Strata 2 Goggles — you can't ride clean if you can't see through the roost.
- CamelBak M.U.L.E. 12 Hydration Pack — consistency starts with staying hydrated.
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