Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1048469
W H A T Y O U A R E S A Y I N G "Nobody on Team USA is a bum; they just got beat. It happens." Empire of Dirt: What Happened Referencing last week's Empire of Dirt article, two thoughts come to mind. Though it is Steve's personal "pet peeve" of wearing the United States flag as clothing, it is more than that. From United States flag code as adopted by the 77th Congress in 1942; "Section 8(d): The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery." Reference the U.S. team's perfor- mance, one observation not ob- served, but may merit consideration: The U.S. riders had not "raced" in over four weeks. The Europeans had been hammering it out at race speeds over that same four-plus week period (including the weekend before). Any racer knows that no matter how much you practice or train, only racing gets (keeps) you up to appropriate speeds and levels necessary to compete. The U.S. riders had finished a very long supercross/motocross season and finally had an opportunity to relax and turn the intensity levels down, which makes it difficult to get it back for just one weekend. Scott Uhrmann In response to Steve Cox's editorial regarding Team USA's performance, I say, yeah, we stunk up the place a little. But just maybe the Dutch were a little faster and luckier. Yeah, we were disappointed in the final results, but we still enjoyed the racing. I sat right next to the Dutch fans by LaRocco's leap, they went nuts when their boys tripled that slick jump, but, hey, we also cheered when Eli and Justin did it. Next year will be different I hope for Team USA. I attended this event, my first MXoN and first visit to RedBud. First, I thought what a great track layout— rolling hills, green grass all around, massive jumps, and a wild crowd, es- pecially with all the different countries attending. I attend Washougal MX a lot and think it's a pretty scenic track despite the shady tree sections that the riders hate. RedBud is now one of my favorites. I'll be back for the July 2019 national. Despite the fall, rainy weather, and parking lot mud (I had to gun the rent- al car through a mud pit to get out of there), me and my buddy had a great time. People watching was a highlight right after watching race action. The Italian teams stayed at our same fru- gal Best Western Hotel. Tony Cairoli and his entourage had breakfast right next to us. It was a great experience and we were proud for USA and our team despite the results. James Bonecrusher Smith I don't agree with your theory that pressure got to the riders. All three are seasoned veterans of the sport, each with multiple championships to their name. As far as Eli Tomac, he just didn't have the same fire we saw during Supercross the outdoor series or the Monster Energy Cup. Was his mind already on the following weekend and the chance for some serious cash? Only Tomac knows that answer. As for Plessinger, he looked very strong in qualifying and up until he went down in his qualifier. Did Pless- inger go into Sunday's main event a little banged up or maybe shaken up? Barcia took the unfavorable gate picks, made worse by the team's qualifying woes. Bad starts with a deeply talented field in muddy conditions didn't make for an easy day for him. I still believe that the U.S. riders focus too much on supercross, but there's reality that maybe harder to swallow. After all those MXoN wins, at this time, the GP riders are simply faster than the American riders on an outdoor track! Doesn't matter if it's muddy or dry. Phil Dilmore Great observations. I was there and while I don't think it was as bad as some made it, Team USA never seemed to find a groove whether [it was] bike setup or being comfortable with the track. They all had moments (Plessinger, before he wadded the back triple, was looking good) but never were able to make a complete run. Coldenhoff looked like he was running practice laps all weekend. Herlings is Herlings. Nobody on Team USA is a bum; they just got beat. It happens. Chuck Smith Letters to the editor can be sent to voices@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Letters should not exceed 150 words and are subject to editing. Anonymous letters won't be considered for publication and each letter should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number… Editor P6 CN III VOICES