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/1474448
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 30 JULY 26, 2022 P127 corner, who would you pick to be on Team USA? That seems to be the big question right now. Word in the pits right now is that no one from our 250cc pool will be added to the ros- ter this year. In an interview with Motocross Action, Roger Decoster said simply, "They [our 250cc riders] are not consis- tent enough." Well, there's your answer and The Man does have a point. There's no real dominant American 250cc rider right now on the U.S. circuit who can chal- lenge the likes of the Lawrence brothers—Jett and Hunter—and Team Australia. Justin Cooper is currently the highest-ranking American rider at fourth in points, but he still seems to be racing himself back into shape from the foot injury he sustained earlier this year. Moving down the points list, you'll see Levi Kitchen (who is out with a wrist injury), Seth Hammaker (who is only in his second year of professional rac- ing), Michael Mosiman (who won a moto at Hangtown but his aver- age finish this year is 9.7), Stilez Robertson (who is out with an ankle injury), and RJ Hampshire (who was third at Pala moto one but missed High Point due to an injury). The pickings are slim for 250cc riders, which leads us to our next thought: What about a 450cc rider on a 250cc? Getting bumped down a size has been done before (Bob Han- nah in 1987 and Johnny O'Mara in 1986 quickly come to mind, and they emerged from the Nations as heroes), but it's almost more com- mon to see a 250cc rider step up to the big bikes. This year might be a bit different, and the specula- tion has already begun. Eli Tomac and Chase Sex- ton are shoe-ins as the team's 450cc picks, which still leaves another spot open. Jason Anderson? He won an overall at Hangtown and already posted a Tweet saying, "I'd ride a 250 for sure." Anderson is currently third in 450cc points and fresh off a podium at Spring Creek. He seems like a logical choice. But... Christian Craig is another hot prospect. He just won his first 250cc Supercross Cham- pionship this year and has had multiple 450cc moto podiums this summer. He's riding fast and solid right now, which are two critical elements in winning the MXdN. Another possibility is Justin Barcia. He was coincidentally spotted at Glen Helen this week riding a fully prepped GasGas MC 250F. The incognito bike was even complete with a 450cc-spec white-and-black number-plate backgrounds. He also finished third overall (8- 3) at RedBud earlier this year, which might play to his benefit, plus he has MXdN experience. Barcia is an absolute animal on a 250 (look up "Justin Barcia clutch destroyer" on YouTube) and he would certainly rough things up with the young guns in the MX2 class. But his results in this year's outdoors have been inconsistent and off the pace. Still, this year I'd say the odds are in our favor. We get the home-field advantage, and our top guys are riding at an unbe- lievable pace right now. Even Antonio Cairoli couldn't touch Tomac or Sexton during his stay earlier this year (I know, I know… it's his first time on these tracks. Still). The Europeans have certainly elevated the motocross game as of late, but the pendu- lum's nature is to always swing back and this seems like a good time for that to happen. After an 11-year hiatus, I think Team USA has a real shot at another MXdN win. CN Eli Tomac and Chase Sexton are shoe-ins as the team's 450cc picks, which still leaves another spot open. Jason Anderson?