MOTOCROSS
68
TH
MONSTER ENERGY FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS
SEPTEMBER 28, 2014
KEGUMS CIRCUIT/KEGUMS, LATVIA
P60
landed in a rut going through the
waves and crashed out. Nursing
a sore right knee and a knock to
the head it was a different Ital-
ian who went out for the second
moto and, after hitting the gate,
he could only find a way back to
19th. Cairoli's mix between hero-
ism and hell at the Nations where
wins in 2012 and 2013 stand
with crashes and broken bones
in 2005 and 2011 continued un-
abashed and the Italians could
only finish fifth overall.
Marc de Reuver had been run-
ning in the top 10 of the last moto
for Holland until a nasty face-plant
led to a broken nose, cheekbone
and collarbone.
Chad Reed and Australia had
a forgettable weekend with the
TwoTwo Motorsports star hitting
the ground on the start-straight
for the third moto and looked at
a best finish of 14th for his coun-
try. Team Spain (Butron, Zara-
goza and Valentin) did not qualify
through the B-Final on Sunday
morning in what much surely be
a low point in their recent history
and a depressing finale to a dif-
ficult world championship cam-
paign for Butron as their leading
GP rider.
Looking Forward
For Team USA perhaps the fixture
in 12 months time will bring better
fortune. A return to the hillside
venue of Ernee in France marks
the 10th anniversary of when
the country started their second
emphatic run. It is also likely to
come only weeks and days after
the final Grand Prix of the FIM
Motocross World Championship
that has a decent chance of be-
ing staged in North America if
Mr. Villopoto goes ahead with his
international ambition. Some na-
tives and AMA runners will have
the chance to strike an early blow
on the Europeans before moving
across the Atlantic.
As with the Germans last year,
the new champions will have the
duty and pressure of running the
1, 2, 3 plates in front of their home
crowd but knowing the passion
and dedication of the French rac-
When Paulin
wasn't on the
track, Belgium's
Kevin Strijbos
took over and
won a moto,
leading his team
to second overall.
