Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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VOL. 53 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 30, 2016 P39 good shape to handle it all. "Obviously, the pressure is there," Martin said. "I can't speak firsthand, but I can say I think being over there twice and the second time seeing my brother [Jeremy Martin] there for Team USA, I was able to see kind of firsthand, through him, how much pressure was on him. I think that will help me." Cooper Webb has MXoN experience, finishing second to the winning French team on their home soil last year. Webb is going over to Italy this year as the U.S. team captain and will again com- pete on a 450, in the MXGP class, even though he just claimed the 250MX champi- onship here in the U.S. just last week. Webb has a fair amount of 450 experience, and he is going to move up to the big-bore class full-time next year anyway. "Last year I didn't have much experience on the 450," Webb said, "but this year I've been riding the 450 a lot more and the bike has come a long, long way, even from just last year. Having a good base setting is nice." Webb clearly remembers the high energy that the home crowd used to help boost its team to victory in 2015 and says he'll be glad that the defending champs won't have that advantage this year. "The French team was strong and they will be strong again this year," Webb says. "It'll be nice not being in France even though we are in Europe; they definitely had some home advantage last year. This year it will be a little better being in Italy." This will be Anderson's maiden trip to the 'Nations and he's obviously excited about that. He returned to racing race from his injury, and after only one race back (Ironman MX), he says he is ready to go. "I've been missing [from the races] but at the same time I've been training, get- ting ready and just riding," Anderson says. "I broke my collarbone and separated by AC joint right after High Point; since then, I had surgery, been out for about four weeks, and me, Dunge' [Ryan Dungey] and Marv' [Marvin Musquin] have been riding together. "I got the call for Roger [DeCoster, Team USA Man- ager] and he asked if I was interested [in joining Team USA]. I was very hesitant at first because I don't want to go and not be able to per- form at my best." Luckily, Anderson says he feels good. "To be honest, I feel like I'm in a good position. I've had the summer off and I really want to get back to racing. It's given me something to look forward to and something to train for. I've been training with Marv' and Dunge' and be- tween them, they've been to the des Nations like 10 times, and they've been telling me like it is. I'm just pumped to go, I feel like I'm riding good right now, I'm fresh and I want to race. It's a great opportu- nity. I'm going to go out there and do my best, get good starts and go for it. We have to be smart." When asked what he though Team USA's chances are of winning, Webb an- swered: "I'd say 100 percent, no hesitation at all. I think we're going to work well as a team. We have three guys that want to go and want to win. That's the difference. We don't have the egos and all that, we just want to go and do our thing and prove everybody wrong. "They [other teams] are all going to be strong, and they have their strengths and weaknesses. I think we can match anybody's speed [and stamina]. You don't have to win every race—it's eliminate mistakes, be smart and be consistent." "I feel we have a team that can win and I'm up for the challenge," Anderson added. "I think it's going to be a great team and we can do some damage." CN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY Team captain Cooper Webb (4) feels confident that he and his teammates Alex Martin (5) and Jason Anderson (6) can return home from Italy with the Chamberlain Trophy.