Welcome Team USA to Motocross of Nations

Team USA has arrived in Europe and is heading towards the St Jean d’Angely circuit to prepare for the biggest race of their season, the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations. The three riders Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto and Blake Baggett with managed Roger DeCoster have come for one thing and only one thing, and that is to win the event outright

Team USA will be competing for its seventh consecutive victory at the "Olympics of Motocross", which has been running, without interruption, since 1947. Team USA is the all-time leader in victories with 21 since 1981 and are the heavy favorites this year.

Villopoto and Dungey have been on three MXoN winning teams but never as teammates. The two went to war in these years Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Championship and it’s the first time since Jeff Emig and Jeremy McGrath battled in the 1996 AMA 250cc Championship that two American riders who were locked in a close class championship battle were chosen to represent Team USA.

"As demonstrated by their performances this summer, these three riders are among the best that the United States has to offer," AMA spokesman Kevin Crowther said. "We're confident they will do their country proud at this prestigious event."

The team event combines the individual finishes of all three riders with each rider competing in two motos. The worst score of the six finishes is thrown out. Even though each country is competing for the Chamberlain Trophy, Villopoto said the event feels like USA vs. The World.

"Once we go over there we have a target on our back as a team," he said. "We've won it so many times and when we go overseas it's their time to show what they have. There's more pressure and it feels like it's us three against everyone else."

Blake Baggett is the lone rookie on the team. With five wins in nine rounds in 2011, the 250 class rider finished third in the AMA MX points behind Great Britain's, Dean Wilson and South Africa's Tyla Rattray. Baggett said he has no idea what to expect.

"Ryan (Dungey) talked to me about it," he said. "No worries, just ride like you do all the time. Do the best you can and it will be ours. “He also said he can't stress the 'all or nothing' strategy of winning this event.”Never give up. Trey Canard crashed in both of his motos last year. He could have given up and because he didn't give we won it in 2010."

Originally scheduled for September 24-25, the event was moved up one week so it didn't coincide with the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The September 17-18 weekend falls just one week after the conclusion of the AMA Motocross Championship at Pala Raceway, giving Team USA a logistical obstacle to overcome in preparation. "It's going to be a quick turnaround," Dungey said. "I think we're going to have to ship bikes before the season is over with. It's quick but nothing we can't handle."

The last time the event was held in Saint Jean D'Angely, France, in 2000, Team USA won with Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Ryan Hughes representing.