A
S THE RIDERS FILE
out of position and
roll into the gate,
there is a moment
of calm and the air
feels thick with expectation. It’s
the same sensation you get when
runners get ready to fill the blocks
ahead of an Olympic final or when
a striker puts the ball down for a
penalty.
Everything you need to know
about the Motocross of Nations
can be felt in those nervy,
exhilarating final minutes and
seconds before this historic,
prestigious annual motorcycle
race begins.
Standing on one of the sandy
jumps for a better view at Ķegums
p. Monster Energy
£ Only at the
nations…
p. Monster Energy
MXoN 2014
and momentarily turning around
to take in the whole scene allows
some perspective.
The heaving crowd is condensed
around the corners and banks
of the venue, stretching from
the track fences back into the
trees. The smell of BBQ and
fires wafts across. It is amazingly
colourful, with way more flags
and shades than a typical Grand
Prix. Music, PA commentary,
rider introductions and air horns
occupy other senses. Looking
back towards the start gate
– surrounded by spectators,
pit infrastructure and a sea of
Monster Energy logos - the line
is 100% full. Unlike a Grand
Prix, each and every slot of the
forty has been earned and is
cherished by the riders who have
been hand-picked to represent
their countries in what is the 68th
running of this spectacle. What
a contrast to the inaugural event
in 1947 in Holland where only
Great Britain, Belgium and the
Netherlands fielded their three
fastest racers. Now the first ever
Latvian edition has trimmed
an entry list of more than thirty
countries – stretching from the
United States to Japan – down
to the twenty that will do battle
across three motos through the
shallow sandy earth.
The imminent build-up to the
motocross season-closer is
one of the most satisfying
and enjoyable aspects of the
Motocross of Nations (changed u