of the sport and the comparatively-amateur Kiwi
riders were up against the million-dollar factory
stars from the world championship stage.
It also perhaps puts a spotlight on just how
remarkable were the results achieved by past
Team New Zealand line-ups who had succeeded in
battling their way onto the podium (the Kiwis who
were third at the MXoN in 1998, 2001 and 2006).
New Zealand has finished among the top 10
just three times since 2006 – eighth in England
in 2008, eighth in the United States in 2010 and
eighth in France in 2015 – before slumping to 17th
overall in Italy last year and now 21st this year.
The French, Italians and Americans all show up
with factory bikes and vast contingents of tuners,
mechanics, logistical staff and other support
personnel. In stark contrast, Team NZ has three
riders, a manager and three volunteer mechanics.
A quick chat with Team New Zealand manager
Bevan Weal gives some insight into just how
wretched the 2017 team felt.
“The word I’d like to use right now you can’t
really publish,” said Taupo man Weal.
“It’s extremely frustrating, but that’s the way of
things with this sport sometimes. It is gut-wrenching
to miss out on direct qualification by just one point,
Russia outscoring us by just one position on the
track. Then to miss out on winning the B Final by
just four points from Slovakia… well, it’s depressing.
“It was a case of close but yet so far,
and so far away from home too.
“We had some really good mud riders, but
even they were struggling in these conditions
KIWI RIDER 25