It seems every year's Motocross of Nations is “the most anticipated MXoN in years”, but there seemed to be extra excitement and buzz around 2022. It could've been that America's star-studded team was fighting for redemption and to break an 11-year drought in lifting the Chamberlain Trophy.
Maybe it was due to Australia's stocks rapidly rising in the form of young Honda racers Jett Lawrence (on a 450cc debut), Hunter Lawrence and Mitch Evans, and they were now one of the favourites to win the prestigious event for the first time.
Then there was a Herlings-less Netherlands, an Italian team bolstered by MXGP GOAT Tony Cairoli, and a French team that featured stalwart Marvin Musquin in the MX2 class, supporting young star Maxime Reneaux and 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Champion, Dylan Ferrandis.
This year's MXoN was easily one of the most eagerly awaited in years, particularly if you were an Australian. From an Aussie point of view, it'd been 11 years since we'd featured on the des Nations podium, the same year that the US last won the event.
In contrast, our 2022 team was brimming with talent-and speed: Jett Lawrence had won three AMA championships on the trot, Hunter Lawrence hadregularly won races and was consistently a championship podium performer, and
