Les Bleus | Motocross of Nations Previews

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"Sure, the home-field is an advantage. So is having a lot of talent." Team France enters the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations as the clear favorite to win the Chamberlain Trophy for the reasons outlined in that Dan Marino quote. Romain Febvre, Tom Vialle and Maxime Renaux shall be buoyant because of the boost that the emphatic home fans will provide.

Not only that, but they are also an incredibly capable trio and a team that'll inevitably strike fear into the hearts of those who also occupy a spot on the provisional entry list. Febvre was arguably the best star in the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship and a shoo in to head their attack – there is no Frenchman who has a higher ceiling and his track record at this unique event is almost impeccable. Bizarrely, '3' has not appeared at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations since 2017 and so he should enter Ernee with even more pep in his step.

It was at this location that he debuted for Team France and confirmed his status as an all-time great with 1-1 scores. Febvre won his first moto the following season and paired that with a fourth, before capturing 2-3 rankings in his most recent appearance, and so there can be no doubt that he'll deliver for his nation. Peculiar, because he has garnered a reputation for untimely errors and yet those never appear when in a team environment. A psychiatrist could find enjoyment in dissecting the differences between racing in the two settings.

Anyway, I digress and must resist diving into that fascinating topic. Febvre is not held in the same regard as Jeffrey Herlings or Tim Gajser and yet one must acknowledge that he could sweep his motos on Sunday, beating Jett Lawrence. It would not be surprising as he has the intense pace to beat anyone and is magical when 'on' – that should be the case when gates drop. It is perhaps more likely that Febvre beats Lawrence than any other Grand Prix regular and doing so would put Team France in a great place, as they can rely on their remaining soldiers to be effective reinforcement.

Tom Vialle would have questioned himself at points across the last twelve months, but his confidence has been restored in a timely fashion. The way in which '128' rode in the SuperMotocross World Championship was a pleasant reminder of what it's like to be a leading force, like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes and those will ensure comfort as he strolls into Ernee. There is simply no doubt that he will want to remind the current crop of MX2 riders that he remains the class of the field and has not lost his 'spark' since his move to the United States.

It will be curious to see what Vialle does on Saturday because he will start with his American engine. The Grand Prix format lends itself to experimentation, of course, and so he could jump to a European set-up, if deemed necessary. The comfort level of Vialle will be an interesting subplot to follow with Team France. There are not too many question marks surrounding 'Les Bleus' as the race beckons, but that is one that this scribe will be watching closely. Another is how competitive Renaux will be in the Open class – he has been wayward since his return to Grands Prix in the middle of August.

Renaux climbed on the box at the Grand Prix of Turkiye, so he is seemingly back to form. Uncovering the form consistently has been tricky – Maggiora was hard and then he crashed out of the Grand Prix of Great Britain. Although he missed race day to focus on the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, his confidence and momentum must be questioned as memories of his podium in Turkiye begin to fade. Self-doubt must creep in at a point and wrestling with that on the world's greatest stage could be a real challenge. It must be noted that '959' is particularly headstrong though.

Nations like Australia and The Netherlands will point to those 'holes' in Team France as a sign of hope. It must be said that, if it was not for those, it would be extremely tricky to bet against the 2018 winners. It is the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations though and anything can happen. Note that France competed with a superb team when Ernee last hosted the event, 2015, and lived up to expectations with an eventual total of fourteen points. Team USA almost pulled off the impossible and tore the Chamberlain Trophy from their grasp though, as they ended with sixteen points. Expect the unexpected.