Ray Ray, I guess you needed to put up the MX Des Nations records out of a feeling of 'self defense'. That, plus the comment about Bailey and Ward. I don't know why you needed to do so - all I can think is you read something into my posting that was not there.
Note : I know exactly the results records for the MX Des Nations - and I know of all the great MX Riders from the US - but I also know of all the Great riders from the rest of the World. And, I place World Championships at the top, over any National Championships. Always have, always will. No matter how much is spruiked about any National Championship.
Your response is as if I had indulged in the typical US habit of saying "we Are the greatest", after each MX Des Nations, but, used with Germany / other countries in mind. I have not, and would not, come out with childish crap such as that. You don't read me above going on about Germany / GP riders 'slaughtering' the US team.
They got beaten, in a one day event. A truly fantastic one day event, but that is all it's ever been.
This year, your teams incredible run of luck, didn't stick with them - though, right up till the first quarter of the final moto, I expected the usual disasters to happen for the European teams. And your teams 'bad luck' this time, had no real effect on their results. Barcia finishing higher, would not have got the Chamberlain Trophy for the team. Go back over the last few years, and check results - more often than not, it's Euro teams in the lead, coming into the final moto, then disaster strikes. That's Motocross. S*** Happens. Your team always arrives on a mission, with probably the greatest MX mind orchestrating them - Roger Decoster. They get the job done. This year, the Germans avoided bad luck, And got the job done. No more, no less. They were getting the job done at Colorado, for example, untill Max Nagle went off the track (on a table top, I think), and that stopped Germany from winning. It happens.
A side note: I read a lot of people - on other sites - trying to blame Barcia for Dungy's prang. Complete and utter BS. They both had the back kick and swap, pretty much in tandem - Barcia handled it. Dungey, didn't. Barcia, if he keeps his nose clean, and avoids serious injury, I feel, could become a true Great of US MX. You need a bit of Mongrel in you, to succeed, and he's got it. Very little fazes him. Sure, he's had some brain farts, but he young, and they are lessening. He was fantastic to watch at Lommel - though, a bit scary.
This time, your team got beaten, yet, straight away, on sites Other Than Cafe Husky, people whined about it being a 'set up', with a track being used that would guarrantee 'victory for the Euros'. The VERY track that the US MX Des Nations first win came at. A track, that has been around for decades. And Roger DeCoster, knowing the track, and the calibre of riders that your team were going up against, got your team to Europe early, and had them riding sand tracks.
As for your highlighted words about SX - yes, it's all about money, and it's As American as Apple Pie. It breeds great SX riders, but it, plus the artificialization of MX in the US (well everywhere, it has to be said), is not breeding enough future, hard core MXers, like Bailey and Ward. It's far from MX, and it is what it is - the one World Championship you have in the US.
The one thing that truly delighted me, was Antonio Cairoli finally having the dark cloud of disaster off his back, and winning comprehensively. That, was fantastic. And that I was there, in person to see it, was wonderful.
By the way - I had the use of a Nuda R for just over a week. We went from Zurich, to Munich, up to Nuremberg, up to Teutschenthal, for the last GP, then across to Berlin and then down for one day at the ISDE. Then, across to Lommel zig zaging to a few big cities / towns in Germany. Spent 3 days at Lommel, then followed the French / German border down to Basil, then across to Zurich.
The Nuda R had the Husky accessory clear screen on it, an adjustable Brembo front mastercylinder - to make the front brake less viscous / more refined in feel, plus a Brembo Thumb brake, as I can't use a foot brake due to leg problems. A Lovely Akro' pipe on it, plus a very trick ECU my mate is developing, and, an aftermarket seat - it Really Needed that, with the long days we had on the bikes. I took the side boxes off that my mate had set it up with, as I was travelling light, and he had plenty of room in his GS's luggage.
It probably ranks as one of the best bikes I have ever ridden. Fast, light, sit up positioning, with superb handling. With the way we kept off Autobahns / highways, we racked up over 3000Ks. I could not think of a better bike. If I didn't have more than enough bikes / bits to make other bikes, I'd buy one in an instant. In fact, a whole bunch of bits may be sacrificed to get one. It absolutely S***s on any of its competition - especially the KTMs I've ridden. It also happens to a great 'wheelie and big skid bike'. Fun, Fun , Fun. The addition of the Akro, but moreso, my mates ECU, felt like it had another 10 /15HP and much more torque, over the std Nuda Rs I have ridden - and they are Not slugs, by any means.
... I mean, did the Berlin Wall really fall or was that smack talk also?
NOT!
