MOTOCROSS: Australian riders for Motocross of Nations named

AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR THE MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS SELECTED

Motorcycling Australia today selected the team that will represent Australia for the 2006 Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin in Winchester, England, from September 23-24.

The three riders who will make up the Australian team for the event, which is considered to be the most prestigious event on the Motocross calendar, are Chad Reed, Brett Metcalfe and Michael Byrne.

None of this year's representatives were in the team that travelled to France for the 2005 Motocross of Nations, however with all three riders sharing great success abroad this team is being considered a strong chance to do well.

Australia's best placing in the 59 years of the running of the event was back in 1988 when they finished in fourth.

Reed, who rides in the AMA Motocross Nationals Series in America, is returning to the Motocross of Nations for the first time since 2001, where he won a moto as part of the team that came sixth overall.

Byrne is also taking part in the same series, while Metcalfe has been performing particularly well recently in the Lites division.

Andrew McFarlane, who has ridden in three of the four Australian teams that have competed since 2001 at the event, made himself unavailable for the team as he is expecting the birth of his first child at around the same time.

The Motocross of Nations was established in 1947 and is the oldest running FIM event, with the USA and Great Britain taking home the Chamberlain Trophy 16 times, while Belgium has notched up 14 wins.

-credit: www.ma.org.au