Red Bull Motocross Of Nations 2010

Hard fights

In Kishinev – then in the Soviet Union – the Russian team took the Chamberlain Trophy for the first time. Then Belgium finally won again the Trophy in Farleigh Castle (1969) after chasing after it for 18 years, with legendary names such as Roger de Coster, Joel Robert and Sylvain Geboers.

The 70s saw a big change at the mechanical level, with the massive arrival of Japanese manufacturers. Suzuki started first, quickly followed by Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki. The first years of the decade were shared between Sweden and Belgium. In Sweden 1974, behind the local team, a US team appeared for the first time on the rostrum, in the second place, composed of Jim Pomeroy (Bultaco), Brad Lackey (Husqvarna), Marty Tripes (Husqvarna) and Jimmy Weinert (Kawasaki), just ahead of the Russian squad which was including Moisseev. In 1975 in Czechoslovakia, the local team finished ahead of Belgium – despite the presence of three World Champions, Roger de Coster, Harry Everts and Gaston Rahier - and Great Britain. Two wins of the Belgian team preceded the second victory of a Russian team, which included the 250cc World Champion Guennady Moisseev.

In the Trophée des Nations contest, Belgium conquered all titles except one (Russia in 1979) as of 1969 until 1980. In the Motocross des Nations Belgium again won two titles (79, 80) before the American domination became effective. Having missed both events in the two previous years, the American team arrived at Lommel in Belgium in September 1981 for the Trophée des Nations with four Honda riders managed by former World Champion Roger de Coster. Danny Laporte, Chuck Sun, Johnny O’Mara and Donnie Hansen destroyed the opposition, and one week later won again in the Motocross des Nations in Bielstein, Germany. Changes were made in the team from one year to the next, but it did not change anything. The American field was full of top riders during the 80s, and De Coster’s team got eight victories (four in each team competition) in four years.

In 1980 the FIM decided to introduce a third Motocross team contest with 125cc motorcycles: the Coupe des Nations. The Italian team led by Michele Rinaldi won the first two titles, followed by Belgium (with Eric Geboers) and the Netherlands (with Kees Van der Ven and John Van de Berk).