The MXoN promises to be an all-timer this weekend and it’s even so far so good with the weather, some rain, yes, but no washout like 2017!
That means it’s set-up perfectly for all the biggest names in the sport, aside from the injured Chase Sexton, to do battle to see who is the fastest man on the planet – at least for one weekend!
The way team USA worked out this year, Eli Tomac or Chase Sexton were going to miss out and, unfortunately for Sexton, his injury at SMX ruled him out but with Tomac in the mix and his raw speed back as we saw in SMX, he will be a man to be reckoned with at Matterley – and the wide track should suit his pinned outside lines style, perfectly.
Tomac will have one of the biggest names in the sport to take on. Jett Lawrence is the king of America right now and he will be trying to be king of the world at Matterley Basin. Justin Brayton and Adam Cianciarulo (see below) declared Jett as arguably (or not even arguably) to be the fastest man on the planet in the SMX finale, it’s time to find out if any of the riders that disagree can prove it this weekend.
Jorge Prado was the first rider to beat Jett last year outdoors on a 450, he is in prime form again in 2024, and even faster than last year. With his starts and Jett’s starts, the most likely outcome is the supercross and SMX champ v the MXGP world champ doing battle at the front this weekend – they are two most technical riders in the world and maybe the two fastest riders in the world right now. If you are going to Matterley Basin, expect riding lessons from both in terms of how they ride the bike – it’s Stefan Everts level of perfection.
The wildcard is Jeffrey Herlings. He will race Jett Lawrence for the first time ever and when this man is on his game, as he showed halfway through the season until a back injury and more broken ribs halted his progress, Herlings can still win against the elite anytime, anywhere. He still has the X factor when he is feeling the flow, his corner speed is phenomenal and, if he is “on” at Matterley and can, by some miracle, start with Jett and Prado, Herlings might still be the guy who could beat them both. Because, outside of Prado, if there is one rider on earth who has the raw speed to really push Jett Lawrence to the edge of his comfort zone, like we haven’t seen yet outdoors on a 450, it is prime time Jeffrey Herlings the rider, for nearly all his pro career, has been hailed as the fastest man on the planet. But he has to be at his best this weekend to show it again – and get those starts to give himself the chance.
Hunter Lawrence is always there too, and he won the MX2 class the last time he raced at Matterley Basin in the MXoN! Hunter is riding fantastically well right now on the 2025 Honda and will be a threat as will Australia to win the event, those boys will be super motivated this weekend. Tim Gajser rode superbly all year but just came up short of being a six time world champion, if he unleashes all that anger at Matterley Basin, a track he usually excels at, he will be a potential winner as could Romain Febvre as he leads the MXoN champs and always produces at the Nations and, importantly, like Gajser, is absolutely rapid at Matterley!
Ken Roczen can always pull a performance out of the bag at anywhere, anytime as we saw last year at Ernee. The talent is remarkable and he can never be counted out. Maxime Renaux is usually never far way in a big time event but is still getting back to his best after being injured most of the year, but his best will put him in the mix too – remember Red Bud MXoN final moto in 2022?
This is a race of living legends in their prime. This is a race, like 2006 Everts v Stewart, that will be talked about forever more. This time it’s the race of champions; Jett Lawrence v Prado v Tomac v Herlings v Gajser v Roczen v Hunter Lawrence v Febvre v Renaux in the final moto of the weekend for bragging rights! Generations colliding and all still fast enough to win.
This isn’t just about the team event, this is the best in the game from AMA and MXGP for one weekend in 2024 showing who is the fastest man on the planet.
This is the biggest race of the year. This is unmissable!
