MXoN preview and predictions – can USA still win without Deegan and Sexton?

Jonathan McCready: The 2025 MXoN is missing a bit of star power with the Jorge Prado drama forcing him out of team Spain, Herlings faffing omission from the Netherlands and Deegan and Sexton getting injured on the 31st and final weekend of AMA racing but with Tomac, Roczen, the Lawrence brothers, Febvre, Renaux, de Wolf and the return of the legend Cairoli in a strong team Italy, the best riders on planet earth will showing their skills at the biggest race on earth this weekend at Ironman.

Australia start as favourites with the genius Jett Lawrence leading the way but Hunter is as close as anyone else in the world in speed to Jett leaving their 1-2 punch the strongest in the field! Webster just needs an okay result to put Australia in the mix but the USA are still really strong despite the high profile absentees.

Hampshire has been flying on the 450 and Cooper is always great on a 250 and, crucially, has great starts to lay the platform for a win. If Tomac can execute to his level it should be US very Australia for the title. But Belgium with the latest teenage generational talent in Lucas Coenen alongside his very fast brother Sacha and Liam Everts could be the team to get closest if Lucas unleashes the speed he had on his GP winning days and Sacha limits the mistakes in MX2 alongside the always consistent and fast Everts.

France with Romain Febvre, the new world champ! will be strong, alongside Renaux and rookie Valin, but Valin is quick and could do the job France need to contend. The Dutch if Herlings was there would be in the mix for the win but with Coldenhoff, Vlaanderen and De Wolf, they should still be podium/top five contenders as should Germany with Längenfelder and Roczen.

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Latvia could be the team to watch with Jonass and the Reisulis brothers all high quality riders and a top ten is possible if not top five. And don’t count out Italy with Cairoli on the Ducati 450 alongside Bonacorsi who was brilliant in MXGP this season and former MX2 world champ! Adamo, it’s a strong mix of speed, youth and experience.

Spain with Prado, Fernandez and Farres would have been in the mix but EMX250 rider Garcia has huge talent and will be very interesting to watch on the 450 with Jo Shimoda also capable of putting the cat amongst the pigeons on his 450 debut.

Slovenia are strong and motivated with Gajser having his last race on a Honda and will want to go out with a win alongside Jan Pancar who has had a brilliant MXGP season, they should be in the top ten mix.

Conrad Mewse will need to show his British championship speed to lead team GB to a top ten with Gilbert and Walsh his wingmen, both very competent riders. Mewse could open a lot of eyes and doors Stateside with a good performance.

Nations

Australia
USA
Belgium

Individual

MX2: De Wolf

MXGP: Jett Lawrence

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Open: Hunter Lawrence

Andy McKinstry: One of the most anticipated events of the year lies ahead of us this weekend at Ironman – the iconic MXoN! I’ll keep my bit short but for the win it’s between Australia and USA for me – I can’t really see any other Nation having enough to win. Australia for me are the ones to beat so I am backing them.

There are a number of Nations who have the potential of finishing third if they manage to get starts but it’ll probably come down to that. I think France will do the job and get on the podium. Maxime Renaux maybe hasn’t had the best of years but this is an event he usually excels at. Mathis Valin is also a rider for the future – very talented.

In terms of the overall class winners, I am backing the Lawrence brothers to win their classes. MX2 is a tricky one and probably come down to starts. You can’t count out Kay de Wolf, Simon Längenfelder, Justin Cooper or even Sacha Coenen to take the win. I’ll go with Kay de Wolf though, I think he could have a Gajser type like ride he had at Matterley Basin last year after losing out on an MXGP title. De Wolf is in a similar position this year after missing out on the MX2 title – he’ll be motivated!

Nations