Motueka's Josh Coppins (Yamaha), who will lead the Kiwi team in Italy in October. Photo / Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Motueka's Josh Coppins (Yamaha), who will lead the Kiwi team in Italy in October. Photo / Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
You have to buy a ticket to have a hope of winning the lottery.
New Zealand sends its three-man team to the Motocross of Nations in Italy this weekend hoping it will be less of a lottery and more of a sure bet that they will be on the podiumby the end of this year's edition of the "Olympic Games of Motocross".
A record-breaking entry list of 36 teams have signed up to battle for the Chamberlain Trophy at Franciacorta, northern Italy, this Saturday and Sunday and the Kiwis have a good chance of featuring.
This year's Motocross of Nations will see a total of 108 riders line up, more than have ever raced in the 62-year history of this most important motocross event in the world.
Team USA will be keen to extend their streak to five consecutive wins, although the host country, Team Italia - which includes newly crowned MX1 world champion Tony Cairoli and 2008 MX1 world champion David Philippaerts - also rates as one of the favourites.
New Zealand, too, should not be underestimated.
"We have been on a podium three times before at this great event," said Motorcycling New Zealand motocross commissioner and MXoN team manager Mike McLeod, of Wellington.
"I know we can do it again."
The New Zealand team this year are MX1 world championship stalwart Josh Coppins (Yamaha), from Motueka, with Queenstown's Scotty Columb (Suzuki) and Rotorua's Michael Phillips (Honda) as his wing-men.
Coppins rode in the Kiwi team who finished third in England in 1988, in Belgium in 2001 and again in England in 2006.
