Kawasaki Race Team were asked by the AMA if their riders would be available for Team USA for the Motocross of Nations 2019.
They weren’t the only team asked – the AMA contacted several teams to gauge rider availability for the Assen event on September 28/29.
Kawasaki have informed the AMA that the team and riders will not be considered for the event later this year.
The team says that Eli Tomac and Adam Cianciarulo both had expressed interest in attending MXoN in the Netherlands this year. However, after discussing the details of the team’s off-season plans with each rider, both were in agreement with the team’s decision to not disrupt 2020 preparation.
“Being chosen to represent the USA is always an honour,” said Tomac. “I am a patriotic guy so attending Motocross of Nations is something I always look forward to and embrace the challenge of the unique race. However, after speaking with the team I understand and support their reasoning for not attending this year’s event. Winning Motocross of Nations is something that is still on my checklist, but my priority right now is winning a Monster Energy Supercross title.”
“It would be an incredible and humbling honour to be chosen to represent Team USA,” said Cianciarulo. “For me, it has always been something I have watched and wanted to be chosen for, but I understand the team’s decision and I know I have a lot of work and new challenges ahead of me by moving up to the 450 class.”
Kawasaki will continue its pursuit of success in the 450MX and 250MX 2019 AMA Pro Motocross Championships with Tomac and Cianciarulo each carrying the points lead and red plates in their respective classes into the Unadilla National in New Berlin, New York on Saturday, August 10th.
Kawasaki have not ruled out MXoN invitations for its team riders in the future.
It’s interesting the team has chosen to make a statement like this. Perhaps Kawasaki saying it doesn’t fit with team plans is designed to take away some of the fan pressure that may have been heaped on their riders once the team had been announced without arguably two of the best riders the USA could have sent to Assen.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the usual way.
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