The FIM Motocross World Championship heads to Teutschenthal, Germany, this weekend, but home heroes Max Nagl and Ken Roczen have experienced mixed fortunes lately. The French Grand Prix sent Nagl out with a broken left collarbone while Roczen has been struggling with the track and missed the podium. Their home GP may just be their chance for revenge.

A fall in Saturday’s qualifying race at the French Grand Prix left Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Nagl with a broken left collarbone, which was successfully operated in the following days.

The injury also damaged Nagl’s championship classification as he dropped down from second to fourth in the series, now set to make a late decision whether to race his home GP or not, but the determined German will not give it up easily.

Nagl’s teammate Antonio Cairoli instead continues to lead the MX1 series since round two in Mantova. The Italian was second overall in France with as many points as overall winner David Philippaerts and has showed impressive form so far. With half of his first championship on the KTM 350 SX-F being run, Cairoli has unveiled like the man to beat in this hard fought 2010.

Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1’s Clement Desalle is now second in the championship courtesy of a third overall finish in France. The Belgian, who also missed one round due to a dislocated shoulder, has a 68 point gap from Cairoli but he has never been on the podium in Germany – where Cairoli took victory in 2009.

Following Desalle from third place is Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross’ Philippaerts, someone having a love affair with Teutschenthal. Philippaerts took his maiden MX1 win in Teutschenthal in 2007, then narrowly missed out on a podium finish in both 2008 and 2009, ending level in points with the third placed rider.

After taking his first GP of 2010 in France, David is pumped for this weekend and will try to close the seven point gap from Desalle.

Other Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1 man Steve Ramon is fifth behind Nagl while Ken De Dycker rounds off the top six ahead of Xavier Boog, Tanel Leok, Davide Guarneri and Evgeny Bobryshev.

Anticipating Sunday’s football World Cup match New Zealand vs Italy, New Zealander Josh Coppins will try and chase Cairoli for victory as Coppins still seeks Aprilia’s maiden triumph in a Motocross GP. Having won both heats at Teutschenthal in 2008, Coppins will exploit his experience on the German track to steer his twin cylinder Aprilia to a top three finish.

Making his debut in a grand prix will be young Australian Dean Ferris will be onboard the Honda Racing MX machine at Teutschenthal this weekend alongside American Jimmy Albertson.

After being struck by bad luck in this first half of the season, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2’s Roczen is looking for revenge as he challenges series leader Marvin Musquin from second place.

The 16-year-old German took his maiden win at Teutschenthal last year in his rookie world championship season to become the youngest GP winner ever at 15 years and 53 days. This year instead he needs to cut the 71 point gap from Musquin and keep his championship hopes alive with still eight rounds to go including Teutschenthal.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2’s Musquin has impressed at his first season as defending champion. The Frenchman has won an impressive amount of GPs, leaving his rivals with nothing to win except for the Dutch Grand Prix where he had a bad weekend and finished off the podium. Heading into Teutschenthal, Musquin has a total of six GP wins and 11 moto wins.

Third in the championship is Steven Frossard of Kawasaki CLS. The hard pack specialist from France took his maiden podium appearance in Teutschenthal in 2008 but has not a GP win to his name yet. Taking a second overall in Germany last year, the course seems to be one of Frossard’s favourites and it comes at the right moment for the French, defending his position from a very close Jeffrey Herlings.

The latter is just two points away from Frossard due to crashes in the last couple of rounds. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2 youngster, who has already won his home GP in Valkenswaard despite this being his maiden season in the class, will see Teutschenthal for the first time but has already proved that he can quickly adapt to courses he does not know.

Herlings’ teammate Shaun Simpson completes the top five from Zach Osborne, who has taken back to back podiums since his home GP in Glen Helen.