Grand prix legend Jeff Leisk believes Team Australia stands a real chance at cracking a top five result at the Motocross of Nations in France on 18 September.

The Australian squad will this year feature Chad Reed (MX1), Matt Moss (MX2) and Brett Metcalfe (MX3), but Leisk knows all too well that the entire team needs to take their A-game to Saint Jean d’Angely against the world’s best.

“On paper it’s pretty solid, certainly not a bad team,” Leisk told MotoOnline.com.au. “I think it’s one of those things where the team can be top five, but like always you’re going to need all the riders firing – that’s what it’s all about.

“I suppose in the last years we haven’t quite had that happen. We’ve had some good individual results, but we haven’t really had all riders in the team clicking like we wanted.”

“It’s pretty competitive, so without every ride scoring a good result then it would be very hard to crack the top five. It’s an awesome event, likeable to get a huge crowd particularly in France.

“It’s not often you get to race motocross in front of up to 40,000 fans”

As KTM Australia’s general manager, Leisk will keep a particularly close eye on Moss, who won the Pro Lites Australian Motocross Championship for JDR Motorex KTM aboard the 250 SX-F last month.

With Moss making his MXoN debut, Leisk has warned that he needs to maintain his focus when the gates drop on race day – citing it as a big challenge for a young Australian on debut with high expectations placed upon the team.

“It potentially could be a bit overwhelming for Matt,” Leisk added. “I kind of know the track, which is a pretty wide open sort of track on the side of the hill, so it’s going to test him. It’s a big challenge ahead, in my opinion.”

Leisk was part of the team that scored Australia’s best ever MXoN finish in 1988, taking a pair of individual podiums on a 500cc to take fourth overall alongside Craig Dack and Glen Bell.