MotoOnline.com.au speaks to our AMA regulars about Team Australia’s MXoN hopes in France.

Team Australia stands a very real shot at landing a podium in this weekend’s Motocross of Nations at St. Jean d’Angeley in France with Chad Reed, Brett Metcalfe and Matt Moss wearing green and gold.

MotoOnline.com.au tracked down our four Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross regulars following the Pala national last weekend to see what Australia should hope for in their eyes.

Chad Reed – TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing Honda

I think that individually we just need to rise to the occasion. We all need to focus really hard on starts, get out front and just be away from the trouble. You know, you show up at des Nations and you’ve got three of the best guys from every country, so everybody has a different riding style. They ride different than you and you don’t normally race them on a weekend basis.

I think that we have a huge potential and we should be on the podium. From my side, I feel like we have the strongest team that we can possibly have at this point. I’m really excited to be going to France with two good guys, guys who can hopefully rise to the occasion along with myself, and we can put Team Australia on the podium.

Brett Metcalfe – Rockstar Makita Suzuki

Overall I think we can get a top three. Australia’s never been on the podium, so that’s our first aim. We need to be up there, whatever it is – 3, 2, 1 would be good! That’s what we are hoping for. It’s a difficult event, you really need three guys with six good motos. That’s what’s difficult, the way that the motos are structured.

It’s going to take everyone getting good starts – that’s the key. We need to be up the front early in the front pack, so if we can do that then I think we can finish strong. Other than that it’s all about staying up, finishing strong and doing the best that we can.

Michael Byrne – BTOSports/BBMX/Suzuki

Hopefully the monkey will get off our backs a little bit. Obviously I’m bummed not to be a part of it, but definitely don’t deserve to be this year. Definitely the guys just need to worry about finishing the motos. You don’t neseacerilly have to worry about winning motos, because we’ve had good individual results before but a couple of DNFs as well.

If we could get fourths, fifths and sixths, that would put us on the box easily. It’s all about consistency, so hopefully the bikes stay together and the gusy stay on. Matt really needs to focus on just one good moto, try get it out of the way and then more than likely his final moto will be the throwaway. He can just let Chad and Metty do their thing, which they’ve been doing, so hopefully it works out.

Tye Simmonds – JDR/J-Star/KTM

I think Australia will do really good. Reedy’s been flying this year, Metcalfe seems to have found his strides in the second half of the outdoors and got an overall, plus Mossy has just come off an Australian Motocross Lites championship. Australia’s definitely got a good team, so I think if Mossy can stay on his bike they’ll be really good. All the best to them, hopefully they can bring it home for the win, if not top three would be really nice.

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