The team that represented New Zealand at the 2023 Motocross of Nations in France ( from left ): Shayne King , Cody Cooper , James Scott and Hamish Harwood
New Zealand is back among the elite top 15 in the motocross world after a brave and inspiring performance in northwestern France over the weekend of October 7-8 . This season ’ s 76th annual Motocross of Nations ( MXoN ) was packed with drama throughout the two days of qualification and points race action at the circuit at Ernee , near Rennes , but the three-rider team from New Zealand battled through to finish up 14th out of the 37 countries represented . Papamoa ’ s Cody Cooper was Team NZ ’ s designated MXGP class rider and he took his 450cc GasGas bike to finish 26th and 32nd in his two outings . Auckland-based former Takaka man Hamish Harwood , the team ’ s Open Class rider , chimed in with 23rd and 26th results on his 450cc KTM machine , while Oparau ’ s James Scott took his 250cc Yamaha to finish 32nd and 34th in his two races as the team ’ s MX2 ( 250cc ) class rider .
With each nation required to drop their one worst score , Scott ’ s 34th placing was the discard result for Team New Zealand . Every year , the MXoN lives up to its billing as the ultimate dirt bike spectacle and the famous teams ’ racing event again produced plenty of drama and intrigue . The host team from France dominated from the outset and , no doubt spurred on by the mostly French fans among the 100,000-plus crowd on the packed hillside , they delivered all that they had promised . France ’ s Open Class rider Maxime Renaux finished 1-3 in his two outings ; their MXGP rider Romain Febvre finished 1-7 and their MX2 rider Tom Vialle managed 2-8 results ( with his 8th placing the team ’ s result to discard ). Australia ( brothers Jett and Hunter Lawrence , with just-crowned national 450cc champion Dean Ferris ) scored runner-up honours and the trio from Italy ( Andrea Bonacorsi , Andrea Adamo and Alberto Ferato ) claimed the third podium spot .
26 KIWI RIDER