eam USA had fallen on tough times. After absolutely dominating the 1996 FIM Motocross des Nations in Jerez, Spain, they’d failed to even reach the podium in Belgium (’97), Great Britain (’98), and Brazil (’99). Leading up to the 2000 event in St. Jean D’Angely, France, a highly motivated home team was ready and waiting to take them down again. France had never won the “Olympics of Motocross,” but they were fielding two multi-time FIM World Champions in Sebastien Tortelli and Frederic Bolley, as well as AMA 125 West Region Supercross Champion Stephane Roncada.

Team USA, meanwhile, had been bandaged together by team manager Roger De Coster. AMA 250 Pro Motocross Champion Ricky Carmichael would lead the team on a Kawasaki KX250 despite disastrous appearances at the MXdN the previous two years. The veteran Ryan Hughes would compete in the Open class. He would race the same PAMO Honda CR250 he was supposed to have been riding on the 250 Grand Prix circuit in Europe, but a broken wrist had cost him much of his season. Team USA’s 125 rider would be the sensational Travis Pastrana, the high-flying free spirit who had long tortured his Suzuki boss De Coster with constant FMX-influenced theatrics. Despite the fact that Pastrana was the new AMA 125 National Champion, having narrowly defeated Yamaha of Troy’s Roncada, he was considered the weakest link.

The start of the first 125/500 moto didn’t help Team USA’s chances, as Pastrana got caught in a first-turn pileup that took down ten riders. He would scramble to salvage the moto. Fortunately for the Americans, the French had even worse luck, as Bolley would take a rock to his face, breaking his nose. He would be forced to pull out, blood gushing from under his helmet.

While Pastrana climbed through the pack, Hughes battled Great Britain’s Jamie Dobb for the lead. Dobb seemed to have the win in the bag, but in the last turn, his big-bore KTM four-stroke stalled, and he helplessly watched as Hughes slipped around him and took an unexpected win. As for Travis, he made a sensational last-lap pass on Roncada, soaring over him off a ski jump. That was for tenth overall, but it made him second 125 in the field behind only South Africa’s Grant Langston.

The second (125/250) moto went off next, and Carmichael put any doubts about him on the international stage to rest by absolutely dominating the race. He would beat Tortelli by some 15 seconds—though it should be mentioned that Sebastien had bent his shift lever in the middle of the race.

As for Pastrana, he tried to make another overhead pass on that big ski jump, only this time he flubbed the landing and bounced through a fence. “You live by the sword, you die by the sword,” he would tell Cycle News reporter Chris Jonnum after limping across the finish in 15th place.

Even though Tortelli was second overall and Roncada was top 125 the second time out, the French were in trouble. Despite his broken nose, Bolley did his best, lining up for the 250/500 finale, reviving hope in the partisan fans. But after a bad start and struggling to focus, he was forced to pull off again. The French faithful would have to settle for a convincing final-moto win by Tortelli as the highlight of the day. Carmichael took second, with Hughes back in fifth. It was more than enough for Team USA to finally get back on top of the box in the Olympics of Motocross.