Marvin Musquin Adds Another Kingdom As The King Of Geneva
Marvin Musquin Adds Another Kingdom As The King Of Geneva
The Geneva Supercross had results on par with Paris and it’s time for the rest of the field to start getting worried about Marvin Musquin.
By Race Chapman
The Geneva Supercross in Palexpo, Switzerland, this weekend had results sheets that were pretty much on par with the Paris Supercross, and it’s time for the rest of the field to start getting worried about Marvin Musquin.
But if you only saw the results, you missed some exciting battles between two Supercross heavyweights. The 27-year-old French star and the U.S. native Jason Anderson put on an epic show during the Friday and Saturday night mains, with Musquin sweeping both and capturing his fourth "King of Geneva" crown.
Unlike last month's Paris Supercross — which Musquin also won — with its many Sprints and Mains, the Swiss have a more traditional Supercross style, albeit with two nights of action instead of one. The track was very short, with the fastest lap times at about the 34-second range, which is more on par with Arenacross in America.
But the layout was interesting, with some alternative options through rhythm sections. Musquin was jumping through the whoops in his trademark fashion, while most other racers elected to blitz them. Anderson preferred to jump over as much of the rhythm section as possible, while Musquin tried to skim the top of the table tops and keep the bike low. All combinations were almost identical in speed.
On Friday night, Anderson kicked off the Main by grabbing a holeshot. Musquin and Justin Brayton were in tow. Musquin took a few laps to get close enough to make a real attempt on the lead, which he finally did in the long, cavernous whoop section.
But Anderson was having none of it. He cleverly squared back up under Musquin in the flat corners that followed and retook the lead. Musquin switched up his line through the whoops on the next lap and traded with Anderson yet again. Anderson beat him to the corner, but this time Musquin had a line that allowed him to square up under Anderson.
It should be noted that during this entire battle, both racers were being very friendly and "sporting." Anderson, who is known for his aggressive passes and sometimes blatant take-outs, was leaving Musquin enough room on the track to ride alongside him.
All this time, Brayton was so close behind Musquin, that as soon as Musquin made his pass, Brayton was there to pressure Anderson. This sneak attack apparently caught Anderson by surprise and he lost touch with Musquin.
Now Musquin had a clear track and a sizable gap over Anderson — and it seemed that the race was over. But surprisingly, Anderson mounted another attack late in the moto, and at one point was within two bike lengths of Musquin.
The night would belong to Musquin, and he took the checkers with Anderson following in second, Brayton in third, Cedric Soubeyras in fourth, and Thomas Ramette in fifth. Aside from the two Americans in second and third, the top 10 riders were all French. In fact, the only other countries represented were Italy with Angelo Pellegrini and Spain with Nil Bussot.
Saturday's Main event started almost identical to the first, aside from the fact that Brayton was buried deep in the pack. Anderson held on to the lead for about half the moto before Musquin mounted any real challenge.
However, Anderson effectively handed the lead to Musquin by sliding out in a tight, flat corner before the whoops. Anderson remounted his bike quickly and didn't lose any more positions, but the damage was already done. Musquin would not be caught.
During Saturday night's Main, Anderson clocked in the fastest lap. It is possible that without the fall he could have beaten Musquin.
But of course, that didn't happen and the weekend belonged to Musquin, with a 1-1 leading that crowned the King of Geneva. Anderson scored a 2-2 for second overall, and Brayton made a remarkable comeback to finish third on Saturday for a third overall.
For those in Eli Tomac's camp, it must be difficult to ignore the momentum being gained right now by Marvin Musquin.
After Musquin regularly bested Tomac at the end of the outdoor series, it was easy to brush off and believe Tomac wisely backed it down to protect his championship. And, of course, he won the title, so that's evidence enough to dismiss any real concerns.
But watching Musquin suddenly catch fire during the Monster Energy Cup — and collect the $1 million prize for only the second time in the event's history — surely cracked the shell of confidence surrounding Tomac. And since then, Musquin has comfortably won every single event that he entered, from the Red Bull Straight Rhythm to the European Supercross races.
Tomac has proven to be susceptible to having his confidence broken. When Tomac is winning, he wins with ease. But when he is challenged, he often seems to break under the pressure.
With that in mind, is it a good idea to avoid the overseas Supercross races as he has been doing? Or should he be there, learning Musquin's tricks and attempting to slow down the seemingly unstoppable No. 25 train?
It isn't hard to believe that the momentum Musquin is gaining right now will carry over into the American Monster Energy Supercross Series. With only one month before the first race, this is valuable testing and training for all the American competitors.
One can only imagine what Tomac must be thinking at this moment.
More By Race Chapman
Marvin Musquin Crown King Of Paris
Fill The Motocross Off Season With Useful Activity
Big Changes Are Coming To Supercross, But Why