France has wreathed itself in glory with the European Championship, while Italy is proud to host the world championship, and not just any - the legendary Motocross World Team Championship will be staged in Maggiora to the west of Milan on 24th and 25th September. This will be the climax to the end of the season for motocross riders everywhere.

However, the track in the northern Italian region of Piedmont is by no means easy and will be a real challenge both for riders and spectators. The public has only a limited view of the circuit. The nature of the terrain means that parts of the race can be difficult to follow. MX riders in Maggiora will be tested to their limits, because conditions there are so challenging and extreme.

This MX track is well established and in the nature of an 'old-school' track, as it has been constructed to suit the terrain and is built into a hillside. There are no man-made sections, instead, the hard 1,650-metre track loops around the circuit and has quite a few ascents and descents, some of which are very steep. And yet at the same time, the track itself is very compact and narrow, but the many technical elements in Maggiora are difficult to master, and the two 180-degree bends immediately after the main straight soon sort out the men from the boys.

Still, it's precisely this race track's special character that will make the MX of Nations highlight event in Italy so very special. Thousands of spectators, packed into the confines of the circuit, are expected to come and cheer on the riders from their respective countries. The first Motocross of Nations was held in Maggiora in 1970. The last time the Italians organised and hosted the prestigious race weekend was in 1986.