Could a new year bring a change of luck? After Team Germany suffered the major setback of Max Nagl and Henry Jacobi crashing out, the slate will be wiped clean for 2017, and the German national squad once again looks poised for success in the Motocross of the Nations. However, the quality of the opposition should not be underestimated this season, especially the USA, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, who have many strong riders from which to put together a national team.

France are in any case on a winning streak after taking a hat-trick of titles in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In addition, their three world championship riders Benoit Paturel, Gautier Paulin and Romain Febvre, who were all in excellent form last year, look dead certs for selection this time too. In the case of the Belgians, the two MXGP riders Clement Desalle and Jeremy van Horebeek as well as MX2 contestant Julien Lieber are strong contenders by virtue of their showing in the world championship. Desalle is currently second in the standings, with van Horebeek ranked sixth. Rising star Lieber is fifth, but Brent van Doninck - currently ninth in the MX2 class - could still receive his call-up papers, as in 2016.

For the Dutch, it is world championship star Jeffrey Herling, who is excelling at the moment in terms of results. The reigning MX2 champion is currently fourth in the senior MXGP class while his talented fellow countryman Glenn Coldenhoff is in eleventh place. The chances of an MXoN call-up are looking good for MX2 world championship riders Brian Bogers and Calvin Vlaanderen, who are currently placed seventh and 14th respectively. It would also be a mistake to underestimate the Swiss contingent. Jeremy Seewer, ranked second in the MX2 class, and Arnaud Tonus, who is tenth in the MXGP, are two very strong contenders, but finding a third rider of the same high standard could prove problematic. The USA has plenty of good riders to choose from in the 'big boys' class, including Eli Tomac, Blake Baggett and Jason Anderson, as well as Zach Osborne, Alex Martin and Jeremy Martin in the 250cc class.

Precisely which motocross riders will make it into the starter line-up for this standout event on 30th September and 1st October at Matterley Basin will become known in the coming weeks. But of one thing we can be sure - in Max Nagl, Dennis Ullrich, Henry Jacobi and Angus Heidecke, Germany has a rich pool of MX talent capable of competing successfully with the world's crème de la crème.