Motorsport: Kiwi trio get a chance to shine at 'Olympics'

Josh Coppins will lead the Kiwi team in Italy in October. Photo / Andy McGechan, bikesportnz.com

New Zealand's three-rider squad has been announced to contest the annual "Olympic Games of motocross" in Italy in October.

The three riders to tackle this year's Motocross of Nations, at Brescia in northern Italy, on the weekend of October 3-4, will be Motueka's Josh Coppins, Queenstown's Scotty Columb and Rotorua's Michael Phillips.

Two other Kiwi internationals who were also possible candidates - Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper and Taupo's Ben Townley - both declared themselves unavailable for selection but Motorcycling New Zealand feels confident its three chosen representatives still have a very good chance of winning this prestigious international event.

"We have decided to give some fresh blood a chance to shine on the world stage," said MNZ CEO Paul Pavletich. "We are sure that (Motocross of Nations first-timer) Mike Phillips will step up. He has already turned heads with his results from racing in the UK this year.

"Cody Cooper made himself unavailable and Ben Townley is still recovering from injury. Ben is training hard for his much-anticipated comeback but, unfortunately, he will not be ready to race in October," he said.

New Zealand team manager Mike McLeod, from Wellington, said he has a lot of faith in the riders picked.

"The feeling is that our team is very strong and has the ability to do well at this event," McLeod said.

"It has been good to see Scotty Columb and Mike Phillips both doing well in the British Motocross Championships this season and, of course, world MX1 championship frontrunner Josh Coppins is always an automatic choice for us and will captain the team."

New Zealand is a regular top-10 contender at this event, although the Kiwi trio struck problems when it was staged in England last year.

However, though it was a day when little went right for the Kiwis in England, the three-man team still managed a respectable eighth overall.

Third spot on the podium is the best New Zealand has ever achieved at this stand-alone clash of countries.