Faces at the Races | 2016 MXON Maggiora Italy | Shot Race Gear

By Billy Rainford

Photos by Emily Nicholson and Billy Rainford

If you can’t find interesting things to snap photos of at a European MXON, you are definitely not trying! Taking off-track photos at these things is something I look forward to every year. When we don’t send a team, I’m usually most upset because I won’t get the chance to see the rabid fans.

I was busy shooting video for a Team Canada feature that will be up on the site soon, so Emily took a camera and ventured off into the crowd. She had a great time and came back to the Canadian pits with a huge smile on her face.

Here’s a look at the 2016 MXON at Maggiora MX Park in Italy from both sides of the fence.

Huge thanks to Shot Race Gear and Two Wheel Motorsport for helping out with sponsorship and Team Canada/Kourtney Lloyd for making sure Direct Motocross was there to document it all. This is a long one, so get comfy.

I figured I’d throw in a few shots from earlier in the week. We headed over to Italy a week in advance so we could tour around a little. This is the small town of Portovenere. We stayed here so we could head to Cinque Terra – Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

Not a bad little sailboat floating in the harbour.

I’m not really sure he was too thrilled about my taking his photo and then not buying one of his cool little bicycles. In hindsight, I wish I’d bought one. He gets the last laugh?

A closer look at the town.

If you read any of my other photo reports from Italy, I really like photos of laundry hanging from windows. This is still Portovenere.

Fresh fish!

Most people take the train or ferry to the towns of Cinque Terre. We were going to skip it until we saw a sign at the side of the road. This is the road that took us close. Luckily, we were in a tiny Toyota Yaris Hybrid.

This is how they got supplies up into their place.

The seaside in Vernazza.

Looking down from that tiny road.

Surprisingly, this was the only Lambo we saw in Italy.

This bicycle ‘art’ made me pull over.

A small town up the coast from where Team Canada was staying on Lake Maggiore.

The pool and hot tub at Casa Canada. That’s a castle full of dolls across the lake.

Team USA Yamaha’s at the practice track the Thursday before the race.

South African, Kerim Fitz-Gerald, was there representing his country.

This was Alex Martin’s first MXON. He joked in the pre-race presser that he wanted everyone to know he was Alex and not his brother Jeremy.

There are Canadians floating around all over behind the scenes down south.

Mark Stallybrass and Stu Robinson at the practice track. He goes to Whistler and walks around in a Blackcomb shirt, too, I bet.

Waiting for the practice track to dry in Malpensa.

Guess who this license plate belongs to.

We took a little side trip to Zermatt, Switzerland, to see the famous Matterhorn. his is the train you take from the parking lot. We drove up and were told it would cost us a $300 Euro fine if we were caught. Thanks, Ross!

Propped up on platters?

And there it is – The Matterhorn.

We took turns being full-on tourists.

I tried a little slow shutter speed shot.

We had to stop for some tasty malt beverages overlooking the Matterhorn.

James Lissimore waiting for the train back down the mountain. We were too late to drive home so we stayed in a Twilight Zone hotel in Brig for the night.

Then it was time to support your country at Maggiora MX Park!

Our old friend, Noah McConahy, races out west in Canada sometimes and represented Puerto Rico.

San Marino has a team?

Team Canada’s turn to hop in the truck and parade in front of the crowd.

Ireland made it into the A Finals by winning the B Main…again.

I later saw this guy with a media vest on!

This would have taken a lot of work.

Randy Maffenbeier made the trip to support Shawn and the team.

Kibby doing some work on Tyler Medaglia’s bike.

The guys do track walk. You just can’t tell how steep it is from the photos.

Photo op!

All 3 Team France riders had some pit bike fun in the bmx park.

I thought it was a horrible idea right before the big race, but I guess it didn’t hurt them…

Break time for the trophy gals.

If everyone jumped off a cliff…

I already used some of these pics before, but this one bears repeating.

This guy was calling everyone on. To do what, I have no idea.

But you knew it had to end like this.

Let’s get back to the parade.

Kourtney Lloyd pretending she’s in the Macy’s Christmas Parade.

The Team.

Team Japan having a great time.

Kerim on the second floor of the mechanics area.

I thought what happened in Vegas…

Team USA.

Team Italy sang the anthem.

“I wonder if my dad reads DMX?”

Shawn tests the water with his toe as he loses the attention of the Monster Gal.

Come on…SOMEone look at the camera!

Team Canada Crew Chief, Stu Robinson

Anyone notice how great Josh Snider’s teeth are looking these days?!

I haven’t seen Max Anstie in a few years. E’s turned into a bleedin’ adult, e ‘as. He’s also wearing Shot Race Gear, out title sponsor for the MXON coverage.

Game face time for Australia’s Mitchell Evens.

If Gautier Paulin broke his wrist it would be like most humans breaking a femur. Look at that thing!

I used to do the exact same thing with both hands over the pipe that Tyler is doing here before every race. I think we all do, no?

Remember that smiling guy from San Marino earlier? No, the bike didn’t make it.

Remember Victor Pereira? Well, he was there and is now a MXON champ!

Patriotism is at an all-time high at a MXON.

Team Canada’s cool 66 Graphx lids.

Kaven and Virginie in the pits.

OK, Shawn, smile normal…now!

Glasses down would help.

Some fans didn’t make it through the entire day, there’s just no way.

Tyler catches us staring at him.

Some GB fans perched on the steep hillside.

A little elevation can help a lot.

Mmm, breathe that in and exhale it out. Gotta love smoking, it just makes so much sense…

He yelled “Throw me your gloves!” and someone did.

Irish fans.

Watching the races with Dad.

“Ya, I can barely hear you because of all the noise my steeze is making…”

Bird’s eye view.

Anyone else who raced in Ontario in the 1980’s remember Jim Byrne?

Hey, race in front of you!

“Take our picture!”

Are those cap sleeves?

Er ma Gerd, I can’t believe he signed it!

On top of that building would have been the most amazing view of the track. Unfortunately, my status wasn’t VIP enough to get me in.

They said there were 80 000 people there. It looked like more.

Google translate?

Cheer up, sir.

Salut.

Young Rick Hamer-Jackson made an appearance…in black and white even.

I dare you to follow Johnny O’Mara on Strava. James said he had to stop because it made him feel like a slacker. lol

It was basically chaos in the crowd.

Cooper Webb’s guy, and our buddy, Seth Rarick.

Just another crowd shot.

Don’t inhale.

Just making his father proud.

These guys tried to pay Emily for taking this photo.

Kourtney Lloyd in b & w.

Watching the scoreboard.

JSR doing the same.

Kaven gets some love after an amazing ride.

And cooled off.

I can’t wait for Matterley Basin!

Got her hair just right for the Des Nations.

Her dee shmur…quack.

Put a shirt on, Randy!

Jeremy Medaglia on the top floor with Summer Knowles.

At the top of the track was the actual town.

Well, it got him in this photo report…

Pit stop to refuel the chainsaw.

Keeping himself occupied during some downtime.

Going for the big step down.

Iwo Jima?

Canadian spotting!

Tree people.

Not really much of a costume…

But, OK.

The day was a constant revving of chainsaws.

It literally never stopped.

These guys actually had cutters to get through the fence.

“Hey, dad, did you see me at the motorcycle races?”

That’s a fan for life.

The Germans couldn’t have been happy with 2016.

“Yarrr, what the hell is going on here?!”

Cool dingo.

I’m not 100% sure.

“Of course there’s time to crack another box of wine!”

Hey, where was Kaven at the start of that moto? Thanks, Stu.

At the end of the day, everyone made their way closer to the stage.

Yay.

USA, USA…

Sorta makes sense…

Anyone missing an action cam?

This guy didn’t pack enough beer.

This makes next to no sense.

Just choking everyone out.

Perefect.

Now let’s celebrate!

Was that loud? Ya, it was.

Normal people just stood and watched it all go down.

…and down…

That’s not really trying, but, OK, you’re in.

JSR was pretty proud of the team.

Tyler.

Shawn.

Kaven checking out the results?

Kaven.

Artsy tools.

Pit board.

Great job, Team Manager!

Proud Canadians.

Maff.

Canada flags around the perimeter of the pits.

I stuck a WASP Cam up in the pits to do a little time lapse. I really should have read the manual first…

The team gave it 100%.

Kourtney with some paper work.

Tyler’s armour.

Hub shot.

Can;t get enough of these 1.8 shots.

Flag bag.

Biggest roll of shop towels I’ve seen.

Maff’s essentials.

Keeping in touch.

Kourtney’s head set.

Bag of extra Canada stuff.

Tyler getting things set just the way he wants them.

Virginie.

The guys heading out for practice.

This modular set up was pretty cool.

Pit row.

Hanging out in the pits.

The maple leaf brought Steve Matthes out of the woodwork.

Randy was pretty proud of the team’s effort.

I seriously want one of these Piaggio 3-wheelers.

Team race truck.

This little guy was scaring people with his horn when they walked past. Jerk.

By the light of the silvery moon…

These were the only pizzas in boxes I saw the entire time while in Italy. Didn’t think they did it.

Go, Team GB!

Pretty cool sight.

This was the pool in that extra-VIP place I was telling you about.

Drinking game: when you hear a chainsaw, drink. Ugh.

Just chilling waiting to get in a photo report.

Selfie time.

Josh Snider with Shawn’s bike ready to go.

Caption?

Riders from the 1986 MXON in Maggiora took a parade lap.

The USA Dream Team: Ricky Johnson, David bailey, Johnny O’Mara.

The crowd was loving them.

The other guys did a lap, but since David can’t, they didn’t either.

Stefan Everts was loving it.

RJ went up to every rider as they came off the track.

JMB.

I’m just guessing, but was Chiodi a character back when he raced?

Fro and Too Hip say hello.

OK, great, but can we just go race?!

Yes you can!

Pit lane again.

It was a shame to put a helmet on that, eh Tyler?

Jeffrey Herlings was Team Captain for The Netherlands. Any bets on whether he wins MXGP title in 2017?

Standing room only.

If I let go of the structure, I was sure I would tumble down this hill. It was that steep!

I think I’ve seen this guy at every MXON I’ve been to. I mean the guy in the jean shorts. lol

Rabid fans.

Boom!

Crowding the podium after the final moto.

I can’t even describe the atmosphere.

Podium: France, The Netherlands, USA.

Victory for Victor. Sorry about that.

Next year, Coop.

Packing the bikes all up for their trip back to Canada.

Tyler getting his ears cleaned out. I’m not sure why this was a thing, but everyone did it.

A little R&R by the pool.

Sonya and Stu on the front porch.

Everyone came down to hang out.

Hey Ross, yep, I got your cold after all.

Em and I took a drive up the Lake Maggiore coast on our final day. It’s pretty sweet.

This ferry is a hydrofoil, but I missed it up on plane as it approached.

Almost like the photo of a cat with its paw in a fishbowl, but not quite.

This castle in the lake is super-cool, but the road is so narrow we couldn’t pull over.

So, that is it for the 2016 MXON. Team Canada impressed everyone and took 10th overall. As always, if things had all gone to plan we could have done even better – we were only 2 points out of 9th!

Thanks to everyone for the amazing hospitality. Thanks to Kourtney Lloyd for taking care of all the details. Thanks to all the riders and team members for allowing us to get in their faces with the cameras for photos and video. I will now sit down and get to work on the Team Canada video I shot all week. I could probably do a feature-length film but I know people now only have about a 3 1/2 minute attention span, so I’m not sure what I’m going to do.

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you at the races…