It was Sunday, October 8, 2023 at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, the 76th edition of the Olympics of Motocross. It was staged a short distance from Le Mans, France at the Ernee Motocross Track.
Deftly sketched out of a massive natural hill, more than 50,000 rabid spectators covered the radically steep sections and sudden and erratic elevation changes.
After all was said and done that sunlit afternoon, Team France took the measure of 37 other motocross nations to win the spectacular event. Joining teammates Romain Febvre and Maxime Renaux as a member of Team France, two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle raced to a fierce eighth-place finish in the opening MXGP+MX2 combined race. In combined race number two, Vialle returned to place a phenomenal runner-up in the MX2+Open race. The overall winner of the MX2 classification and a member of Team France, it was a spectacular afternoon for the young pilot.
This approaching Sunday, October 4, Vialle will return to the legendary Circuit Raymond Deny in northwestern France and this time climb on the Honda HRC Ouen bike and join teammates Romain Febvre and Mathis Valin in trying to snag the Peter Chamberlian on French home soil.
“The weather has been good here this week,” said Vialle on Thursday. “For the weekend, it looks great, as well. Sunny all days all weekend. It’ll be great. “They expect, like, 50,000 people, so it will be insane.”
“I’m good,” continued the pilot out of Avignon, France. “Everything is good. I’m actually already in Ernee, and I’m close to the track for the Motocross of Nations. We will meet there with Team France. I’ve actually been there since yesterday. We’ve actually been riding this morning. Yeah, I’ll be there until this weekend.”
Vialle is thrilled to be in Ernee and representing his nation in the 29th consecutive version of the prestigious Motocross of Nations.
“it is awesome,” he enthused. “I mean it is one of the best races of the year. Especially being French and we’re racing in France. It’s going to be something crazy. There are so many people coming to watch the race. As a rider, it is really impressive to see so many fans. Yes, everyone is really cheering. Yes, it’s all pretty awesome.”
Winners of the Motocross of Nations in 2023, understandably Vialle has a host of fond memories from the global battle on French soil.
“For sure. Like you said, I have a lot of good memories from 2023. I won the 250 class, and we won as a team. All weekend was so good. I have a lot of good memories from it. So yes, it’ll be a busy weekend again. It will be my first time on the 450 doing the Motocross of Nations.
“This will be quite different, but I’m ready for it. I had a good end of the MXGP season and was fighting for the wins and was on the podium quite a bit. It’s been good, so I’m pretty fit at the moment. I feel good on the bike, so I’m ready to have a good weekend.”
Vialle is keen to join teammates Romain Febvre and Mathis Valin in going into battle at Ernee come Sunday this afternoon shortly after “La Marseillaise” plays to the 50,000 spellbound fans on hand.
“Romain Febvre is also on top of his racing,” explained Vialle of his MXoN comrades. “His speed is really good. We’ve been battling each other the last couple of races, and we both feel really good on the bike, so I think for the races for the team, this is the best that we can wish for. I think we can be good in the 450 class and in the 250 class, Valin is riding really good. He had a pretty big injury and he’s coming back from it. I saw him ride today and he was actually looking really good, so I’m excited for the race.”
And Vialle is stoked with his Team France teammates and the potential the world class team has come the clank of the starting gate into Ernee dirt this weekend.
“Yeah, of course we’re good with the team,” said Vialle. “We actually all have a really good relationship. That’s important. I mean it is a race where you just ride for yourself, but it is a team race at the same time. Of course I have to do the best for myself and my best for the team.”
Vialle comes straight off an excellent closing phase to his 2026 MXGP World Championship campaign in which he stood on the podium in the final five Grands Prix of the season.
“Yes, I do feel strong coming off the close of the season,” said Vialle. “Like you said, at the last couple of GPs, I felt really good. I felt good with the speed and felt good on the bike. Yes, everything has been good. I’ve been on the podium five races in a row, so it has been great. Yeah, I’m feeling good at the moment. I’m motivated. This is a big race for a French rider. I mean the Motocross of Nations is one of the biggest races. Like I said, I’m feeling good at the moment, so I’m going to try and do my best and hope for a good result.”
Finishing up his first year with the Honda HRC Petronas team, 2026 has been a very strong campaign for Vialle and he looks to continue with that momentum into France this weekend.
“It has been good with Honda,” said Vialle. “I adapted to the bike really well and quickly at the same time. yes, it has been good. I’m feeling good, to be honest. I like the bike and everything has been great. It is important and I feel motivated to ride the bike. Yes, it has been great with Honda. And it is not easy moving from 250 to 450 and changing brands. I mean I was riding with KTM pretty much my whole life. Changing to Honda was not always easy, but I think I did well. In a couple of months I was able to adapt to the bike at the highest level.”
Vialle explained what he’ll be up to when the offseason hits immediately following the Motocross of Nations.
“Yeah, I’m going to ride a little bit of supercross coming this winter,” explained Vialle. “From there, I’ll just have some time off for about a month and then starting to train again for next year. You know the last couple of races have been good. My speed was really good and that’s important.
“Hopefully, I can have a good winter training. Obviously, I will know the bike a little bit more by next year. We also know how to adapt quickly to the tracks. Hopefully, we can fight for the championships next year. I’m training to be up there, and I will do my best. If I have a good winter and a strong off-season, I believe we can fight for the world championship.”
