Image: Andy McGechan/BikesportNZ.com.

The four-round New Zealand Motocross Championships will kick off at Pleasant Point, near Timaru, on Saturday, 8 February.

The defending champions are the favourites to reclaim their respective trophies, but only just, with an assortment of exciting talent lining up and all of them very capable of snatching the silverware away.

National MX1 champion Cody Cooper was impressive in pre-season hit outs toward the end of 2013, winning the Waikato Motocross Championships and the New Zealand Supercross Championships, although he had his work cut out to win the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville just over a week ago.

Honda’s Cooper will have a huge fight on his hands throughout this Backflips Clothing-sponsored national series as he battles with riders such as Brad Groombridge (Suzuki), Ethan Martens (Yamaha), Jesse Donnelly (Kawasaki) and Justin McDonald (Honda), but what is perhaps more likely is that the international riders flooding into the country may pose an even bigger threat.

Scotsman Billy MacKenzie (Yamaha) and Australians Kirk Gibbs and Ford Dale (both KTM) are not coming to New Zealand for a holiday – they’re coming to win.

MX2 class champion Scott Columb (Yamaha) has looked strong in recent outings, but he hasn’t always had everything go his way and he can expect fireworks when he battles riders such as Rhys Carter (Suzuki), Hamish Dobbyn (KTM), John Phillips (Honda), Peter Broxholme (Honda), Darryll King (Yamaha) and Australian Jay Wilson (Yamaha).

Kayne Lamont (Husqvarna) was convincing winner of the MX2 class at the Woodville GP and he must now rate as one of the favourites to win the MX2 class this Saturday.

With 2013 national 125cc and under-21 champion Cameron Vaughan moving out of the class, it leaves a small void in the small bike class, but one that has been very quickly filled in recent weeks by national 125cc number two Logan Blackburn (Yamaha).