Image: Octopi Media.

Team France has announced its line-up for the 2021 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN), with Marvin Musquin, Tom Vialle, and Mathys Boisrame making up the three-rider roster.

When the action kicks off on 25 September from Mantova, Italy, Musquin will line up in MXGP, with world champion Vialle taking MX2 duties and Boisrame contesting the Open class.

Despite having a mixed Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship campaign, Musquin returns to the French team for the first time since 2015 after being overlooked or unavailable in recent years. In his last outing alongside Gautier Paulin and Romain Febvre, the trio beat out the US team to take victory.

While it will be Musquin’s sixth time competing at the event, it’ll be a debut outing for both Vialle and Boisrame. Vialle sustained a broken hand earlier this season and currently sits 11th in the standings after seven rounds, as Boisrame sits seventh in the MX2 standings with one overall podium so far this season.

Missing from the line-up this year is Paulin, who has competed for Team France 11 times since 2009, after announcing his retirement from competition at the conclusion of the 2020 MXGP season.

Another notable name missing from the team is current 450MX red plate-holder Dylan Ferrandis. While the premier class rookie is having a remarkable season, the Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha team’s relocation from California to Florida is this off-season is grounding their MXoN efforts for 2021.

With the MXGP season carrying on after the September MXoN event, there are multiple riders opting out as they make their bid for world titles including Frenchmen Romain Febvre – focusing on his bid for a second MXGP crown – and Maxime Renaux, who currently sits atop the MX2 standings.