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The most highly-anticipated motocross event of the year, the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN), is set to take place this weekend at the iconic Maggiora circuit in Italy.

Teams from around the world have assembled and descended upon the picturesque circuit prepared to battle it out for the coveted Chamberlain Trophy.

Following multiple shuffles with the squad due to injury, Team Australia will consist of current Motul MX Nationals MX1 champion, Dean Ferris, Todd Waters who replaces the injured Kirk Gibbs and current Motul MX Nationals MXD champion, Mitch Evans.

Evans joins the team as a last-minute addition following an untimely injury for Jed Beaton while preparing for his MXoN debut in Europe. The current Motul MX Nationals MX2 champion suffered a broken collarbone and young Evans was quickly drafted in to take his place.

Both Ferris and Waters enter the Maggiora event with previous MXoN and MXGP experience, however Evans, who is still in high school, will benefit from the combined experience and guidance of his two teammates.

Defending champions winning on home soil in 2015, Team France, will return in 2016 with Romain Febvre, Gautier Paulin and Benoit Paturel flying the flag for their country.

Paulin holds the title of most experienced MXoN contender on the French squad with seven appearances at the event, Febvre made his debut last year and Paturel will make his maiden MXoN appearance filling in for the injured Dylan Ferrandis.

Team USA, the most winning team in the history of the event with 22 wins to their name, will enter the 2016 event with one rookie and one former Puerto Rico representative within their squad.

Cooper Webb will head up the team in his second MXoN appearance alongside rookie Jason Anderson and two-time Team Puerto rico representative, Alex Martin.

Webb, the current American supercross and motocross champion in the 250 Class, will kick off his premier class career in Maggiora alongside Anderson, while Martin will star as the team’s MX2 contender.

Yet an other last-minute injury has forced Team Belgium to alter their rider line up with Clement Desalle out of the event due to a knee injury, he has been replaced by MX2 regular Brent Van Doninck.

Team Belgium are going with an unusual strategy for 2016, moving Van Doninck up to the MXGP class and dropping premier class regular, Jeremy Van Horebeek down to the MX2 category. Experienced MXGP regular Kevin Strijbos will round out the team.

Eight-time world champion, Antonio Cairoli, will lead the host nation, Team Italy, in this year’s event alongside young teammates Samuele Bernardini and Michele Cervellin.

An exciting addition to the MXGP category for this year’s MXoN event will be Jeffrey Herlings, the three-time world MX2 champion will make the move to the premier class for Team Netherlands.

Herlings will ride alongside Red Bull KTM teammate Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers. This will mark the first time Herlings will line up alongside former world champions Cairoli and Febvre, along with recently crowned world champion Tim Gajser of Team Slovenia.

The Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, presented by Fiat Professional, will take place this Sunday, 25 September. Head to www.mxgp.com for more information.