Well, after five exciting rounds we now can close the chapter on Dylan Wright and his first MXGP adventure. From the battles he fought during each of his motos, to his overall finishes, to getting an entire country excited, I’d say that Dylan’s performance on the world stage was a resounding success. Heading into these races I, like most of us, knew that Dylan would find a certain level of success in these final MXGP rounds, I just wasn’t sure what that level would be. To jump into any series isn’t an easy thing to do and there aren’t too many riders who are capable of doing it successfully. Especially when that series is in a faraway land and you’re heading into battle without your family, friends, or support staff by your side. I recall interviewing Dylan before his departure to Italy and when I asked him about what he was going to do when he landed? At that point, he didn’t even know who was picking him up at the airport and where he was going. All he cared about was that he could find a ride to the track for Saturday. However, as anyone who follows Dylan Wright on Social Media would find out, he not only made his way from the airport to his rented apartment, but Dylan also quickly embraced the local culture as he posted photos of him out hiking while taking in the breathtaking scenery. If Dylan had made up a checklist on the plane ride over to Italy it quickly became evident that he could check off the “Arrive and get settled” box.
One of the reasons that I figured Dylan would have a successful time in Italy is that since I’ve known him he has always come across as someone who possesses the perfect mentality for an adventure like this. Over the years Dylan has proven time and time again that he doesn’t need things to be perfect to find success. Now, this doesn’t mean that he’s not a planner and he’s not articulate, it’s quite the contrary, very few riders, if any, spent more time planning out things than Dylan Wright. My point is that one of his greatest strengths had been his ability to adjust on the fly and adapt when he’s forced to deviate from his original plan. I cannot stress enough how important a trait this is to have as you go through not just motocross but life in general. Things are not always going to be perfect or go as planned. However, the really successful people instantaneously embrace this as a challenge and not as something that could hinder their performance. Anyway, over the past five rounds of the MXGP’s we watched Dylan as he navigated through a race series that was completely new to him and was far from perfect. But he kept an open mind and allowed himself to learn quickly and then apply that knowledge to his craft. Trust me, there aren’t too many riders on the planet who could do what he did during the past few weeks and not only find the success that he did, but also remain healthy while doing so.
In life as well as in sport everyone seems to always remember your last performance. In racing, we say that you’re only as good as your last race, in the performing arts they call it going out on a high note. Well, if this is the case then I would say Dylan saved his best for the final moto on Wednesday because of the ten MXGP motos he raced, that was in my opinion his best. When you factor in the difficulty of the track, the battle for the title at the front of the pack, the riders around him, and just the general intensity surrounding the final moto of the season, Dylan most certainly rose to the occasion and firmly cemented the fact that he belongs on the world stage. Also, whether he realizes it or not, Dylan’s performance in these final few races of the MXGP Series has opened doors for his fellow Canadian riders to one day try and find success overseas. Other than his exploits on the track, my favourite moment from the past few weeks was when Dylan appeared on the MXGP In The Studio show on Tuesday, and during that interview, he mentioned how talented the riders from Canada are. At that moment he did his best to make these last five MXGP’s not just about him, but also about all of Canadian motocross. To me, Dylan proved to everyone watching that regardless of his success he will never forget his roots and where he came from.
So now that all of the excitement is over and the 2021 MXGP is finally complete, where does Dylan Wright go from here? Well, the first place he’s going to go is home to see his finance and to most likely put his feet up. After that, Dylan will have to find a track that resembles some sort of SX as in a few weeks he’s once again headed back to Europe for the Paris SX. While in Paris he will be racing against legends like Chad Reed and his new MXGP buddy Antonio Cairoli, who Dylan finished just behind in that final moto yesterday. If all goes well then the Paris SX will be a perfect bookend to a season that I’m sure Dylan couldn’t have planned out if he’d tried to. It started with some early spring training motos in South Carolina with his old buddy Phil Nicoletti, then there were some injuries and battles with Jess Pettis in the Triple Crown Series, thankfully that series concluded with his second 450 title in as many years. Then to top it all off he flew over to Italy twice to battle some of the best riders in the world on their turf. What a season it’s been for Dylan Wright! Also while on the In The Studio Show Dylan was quick to show his gratitude to Derek Schuster and the GDR Fox Honda Team for helping to give him the opportunity to head back over to Italy after the MXoN’s to compete in these final few MXGP rounds. Obviously, Derek Schuster didn’t have to spend money to ensure that Dylan had everything he needed during the past two weeks, but he did, and aren’t we all glad he did.
What happens in 2022? Well, your guess is as good as mine as I’m sure Dylan will get some sort of offer or offers to race in the MXGP Series. I’m not sure what the money is like in the MXGP’s if you’re not one of the top riders but I’m assuming it’s not great. All I know is two things, one is that Dylan currently has a contract to race for the GDR Honda Team in 2022. Now, would the GDR team release Dylan from his current contract to race the MXGP’s next year if the right offer presented itself? In the end, I’m sure they would as you wouldn’t want an unhappy Dylan Wright under the tent next year. But it would be a very difficult decision for Derek Schuster as the GDR crew is more like a family than a race team. The other thing that I do know is that if Dylan had at least three years on a good team in the MXGP’s, then he would be battling for a World Championship!
Regardless of what happens next year for Dylan Wright, let’s just sit back and the last five races sink in. Dylan did himself, his team, his sponsors, his family, and this entire country proud. As Dylan exits the world stage and travels home to relax, we will turn our attention to Jess Pettis who is currently in Florida training for his turn in the spotlight when the Monster Energy Supercross Series begins in January. It’s an exciting time to be a Canadian motocross fan and with the cold winter fast approaching, it couldn’t come at a better time. Good luck to all of our Canadian riders who will be competing at various events in the next few months. If you ever need a little reassurance that you belong on the big stage, look no further than to what Dylan Wright accomplished during the past few weeks. Best of luck and Go Canada Go!!
