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Everyone knows Supercross and motocross are punishing disciplines for the young, where few careers last beyond age 30, right? So having just crowned the oldest ever Monster Energy AMA Supercross champion in 29-year-old Eli Tomac, we're about to see KTM field a team of two riders in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship whose combined ages would qualify them for retirement in any career.
The splashiest off-season news for the outdoor motocross season was that Ryan Dungey, a four-time AMA motocross champion (three 450 titles and one 250 title) and five-time Supercross champion (four 450 and one Lites), would return after five years in retirement as part of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team. Dungey, 32 years old and, as of February, a father of two, will be the junior member of the team. Antonio Cairoli, age 36 and a nine-time FIM World Motocross Champion will make his debut in the U.S. series just months after he announced his retirement from MXGP.
The announcement that Dungey was returning for what will be the 50th anniversary season of AMA motocross was foreshadowed when he posted video on Instagram of himself training. Several commenters noted that it didn't look like the sort of regimen for a guy taking it easy in retirement.
While the initial announcement said Dungey and Cairoli were committed to racing the first two rounds of the series, Dungey suggested to Steve Matthes on the PulpMX podcast that he hopes to compete the entire season.
"Of course, we're going to do the first two. If things go good, we want to continue that down the road," Dungey said.
It's not like Dungey needed to come back. Though he retired while still in his 20s, he has since not only started a family, but also created the Ryan Dungey Foundation, which helps children suffering from cancer and encourages bicycling among children. But when the outdoor motocross season starts May 28 at Fox Raceway, Dungey will be on a starting gate for the first time in years.
There's more to this phenomenon than just two guys coming out of retirement and one guy on the cusp of 30 winning the Supercross title, however. Everyone's favorite Supercross and motocross stats nerd, Clinton Fowler, identified this trend earlier in the Supercross season. While the average age of a Supercross race winner in 2010 was 23, that number has steadily climbed into the high 20s. Just look at the ages of the top five finishers in this year's championship.
| 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross top five | |
|---|---|
| Rider | Age |
| Eli Tomac | 29 |
| Jason Anderson | 29 |
| Malcolm Stewart | 29 |
| Marvin Musquin | 32 |
| Justin Barcia | 30 |
What happened to the young man's sport? Clearly, the trend of older winners can only go so far. It's probably reached its peak. And young riders have to look at those stats and see an opportunity, as well. Many of the top riders in Supercross and motocross will be retiring in the coming years, clearing the way for new talent. But for now, the trophies and attention in motocross are going to riders pushing (or past) 30.
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