The countdown to the 2026 Motocross of Nations took an unexpected turn on the eve of the SuperMotocross World Championship Final as Chance Hymas confirmed he will be unable to compete in Ernée after suffering a left wrist injury during Friday’s practice sessions.
The Honda HRC rider announced the setback on Saturday, bringing an end to what would have been his Motocross of Nations debut for Team USA.
Any uncertainty surrounding his replacement was short-lived.
Julien Beaumer has been selected to take Hymas’ place and will represent the United States in the MXGP class at the 79th edition of the Motocross of Nations, scheduled for October 2-4 in Ernée, France.
The revised American lineup now consists of Julien Beaumer (MXGP), Levi Kitchen (MX2) and Cooper Webb (OPEN).
For Beaumer, the call-up represents one of the biggest opportunities of his career. The Red Bull KTM rider will make his first-ever appearance on a 450cc machine in international competition, adding another layer of intrigue to the American team’s prospects heading into the event.
The timing could hardly be better. Beaumer arrives at the Motocross of Nations in outstanding form and remains firmly in contention for the 250SMX Championship. Earlier this weekend, he topped both qualifying sessions at the SuperMotocross Final in Missouri, underlining the speed he has shown throughout the second half of the season.
The young KTM rider also enjoyed a breakthrough AMA Pro Motocross campaign, collecting two overall victories at Spring Creek and Ironman.
