Supercross completed a 17-race season spanning from the middle of January to the first day of May that consisted of doubleheaders, triple-headers and visited seven venues in five states. The season opened with four different winners in the first four races and there were three sweeps of multi-race events over the course of the 2021 season.
The championship went to the wire and saw three riders from three manufactures fighting on a regular basis for race victories. Five different manufactures were represented in the top five of the championship. When it was all said and done, the season ended with the 11th rider in series history to win multiple championships.
#1. Cooper Webb: #2 Red Bull KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition (388 points)
Victories: 8
Podium Finishes: 13
What did I write: "Webb's title defense was respectable and he had to battle his own injuries to get second in the championship. I think he will take a step back after finishing first and second in the championship in consecutive seasons. He should be competitive for race victories and pick up one or two. With the depth of this field, he could finish anywhere from first to seventh in the championship. I think he will be somewhere in the middle of that."
How wrong was it: Webb did not take a step back, in fact, he took that glorious step forward and became a two-time champion. Throughout the entire season, Webb was the one rider who looked fresh deep into each race. It felt like any rival competitor needed a significant lead or he would be facing a late battle with Webb and more times than not Webb came out on top. Webb had the pace over an entire 20-minute main event while others could hold their won for the first 15 but then wilt in the final five. That really was the difference in this championship.
#2. Ken Roczen: #94 Honda CRF450R (353 points)
Victories: 4
Podium Finishes: 10
What did I write: "Roczen was a championship threat, but he lost a little steam in the Salt Lake City bubble after exiting Daytona three points behind Tomac. This feels like a now or never year for Roczen. He started last year with two victories from the first four races and he will need to repeat that again in 2021 along with having a stronger middle of the season to contend for a championship. He should be in the top five of the championship with two or three victories, but to be a championship he will need at least five or six victories."
How wrong was it: Roczen was somewhere in the top five of the championship with four victories, short of that desired five or six total, and he let a lot of results get away from him. At least three races he lost to Webb in the closing stages. Those three races alone didn't decide the championship, but in too many races Roczen did not have the endurance to hang on to a result. When the German swept the Indianapolis triple-headers, and it felt the season was his for the taking. The problem is Webb was close to flawless and Roczen could not match Webb's output. When the opportunities present themselves, Roczen faltered.
#3. Eli Tomac: #1 Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450 (326 points)
Victories: 3
Podium Finishes: 8
What did I write: "Tomac should remain in championship contention. His championship last year was an enormous weight lifted off his back, which can be a relief but it might diminish some of the fire, and with a stout crop of competitors, it could line up for someone else to be crowned champion. I think Tomac will pick up at least three or four victories and keep up his consistent results. I am not sure he can get 16 top five finishes again, but 13 or 14 would be a great season."
How wrong was it: Tomac won three races, remained in championship contention, but he only had 11 top five finishes. Tomac was slightly off this season. He wasn't his sharp self and there were too many races where he was stuck somewhere in the back half of the top ten. I don't know if it was a championship hangover or a sign of a decline. It was still a good season, though far from a great season.
#4. Justin Barcia: #51 Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/Gas Gas Factory Racing Gas Gas MC 450F (289 points)
Victories: 1
Podium Finishes: 4
What did I write: "This is the wild card of the season as the Spanish manufacture Gas Gas enters Supercross for the first time. I am not sure what to expect. It is hard to think Barcia will be fifth in the championship again on an unknown bike. This could be a rough season and the results could be significantly off what Barcia accomplished last year."
How wrong was it: Barcia was not fifth again, but he did better and finished fourth in the championship and opened the season with a surprise victory. He was a consistent rider with ten top five finishes. On a new bike with a new team, it was an impressive season. Barcia has comfortably put him on top of the second-tier of riders, but there is still a clear gap to the top.
#5. Aaron Plessinger: #7 Monster Energy Yamaha YZ450F (264 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Plessinger has had a tough couple of seasons in Supercross and the physical ailments don't make it any easier. With two new teammates, one that was ahead of him in the championship last year and another that was the 250 West champion, I think this will be another difficult year for Plessinger. I am not sure he can get back into the top ten of the championship and I would not be surprised if he was 11th again or worse."
How wrong was it: Plessinger had a career year and he was fighting for race victories. Though he didn't win a race, he led the Yamaha contingent, and the manufacture had a standout year compared to recent seasons.
#6. Macolm Stewart: #27 Monster Energy Yamaha YZ450F (248 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Stewart is coming off a breakthrough season in 2020 and he moves over to the factory Yamaha outfit as he looks to improve those results. I think if he was seventh in the championship again and leading the Yamaha camp that would be a successful season. He should get a few top five finishes and maybe sneak onto the podium once or twice. That will be tough considering the depth of the grid, but very possible."
How wrong was it: Stewart did better than seventh, but he didn't lead the Yamaha camp. He did sneak onto to podium once and he had five top five finishes. All in all, it was a respectable season.
#7. Dylan Ferrandis: #14 Monster Energy Yamaha YZ450F (237 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Ferrandis moves up to the 450 class after a successful, but somewhat controversial 250 career. He should be a top ten championship finisher, but I am not certain he will be a race winner as a rookie. I think this is a big step up and it could prove tougher than first imagined."
How wrong was it: Ferrandis had a runner-up finish in his second start, but he had a rough middle section of the season. He ended strong with three top five finishes in the final five races.
#8. Jason Anderson: #21 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC450 RE (237 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 2
What did I write: "Anderson is a consistent rider and he should be somewhere in the middle of the top ten in the championship, but Osborne has the advantage right now in the Husqvarna camp. I don't expect Anderson to be a regular race winner like I do with Osborne. One or two victories might fall Anderson's way, but I think he will be settling for podium finishes and a handful of top five finishes."
How wrong was it: That victory did not fall to Anderson, but he had two podium finishes and only four top five finishes. He missed the second Indianapolis are and he had a rough ride in Atlanta and the final Salt Lake City race. It was a disappointing season not just for Anderson but for Husqvarna.
#9. Marvin Musquin: #25 Red Bull KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition (231 points)
Victories: 1
Podium Finishes: 4
What did I write: "Musquin had a good Motocross season after sitting out the first half of the year. With Tomac capturing a championship, Musquin and Ken Roczen will fight it out as the longest waiting bridesmaid and Musquin's clock will be ticking. A championship would not be a surprise for Musquin, but I think a good year would be top five in the championship and leading KTM rider with a few victories."
How wrong was it: Musquin had a rough stretch in the middle of the season due to a concussion and arm injury, which sidelined him for a few races. Even before that stretch, Musquin had some pedestrian results. He ended on a good note, but it was not enough. If he was healthy, he likely would have been either fifth or sixth in the championship.
#10. Joey Savatgy: #17 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition (231 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 6th (Once)
What did I write: "Savatgy spent a lot of time on the sidelines in 2020. I think his goal should be to compete in all 17 races. If he can be in the top ten for half the races and be fighting for one of those final top ten championship spots it will be a successful year."
How wrong was it: Savatgy competed in all 17 races, had eight top ten finishes from 17 races and ended up tenth in the championship and he was quite comfortably in tenth. He didn't get any top five finishes, but his best finish came in the season finale. Hopefully it is a springboard for a better season next year.
#11. Dean Wilson: #17 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC450 RE (165 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 8th (Once)
What did I write: "Somewhere at the back of the top ten again, though he could slip out if enough riders stay healthy. Wilson is still the third best of the Husqvarna trio, but he can score consistent results. It took him awhile to break into a top five finish last year. I don't think that is going to change as the field grows stronger."
How wrong was it: Wilson slipped out of the top ten in the championship and he missed four races. He didn't really compete for a top five finish at any point.
#12. Chase Sexton: #23 Honda CRF450R (162 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 3
What did I write: "Sexton had a good year in Motocross, moving up to the 450 class after a 250 East championship. I don't think he will be the top Honda rider, but he should be competing for a top ten championship finish and he should pick up a few top five finishes and possibly end up on the podium."
How wrong was it: Sexton missed seven races due to a shoulder injury, but he had three podium finishes in the final five races and he was fighting for a victory at Atlanta.
#13. Broc Tickle: #20 Smartop/Bullfrog Spas/Motoconcepts/Honda CRF450R (128 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 11th
What did I write: "Tickle was a late announcement to the 2021 grid. He was eighth in the championship in his last full season in 2018. Justin Hill was tenth in the championship last year with this team. I think that should be Tickle's goal, but I think he will fall just short, but he should pick up at least six or seven top ten finish."
How wrong was it: Tickle was 79 points short of the top ten and he picked up zero top ten finishes.
#14. Martin Davalos: #37 Team Tedder/Monster Energu/Lucas Oil/KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 9th (Once)
What did I write: Nothing... because Davalos was not included in the initial preview.
How wrong was it: Well, considering I didn't even bother to include him at the start, I would say I was very wrong. He had a pair of top ten finishes in Arlington. He broke his collarbone ahead of the first Salt Lake City race and announced his retirement ahead of the penultimate round of the season.
#15. Zach Osborne: #16 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC450 RE (123 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Osborne is the sleeper for the championship. After his incredible seven-race run in the Salt Lake City bubble, his summer saw him capture the Motocross championship and momentum will be on his side at the start of 2021. I don't know if the triple-headers and staying at venues for multiple races will play into his favor again, but he should pick up multiple victories, end up as the top Husqvarna rider and, if he avoids disastrous days, he could be in the title hunt heading to Salt Lake City."
How wrong was it: Osborne was in the top ten in all eight starts, but he had two top five finishes, before a back injury ended his season. Up until that point, Osborne averaged 15.375 points per race, which would have put him sixth in the championship, a little underwhelming but Husqvarna was off across the board. The results could have been better had Osborne been healthy for the second half of the season. Considering how Osborne ended 2020 and he won the Motocross title, and I bet this feels like a lost season.
#16. Adam Cianciarulo: #9 Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450 (120 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Cianciarulo was banged up in 2020 after taking the Monster Cup at the end of 2019 and setting high expectations for his rookie season. After all the injuries he suffered, I am not sure he can return and immediately be fighting at the top. Looking at Ken Roczen's slew of injuries and how he didn't return and light the world on fire, I think the first portion of this season could be Cianciarulo getting back up to speed. He might be fighting for podium finishes at some point in 2021, but I don't think it will be a weekly occurrence."
How wrong was it: Cianciarulo was third in the third round of the season and he had four top five finishes in the first eight races, scoring only three points behind Osborne in the championship, but he broke his collarbone in the second Orlando race, and it ended his season. Similar to Osborne, results could have been better in the second half of the year and Cianciarulo could have been a cog in the championship fight had he been healthy.
#17. Justin Brayton: #10 MUC-OFF Honda CRF450R (96 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Brayton moves over to a customer Honda team after competing for the factory team. I think he will slip out of the top ten of the championship. He will have a few encouraging races, finishing in the top ten, but the top five will prove to be too far out of his grasp."
How wrong was it: Brayton took a surprise sixth and third in the first two races of the season but had only one top ten finishes in the next five races. Injured ribs took him out of the second Orlando race and Daytona. He suffered a hand injury ahead of the second Arlington race and that ended his season.
Conclusion
Webb has two championships at 25 years old and he is not going anywhere anytime soon. This was a big chance for Roczen to return to the top of the mountain and for the first third of the year it felt like it lined up perfectly for the German.
After seeing how 2021 ended, it feels like Roczen must step up his fitness to match Webb. This was an odd season with doubleheaders, triple-headers and off weekends, something that doesn't occur during a normal season. Roczen swept Indianapolis and yet he won only one race for the rest of the season afterward. Webb had 13 podium finishes, 11 in the final 12 races. Roczen had only five podium finishes in that time.
Tomac could bounce back next year and if the likes of Cianciarulo, Sexton and Osborne all remain healthy, it could mix up the championship even more. I feel like next season will see a new name in the fight and if Sexton replicates his form at the end of this season, he could surpass Roczen as top Honda rider.
We all hope 2022 looks even more like a normal season. While 2021 was a success in getting in a fair representation of the championship, I think we would all like Supercross to return to Anaheim, Glendale, San Diego, Seattle, Detroit, Denver, Nashville and other places around the United States. Midweek races have been fun, but I am not sure there is a place for them if the schedule returned to 14 or 15 venues. If we have a normal season with every race falling on a Saturday night, the championship could play out differently. We might not see Webb have as great an upper hand in the closing stages of races.
Next season is a long way away. We will have to see how the next five months play out before we will have an idea how the calendar will be set up. The 2021 Motocross season looks rather normal with events at High Point, Red Bud, Unadilla, Ironman and Hangtown. That should give us encouragement.
