It’s been an intriguing Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series this year, with Australian international Gus Riordan having positioned his FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers 250 XC-F in third overall as the series enters its annual summer break. Profiled takes a closer look at the 20-year-old’s escalating career in the United States.

GNCC features an array of categories that essentially go to battle for three hours across venues throughout the eastern states of the US, with XC1 Open Pro considered the premier category, and allowing an open displacement of motorcycles to compete, with 350s and 450s typically the machinery of choice.

The top XC1 contenders, like FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley and Steward Baylor Jr. (Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green) each ride a 350 and 450, respectively, although the unique thing about this season is that riders from the XC2 250 Pro division have been managing to beat the bigger bikes, powering their 250s to overall podium results on multiple occasions.

Among the usual suspects in the fight has been Riordan, alongside FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ teammate Grant Davis – the reigning XC2 champion – who are not only in a fight for the championship in their class, but for the coveted overall in 2025.

Image: Supplied.

“I think this year we’ve just really picked the pace up in XC2, honestly,” Riordan told MotoOnline. “We start one minute behind the XC1 class, and we kind of get sucked along… Grant has been setting the pace, as well as myself, and then pretty much every round podium this year, there has been an XC2 rider on it.

“I have around three or four overall podiums this year, and because they do corrected times, we don’t necessarily need to pass the XC1 boys, as there is that minute at the start to account for, so if you physically finish 10 seconds behind old mate in first, then you still win by 50 seconds.”

In a paddock full of fierce competitors, especially at the front of the field, the fact that the smaller bikes are doing the most damage doesn’t sit particularly well with the top XC1 racers, who would prefer that the pesky XC2 talent kept to their own championship.

“Yeah, it’s quite funny… They don’t like it!” he added. “Say, 18 months ago, when XC2 was less competitive than now, you’d catch an XC1 rider and they’d just move over right away and let you through, whereas now, they make you work for the pass. That’s a bit annoying, but I can see their point of view too.”

Acclimatising to both American racing and the GNCC fixture, it’s only now that the young Victorian is getting familiar with both the circuits and style of racing in his fourth season, which took time to become comfortable with.

“Everyone who I am racing, they’ve been doing this since they were on 65s and 85s,” continued Riordan. “Only now am I feeling like I’m on an even playing field in my fourth season, as I know the tracks, where the lines are going to be, how it’s going to form up, and all that. I’m a lot more comfortable now.

“My first two seasons here were just learning, especially the first one. It’s a different ball game to Australia, as it’s full on for the full three hours – I feel like we do the pace of a 30-minute moto the whole race – it’s really both physically and mentally tiring.”

Image: Foremost Media.

There’s a strong Australian contingent in the American off-road scene, as a variety of series offer different styles of racing, such as the west coast-based National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) or WORCS, to the GNCCs back east, among many others. And in addition to his GNCC exploits, Gus won the Pro 2 title in US Sprint Enduro during 2024.

Names like Josh Strang, Lyndon Snodgrass, Mason Semmens and even Jack Simpson – now back in ProMX locally – have achieved solid success Stateside, alongside Gus’ older brother Will, who currently competes professionally in the US Hard Enduro Championship for the Factory1 Sherco Race Team.

After their parents bought the old Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) motocross and supercross compound in North Carolina, the Riordan brothers have since built a bush loop as well as endurocross sections, which complement both the existing track layouts. It underscores their commitment as a family to the sport in America.

“Our old man bought the old JGR compound,” Gus explained. “They never had their workshop here, but just the tracks. It has a supercross and motocross track on it, and then we obviously added the woods loop, as well as an endurocross track, so there is plenty for us to muck around on. Josh Hill actually comes down and rides the supercross track too, which is pretty cool.”

As for future plans, Riordan is intent on claiming an XC2 250 Pro Class title in the GNCC Series, and afterwards, he’s looking to transition to XC1, all the while keeping his options open by being an all-around type of rider. Either way, his position as a factory KTM rider under Team Landers’ development-type organization is an ideal position to be in for his future.

Image: Supplied.

The catch is that if the Australian wants to win XC2, then in a strange way, he almost needs to target the overall title, as teammate Davis is making a full-fledged attack on this year’s crown aboard his 250, sitting just seven points from series leader Kelley – the former champion who currently heads FMF KTM Factory Racing’s XC1 program alongside injured defending champion, Johnny Girroir.

“I want to win the XC2 class title, and as soon as that happens, I’ll move up to XC1,” said Riordan. “But I guess you’re right in saying that it’s pretty much all the same thing right now. My teammate Grant has been so fast and I just haven’t been able to crack him… I’ve been bloody close a few times, which is pissing me off as well [laughs].

“But yeah, ultimately I wouldn’t mind winding up doing Dakar, because I love the desert style of racing like we did at Hattah on the weekend. All of that is a while away, though. I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business in the GNCCs, and I’m keen to try to get a championship in that one.”

A world away from the confines of GNCC competition, Riordan finished third outright at this year’s Hattah Desert Race near Mildura last weekend, claiming the win in the 450 Four Stroke division for the second-successive year and building an impressive desert racing resume in the process. He will also form part of Team Australia at the upcoming International Six Days Enduro within the Junior World Trophy Team.

Australian fans have many reasons to cheer in off-road motorcycle racing at the moment, led by the Lawrence brothers taking the Supercross and Pro Motocross scene by storm in recent years. Add the Riordans to your list if you haven’t already, though, as Gus alongside his brother Will have bright futures ahead of them on the world stage in their own right.