Press Release
The second edition of the Lille Supercross (formerly organized in Paris-Bercy) will take place on November 14-15 and will present James and Malcolm Stewart for an exclusive European appearance, as well as many more riders for one of the event's most exciting line-ups.
As Ernée's Motocross of Nations proved, the French know how to put together awesome motocross events, and as far as SX goes, Bercy has set the standard in Europe as well. James Stewart knows it and has appeared in Paris for both of his supercross events outside of the U.S.
Malcolm certainly enjoyed his podium finish at the inaugural Lille race last year, and this time both brothers are going to be competing against each other in SX—which will be a first for them!
"We can't both win in Lille, so we're gonna go for 1 and 2!" said Malcolm while celebrating the historic Stewart brothers sweep of the recent Red Bull Straight Rhythm.
James & Malcolm Straight Rhythm/Lille interview:
James Stewart vs. Ryan Dungey Straight Rhythm:
Out of the American contingent in Lille, Cooper Webb will be amongst the most motivated for his chance to get a victory on French soil after his brilliant but winless effort at the MXoN. But this time, Webb, who is the reigning 250 West Region SX Champion, knows that Romain Febvre has limited SX experience—although how can you be sure that the flamboyant and versatile MXGP World Champion, who finished second at the Mettet Superbiker last Sunday, won't step it up as well in SX, in front of hoards of French fans?
Febvre’s MXGP World Championship Insight video:
Webb vs. Febvre MXoN:
Former world champion and Monster Energy 250 SX Champion Christophe Pourcel, for his first-ever SX on a U.S. factory 450cc bike, as well as Jordi Tixier, 2014 MX2 World Champion, and Dylan Ferrandis, member of the winning 2014 MXoN team, are determined to give the Americans a(nother) run for their money in Lille!
French fans will also count on their "supercross specialists," such as multi-French and Euro champions Fabien Izoird and Cedric Soubeyras, as well as current UK Arenacross Champion Thomas Ramette, local hero Cyrille Coulon, Nicolas Aubin, Valentin Teillet, and Xavier Boog.
With Weston Peick, 2015 Monster Energy Supercross podiumer, and Shane McElrath, who finished second to Webb in West Region supercross, to complete this super-strong American line-up, the France versus USA battle might see a different outcome than in Ernée.
But it will actually be a "France vs. USA vs. rest of the world" fight, as British Champion and MXGP fourth-place finisher Shaun Simpson will also join the party, as well as a Swiss trio of MX2 star Valentin Guillod and the Auberson brothers, Killian (on a 300 two-stroke) and Kevin. Guillod is famous for his jumping skills, and Simpson has ridden supercross since his mini-bikes days on his private track. Killian Auberson has won on the French SX tour (on a 250) before.
The race format for that thrilling SX1 battle will have the classic semifinal, last chance, and main event, completed by the crowd-favorite superpole.
The SX2 French Championship race will be an exciting support class as well, featuring SX tour regulars like reigning champion Thomas Do and Florent Richier, as well as wild cards Maxime Desprey, reigning Prince of Lille, Darian Sanayei, and former Women World Champion Livia Lancelot, the first female in Europe to take the challenge of racing with the boys.
FMX will feature three legendary riders—Nate Adams, Edgar Torronteras, and Mat Rebeaud! FIM World Champion and X-Fighters regular David Rinaldo has some of the most extreme new-school tricks on his repertoire. Japan's rising star, Genki Watanabe, will complete the line-up, and Monster Energy will bring BMX's double-and-front-flipping wild man, Patrick Guimez, to the show !
"It is part of our goal in Lille to attract fans from the Benelux and UK to the biggest and most prestigious SX outside America," says Xavier Audouard, the event sports director.
"By train, Lille is thirty-five minutes from Bruxelles, one hour from Paris, ninety minutes from London, and two and a half hours from Amsterdam, and one can find great prices. From all these cities, fans can actually go to Lille and back on Sunday and watch the whole thing—practice sessions, riders' autographs session. All is included in the ticket and those start at 49.5€! Event starts at seven p.m. and finishes at 10:35 p.m. on Saturday, and on Sunday, it goes from three p.m. to 6.35 p.m. Outside pits gate opens at ten a.m. each day. Practice starts at one p.m. Saturday and eleven a.m. Sunday.
"This event is a unique opportunity for a large range of Euro fans to spend a great day at the Lille Stadium—which is a brand new, roofed, modern facility—and enjoy James Stewart's comeback race, Romain Febvre's and Shaun Simpson's SX challenges, Cooper Webbs's revanche rides (and so on), some serious freestyle extravaganza, all for a fairly affordable price!"
James Stewart's latest video: Don’t Call it a Comeback
