The Geneva Supercross in Switzerland is one of the longest-standing off-season European races in history and always features a ton of U.S.-based talent. It might not be quite on the Paris/Bercy scale in terms of history, but it's still ahead of other international races which either don't draw as much top talent, or have failed to launch or thrive altogether.
Also, here's a fun fact: for a brief time Geneva was actually part of the supercross championship right here in America. Yup. Today's Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship combines every round together to declare both an AMA Supercross and FIM World Supercross Champion. For a brief time, though, when the FIM World Championship classification had just become part of the AMA series, two additional races were held outside of the U.S. in December to separate the World Championship status from the AMA Champion, and yes two different number-one plates were handed out at the end of the season. Geneva, Switzerland, and Arnhem, Holland, were the first two of these races, run in December of 2002.
David Vuillemin won the Geneva race back then, Chad Reed went on to win the FIM World Championship, and finished second to Ricky Carmichael in AMA points. Carmichael didn't race the European rounds and thus wasn't eligible for the FIM title that year. Aren't you glad all the races and both titles are simply meshed together these days?
Since then, the World Supercross quotient of the existing AMA Supercross Championship has shifted to Canada, and actually right now all of the events for 2019 will run within U.S. borders. But the Geneva event still rolls on as a standout.
Last year, the race hosted big-hitters in Marvin Musquin and Jason Anderson, and man did they put on a show. Check out the video below—it might have been an off-season race, but this Geneva battle can give any points-race a run for its money. Anderson and Musquin battled lap after lap, and then Justin Brayton got in on the action from third and nearly passed Anderson for second. Great action!
This year, according to the series site, Justin Barcia, Malcolm Stewart, Justin Brayton, Christian Craig, Vince Friese, Zach Osborne, and Cole Seely are all expected to make the trip. In SX2, Cameron McAdoo is expected to ride.
Aaron Plessinger was scheduled to go but he is banged up after a practice crash last week and will not make the trip.
Below are the official entry lists. As always, things could change between now and then.
SX1
20 Greg ARANDA (ENG)
3 Nicolas AUBIN (FRA)
221 Kevin BALLANGER (ENG)
51 Justin BARCIA (USA)
601 Romain BIELA (ENG)
121 Xavier BOOG (ENG)
10 Justin BRAYTON (USA)
32 Christian CRAIG (USA)
848 Joan CROS CORTES (ESP)
411 Nicolas DERCOURT (FRA)
42 Vince FRIESE (USA)
871 Fabien IZOIRD (FRA)
17 Gaetan THE HIR (FRA)
952 Ludovic MACLER (FRA)
7 Christophe MARTIN (FRA)
16 Zach OSBORNE (USA)
193 Tanguy PROST (ENG)
14 Cole SEELY (USA)
85 Cédric SOUBEYRAS (FRA)
27 Malcolm STEWART (USA)
588 Kevin TARALLO (FRA)
737 Valentine TEILLET (FRA)
Jordi TIXIER (FRA)
64 Khoun-Sith VONGSANA (FRA)
SX2
945 Anthony BOURDON (FRA)
851 Clément BRIATTE (FRA)
384 Lorenzo CAMPORESE (ITA)
834 Théo CHAMBERAUD (FRA)
773 Thomas DO (FRA)
516 François DORÉ (FRA)
322 Julien DUHAMEL (ENG)
137 Adrien ESCOFFIER (FRA)
11 Calvin FONVIEILLE (FRA)
92 Valentin GUILLOD (SUI)
117 Tim JAUNIN (SUI)
622 Mickael LAMARQUE (FRA)
259 Julien LEBEAU (
FR ) Morgan LESIARDO (ITA)
420 Pierre LOZZI (FRA)
973 John the Baptist MARONNE (FRA)
Cameron MCADOO (USA) )
Boris PRUDHOMME (FRA)
921 Melvin REGNER (FRA)
975 Julien ROUSSALY (FRA)
369 Axel BOLDRINI (FRA) - SXJ
571 Mateo BOULY (FRA) - SXJ
335 Enzo POLIAS (FRA) - SXJ
319 Jimmy GRAJWODA (ENG) - SXJ
194 Florian BERTIN (FRA) - SXJ
Let's look at some highlights of these lists, shall we?
Cole Seely
This is a big deal because it's Cole's first race since a huge crash and big injuries suffered at the Tampa supercross in February. For Cole, this will be a great way to work some of the nerves out of the system before Anaheim. But what form will he be in? We shall see.
Justin Barcia
Barcia is a big fan of these European events and usually puts on a good show—be it from winning races, or from his customary bar-banging, which is perfect for the tighter, smaller tracks over there. The last time Barcia raced in Europe, he was struggling in the midst of his career funk, but this should be the rejuvinated Justin Barcia, who was fast again in 2018.
Malcolm Stewart
Speaking of putting on a good show, Mookie is loved in Europe. He's raced Geneva several times and is always fast there, but this year he might be even better. He's been honing in his Smartop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts Honda program and looks ripped thanks to training with Gareth Swanepoel. Could Geneva experience an outbreak of Mookie Fever?
Zach Osborne
Zacho is also no stranger to #Eurolyfe and is also probably trying to work the nerves out in advance of his full-time 450 debut this January. Zacho is said to be flying at the test track, and he was strong in Paris. A win here could really boost the hype leading into Anaheim.
Christian Craig
Ah, the smooth style of Craig translates to any language and any culture. He's also very good on a 450, and if he can nail his customary good starts, he'll be in a good position on a tighter track like this. Craig is also using this race as a return from injury, as he tore his ACL last May at the Glen Helen round of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.
Vince Friese
So much history with rough riding and controversy has clouded the fact that Friese is now chronically underrated as a 450SX racer. He was nearly podium material in Paris.
Justin Brayton
Basically, no international supercross entry list is complete without Brayton, who has literally made a living by exceling at events like this. Brayton has won this event four times! He's been struggling a bit with some illnesses throughout his successful Australian SX title defense and through the Paris SX two weeks ago. But Brayton usually figures out a way to get it done in races such as this (note how close he ran with Musquin and Anderson in the video clip above).
