The increasingly-popular Italian International championship has announced its dates for 2017, which are January 29, February 5 and February 12. It means the middle date clashes with the Hawkstone International which recently announced it was going to be on February 5.

In recent years the Italian series has attracted the factory KTM, Honda, Husqvarna and Yamaha MXGP teams and some British teams too, like the Buildbase Honda squad. The Suzuki team often contest Hawkstone and some early French international races.

The Italian series, which offers big-money prizes, is usually the first international race of the year but in 2017 there is the new race at the Redsand circuit in Spain on January 15. No riders have yet been announced for that but as the tracks sponsors the Suzuki MXGP team, it’s very likely they’ll race there.

The last remaining pre-season international is on 12 February at Lacapelle Merivalle in France. There will be no Valence international this year.

Photo Stefani Taglioni/ KTM Images