Having returned to the French capital last year after three years in Lille, the Paris Supercross looks more exciting than ever with the comeback of many top Supercross riders in one of the most modern arenas in Europe. Featuring Marvin Musquin, the winner last year, and Jason Anderson, the US Supercross champion, the event will have a real taste of American Supercross on November 17-18!
“For sure we’ll have the best line-up of the last twenty years,” said Xavier Audouard, the director of the event for many years. “Having Marvin and Jason, who battled for the US title, and also Dylan Ferrandis, Zach Osborne, Jayson Brayton, Tyler Bowers and Vince Friese alongside the best French SX riders confirms that Paris remains one of the best events outside the USA,” he continued. After a successful return to Paris at a brand new venue last year, the event reaches another step, offering a wide track in a very modern stadium.
“We were dreaming for a long time to offer to the top riders and also to the European fans a track similar to those in the USA, and we found this possibility in the U Arena. Last year the Supercross was the first sporting event to take place in this arena, just a few days after the Rolling Stones concert, and for sure we learnt a lot so this second edition will be even better as we worked on many details to be sure that riders and fans will enjoy the event even more.”
As usual in Paris there will be two separate classes with a round of the French Tour (SX2) and the Paris Supercross (SX1). In the SX2 class the top twelve in the standings – Thomas Do, Adrien Escoffier, Anthony Bourdon, Killian Auberson just to name four – will face four ‘wild cards’ with French hopeful Brian Moreau Strubhart, Brian Hsu and two American riders. In the main class alongside three of the four winners of a 2018 US Supercross Main event (Anderson, Musquin and Brayton) we’ll have more Americans (Osborne, Bowers, Friese) and of course all the fastest Frenchies racing SX in the US (Ferrandis, Soubeyras) or in Europe (Ramette, Izoird, Aranda, Boog, Tixier, Richier and more). The race format is similar to last year with two sprint races (4 minutes + 1 lap, 6 minutes + 1 lap) and one main event (9 minutes + 1 lap) for the SX2, and for the SX1 the Superpole, two sprint races (4 minutes + 1 lap, 8 minutes + 1 lap) and one main event (15 minutes + 1 lap).
Of course the show will also feature FMX with six top riders involved in three contests (Best Whip, All Tricks, Best Tricks). Coming from Australia Josh Sheehan and Jarryd McNeill will challenge Japanese Genki Watanabe and Frenchies David Rinaldi, Brice Izzo and Nicolas Texier, and will find in the U Arena enough space to deliver a great show.
Designed by Jean Luc Fouchet and Cedric Lucas, the track will remain one of the biggest in Europe and will be more selective. “After the start the riders will cross the Arena for 100 meters and a double left turn will offer several lines to get the holeshot; then the track will go in the opposite side compared to last year, and we’ll have more left turns so it will be easier for the riders to play with the rear brake,” explained Cedric who has a huge experience of track-building. The track will of course be one of the key features to a successful event, as well as the show and the line up. Regarding the show everyone now knows how to use all the facilities of this new stadium, including the lights and the giant screen, to offer an even better show. For the fans who will attend the event, there’s a huge novelty as all tickets will give access to the practice sessions (doors will open at 3 pm on Saturday and 11.30 am on Sunday).
You can get tickets from 66€ (start at 33€ for kids) to 185€ (Fan pass) per night; book your seat on http://www.supercrossparis.com/billetterie