Big team value
By TMX Archives on 7th Dec 06
NOW in its sixth year, the Moto Club of Valence will organise the now usual second pre-season meeting on February 24/ 25 at Valence, with many top teams and riders already confirmed for the event.
Following the more recent established season opener at Mantova and a week before our own biggie at Hawkstone Park, the Valence event sees many of the Grand Prix riders get some early season practice some five weeks prior to the opening GP in Valkenswaard.
Teams and riders already booked in for Valence are: Yamaha Rinaldi (Joshua Coppins and Marc de Reuver), Kawasaki De Groot (Tanel Leok and Billy MacKenzie), Suzuki Geboers (Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon), Kawasaki GPKR (Christophe and Sébastien Pourcel, Gregory Aranda and Livia Lancelot), KTM Factory (Tyla Rattray), Honda NGS (Pascal Leuret and Pierre Alexandre Renet), KTM Martens (Sven Breugelmans and Joel Roelants), Kawasaki CLS (Anthony Boissière, Steven Frossard and Thomas Allier), Honda Ristori (Marc Ristori), Kawasaki Delta (Julien Bill) and Honda HDI (Cyrille Coulon and Julien Vanni), are due to line up for the three races.
The club says that: "For sure negotiations are continuing with other teams and riders, as some of them haven't finalised their calendar as yet, and they are awaiting their National series calendars before hopefully securing a place on the startline at Valence with us.”
Two other races (French KTM MX trophy, and best 85 French hopefuls) will be organised alongside the International MX, and all classes will have practice sessions on Saturday afternoon (February 24).
For those thinking of travelling over to France for the event, the track of Valence is located in the south-west between Lyon and Avignon, and is only two kilometres from the A7 motorway (exit Valence South) and close to numerous hotels.
All information can be found on www.mx-valence.com (English version coming soon, says the club).