A few months after hosting the swimming events of the Olympic Games, the Paris La Défense Arena is actively preparing to welcome the cream of the World SX for the 41st Paris Supercross. A few more hours of patience, before seeing some of the greatest athletes on the track next Saturday and Sunday.

Since he set foot in the Arena in 2017, the Paris Supercross has found an exceptional venue allowing him to build a track worthy of US standards in the space of a few hours. Because when you think of Supercross, you immediately think of the United States where this discipline was born in the 70s, before being imported a good ten years later to Europe. The construction of the track for the 41st Paris Supercross began on Tuesday and is taking place according to a now well-oiled process, which will be completed on Thursday before the track is tested on Friday afternoon.

To approach the event in the best possible conditions, the drivers racing throughout the year in the United States have now arrived in the capital, in particular to recover from jet lag. Brothers Jett and Hunter Lawrence, Tom Vialle, Cooper Webb, Jo Shimoda, Dylan Ferrandis and Malcolm Stewart will take part in a few media obligations before taking to the stage on Friday afternoon to test both the track and their bikes, having brought with them some parts that they use in the US championships. the Lawrence brothers and Cooper Webb monopolizing the SX1 podium while Jo Shimoda and Tom Vialle climbed to the top steps of the SX2 podium? The question is worth asking, but with Dylan Ferrandis and Malcolm Stewart back in Paris, the bets are off!

France vs USA
As is often the case in Supercross, the French riders will be the most serious rivals of the Australian and American riders. Whether they are racing in the United States (Tom Vialle, Dylan Ferrandis, Anthony Bourdon) or in Europe, the French riders quickly understood how important Supercross was, gaining great experience both at the Paris Supercross – first edition in March 1984 – and in the France championship – launched in 1987 – a stage of which will be held in the first part of the evening. Multiple France champion and crowned 'King of Stuttgart' last weekend, Greg Aranda will be the leader of the Blues of Europe, escorted by some sure values such as Thomas Ramette, Maxime Desprey, Jordi Tixier, Calvin Fonvieille, Yannis Irsuti or Charles Lefrançois. And to perpetuate the tradition and encourage the development of young riders, the best junior hopefuls will be behind the grid of the SX2 round of the France championship.

High-flying
Freestyle What a long time ago when it was enough for a pilot to show a little imagination on a jump to become the star of the evening! Today, Freestyle has become a specialty in its own right, with athletes fully dedicated to this discipline that has nothing to do with what it was a decade ago. How far will they go? No one knows, and this year again Julien Vanstippen, Taka Higashino, Andreu Laconteguy and Nicolas Texier will set the mood in the Arena with tricks that they have meticulously prepared to push the laws of balance again and again.

Get your Paris Supercross tickets here: Paris Supercross

Pascal Haudiquert story and image