The Paris supercross is one of the most famous indoor races in the sports history and is without question, in my opinion the crown jewel of European indoor racing. Known originally as the Bercy supercross, which was run in the Palais Omnisports in the suburb of Bercy in Paris.

This events winners list is a who’s who of World supercross, from Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Johnson, Jeff Stanton, David Bailey, Jeff Ward, J. M. Bayle, Jeff Emig, James Stewart, Eli Tomac, Chad Reed and finally Jett Lawrence.

Now, for anyone who was lucky enough to attend a Bercy supercross back in the 1980s or 1990s, then you know what a special event it was, because this was truly, a gigantic sporting event and the atmosphere outside the stadium and more so, inside the stadium was always chilling and exciting.

Held in the cold of November in Paris, one of the most beautiful cities in the World, it was just an amazing experience and one I hold close to my heart. Due to rider wages rising dramatically in the end of the 1990s and start of the2000s, the event lost of a lot of his lustre as the best American didn’t want to leave the comforts of home for what had becomean average weekend of prizemoney and start money (at least to them).

The Bercy promoters had to think quick and tried different schedules for the weekend as names like Langston, Short, Pourcel. Weimer, Chislom and Barcia replaced names like McGrath, Stanton, Emig and so forth. It wasn’t anymore what it once was, and I stopped going in the mid-2000s. It was, as I have said many times, a shell of the Bercy I remember arriving to in 1993.

Moving from the Palais Omnisports was another step that saw the decline of the event, but in recent years, at the La Défense Arena, a new stadium build just outside the main centre of Paris, and with names like the Lawrence brothers, Tom Vialle, Cooper Webb, Ken Roczen and many others, the event has again hit something a little closer to those golden era’s of the 80s and 90s.

With the defending champion being Jett Lawrence and he will return with his brother (Hunter) by his side, we thought it might be nice to look back in time, when two other Aussie legends held court in Paris. Jeff Leisk, the first Aussie superstar and Chad Reed, who until the arrival of Jett Lawrence, was the best Australian rider of all time, both had success in Paris, and you can read below what they did. So, from Lawrence in 2023, to Reed in 2007 and Leisk in 1989, three short stories, from three Aussie legends.

On 3 December 1989, Jeff Leisk twice created history becoming the first Australian and non-American to win a night at the world-famous Paris Supercross in France. American motocross legend Rick Johnson (Honda) was crowned the King of Bercy after scoring the best combined finishes at the Paris Supercross, held in the Bercy Stadium.Johnson won the first of four nights of racing (29-30 November and 2-3 December) finishing 5-4-2 in the remaining three nights.

It was a history-making event with fellow countryman Damon Bradshaw (Yamaha) on night 2 becoming the youngest rider to win the Bercy Supercross. A third American Larry Ward (Suzuki) won night 3, with Leisk (Honda) taking the victory on the big final night ahead of Johnson and local hero Jean-Michel Bayle (Honda, France) in second and third, respectively.

Frenchman, Yves Demaria, thrilled the home crowd while leading the final events at two nights. But it was Leisk who stole the limelight in Bercy VII – winning the final and finishing second overall, behind Johnson.

On 11 November 2007, Chad Reed became the first Australian to win the Paris (Bercy) Supercross – one of the world’s most famous Supercross events. The Team Yamaha rider won all three nights of the XXV (25th) annual Paris Supercross event in France on the weekend of 9-10-11 November 2007 to be crowned the King of Bercy for 250ccc machine riders.

It was the best performance by an Australian at this prestigious event with Jeff Leisk winning a night some 18 years earlier.And it was at the 2000 Bercy where, as an 18-year-old, Reed burst onto the international scene to stand on top of the podium in two races and showed his true potential to the world!

For his comeback in the 2007 Bercy after a long break from racing the event, Reed just let one race win go to his rivals during the first night. Then on the final night he walked away with the “King of Bercy” title after finishing the weekend on six points with an almost perfect score, winning all but one of his 18 races.

On 19 November, 2023, Jett Lawrence left an indelible mark on the event, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. Lawrence dominated the first night and continued his winning streak on Sunday, despite facing challenges in the first two races. Average starts compelled him to mount comebacks, securing second place behind his brother Hunter in the first race and then trailing Ken Roczen in the second.

The main event witnessed dramatic turns as Jett’s pass caused his brother to fall, and leader Ken Roczen crashed alone before the halfway mark. Jett seized the opportunity, clinching victory ahead of Cooper Webb and Hunter, ultimately earning the title of the new King of Paris.

Find out more here: supercrossparis.com

Paris SX Winners

2023. Jett Lawrence (AUS)

2022. Ken Roczen (GER)

2021. Marvin Musquin (FRA)

2020. Cancelled

2019. Justin Barcia (USA)

2018. Jason Anderson (USA)

2017. Marvin Musquin (FRA)

2016. Marvin Musquin (FRA)

2015. Weston Peick (USA)

2014. Eli Tomac (USA)

2013. Justin Barcia (USA)

2012. Jake Weimer (USA)

2011. Kyle Chislom (USA)

2010. Justin Barcia (USA)

2009. Justin Brayton (USA)

2008. James Stewart Jr. (USA)

2007. Chad Reed (AUS)

2006. Christophe Pourcel (FRA)

2005. Andrew Short (USA)

2004. Andrew Short (USA)

2003. David Vuillemin (FRA)

2002. Langston (RSA)

2001. David Vuillemin (FRA)

2000. David Vuillemin (FRA)

1999. David Vuillemin (FRA)

1998. Larry Ward (USA)

1997. Jeff Emig (USA)

1996. Ryan Hughes (USA)

1995. Jeremy McGrath (USA)

1994. Mike LaRocco (USA)

1993. Jeremy McGrath (USA)

1992. Jeff Stanton (USA)

1991. Jean-Michel Bayle (FRA)

1990. Jean-Michel Bayle (FRA)

1989. Ricky Johnson (USA)

1988. Jeff Ward (USA)

1987. Ricky Johnson (USA)

1986. David Bailey (USA)

1985. Johnny O'Mara (USA)

1984. David Bailey (USA)

Story MXLarge and Australian Motocross History