The French club of Valence will shortly line-up an amazing pack of GP riders, including the three reigning world champions for its traditional pre-season motocross.

For the first time in the history of the club, Antonio Cairoli will be in Valence alongside Marvin Musquin and Steffie Laier.

Most of the top teams will be there, including New Zealander Josh Coppins‘ new Aprilia team.

Thanks to the passion of the club members and their hard work, most of the team’s involved in the World Championships will be in Valence in a few weeks, for one of the main pre season International motocross.

Two weeks after the Mantova (Italy) warm-up event, which is this weekend, Valence will be another opportunity for the teams and riders to prepare the GP’s six weeks prior the first event in Bulgaria.

Once more the official teams Suzuki (Teka MX1 and MX2, Beursfoon), KTM (De Carli, Factory, JM Racing, HDI and BO Racing), Honda (Martin, LS Motors), Yamaha (Monster Rinaldi and Ricci Racing), Kawasaki (KRT Factory, CLS Pro Circuit, Bud Racing and Sturm) and Aprilia will enter the event who will run as last year two separate classes:

MX1 (450) and MX2 (250). Both classes will run two moto’s of 20 minutes and two laps, and at the end of the day a final race with the fifteen best riders of each category will decide the official winner.

Three world champions get behind the gate too.

The three reigning World Champions will take part to this 9th edition of the Valence MX International, and for the first time Italian Cairoli will be there aboard his new factory KTM.

He will lead a strong field of riders as nine of the top 10 riders of the 2009 World Championship signed an entry form for Valence.

It’s even stronger in the MX2 class where 12 of the 13th fastest riders will be there, giving to this event a real GP taste; of course Musquin will be the favourite of the fans, and for the first time he will race in France with the number 1 plate on his factory KTM.

Also, two of the world’s fastest women will enter the MX2 class: Steffie Laier and Livia Lancelot, the two world

champions. It will be the first time that Steffie will race among the boys, and everyone will look carefully to the duel between Steffie and Livia who are now racing for the same brand.

First race for team CLS Pro Circuit Valence will be also the first opportunity to see in action the Pro Circuit Kawasaki, as the team will not be earlier in Italy. There’s a lot of  expectations in this team, and Steven Frossard as well as Jeremy Van Horebeek are ready for battle.

Valence will be a unique opportunity to see in action – before the first Grand Prix – the fastest 250 machineries, with the factory KTM and Suzuki, the Rinaldi Yamaha, the Pro Circuit and Bud Kawasaki.

As usual there will be an International 85cc support race, and a total of seven heats on Sunday afternoon, with six training sessions in the  morning.

Valence is located 100km south of Lyon.

© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com