Lille SX : Stewart’s vs Febvre vs Webb vs Pourcel… vs Simpson! 1

Not only the second edition of the Lille Supercross (formerly organized in Paris-Bercy), on Nov.14/15th, will present James STEWART (+ his brother Malcolm) for an exclusive European  appearance, it will also have the most exciting lineup featured at the Event for more than 15 years!

As Ernée proved it, the French know how to put together awesome MX events and, as far as SX goes, Bercy has set the standard in Europe as well. James Stewart knows it and he actually appeared only twice in SX outside America and that was both times in Paris…

Malcolm certainly enjoyed his podium finish at the inaugural Lille race last year and, this time, both brothers are going to be competing against each other in SX – which will be a first for them!  “We can’t both win in Lille, so we’re gonna go for 1 and 2!”, said Malcolm while celebrating the historic Stewart Bros. sweep of the Red Bull Straight Rhythm last Saturday.

James & Malcolm Straight Rhythm / Lille interview :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTpPDgmoe8g

Top 5 Straight Rhythm moments :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-NAUmeTe-Q

James Stewart vs Ryan Dungey Straight Rhythm :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHSat64HLUY

Out of the American contingent in Lille, Cooper WEBB will be amongst the most motivated, for his chance to get a victory on French soil, after his brilliant but winless effort at the MXDN. But this time, WEBB, who is the reigning 250 West Coast SX Champion, knows that Romain FEBVRE has limited SX experience – although how can you be sure that the flamboyant and versatile MXGP World Champion, who finished second at the Mettet Superbiker last Sunday, won’t step it up as well in SX, in front of hords of French fans ?

Febvre’s MXGP World Championship Insight video (“Do you think this guy can adapt to SX??”) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUhj3EwVuNc

Webb vs Febvre MXDN :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAWic8NQ3YQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7zwCQW95C4

Regardless, former World Champion and US 250 SX champion Christophe POURCEL, for his first-ever SX on a US team factory 450cc bike, as well as Jordi TIXIER, 2014 MX2 World Champion and Dylan FERRANDIS, member of the winning 2014 MXDN team, are determined to give the Americans a(nother) run for their money in Lille !

French fans will also count on their “SX-specialists” such as multi-French and Euro champions Fabien IZOIRD and Cedric SOUBEYRAS, as well as current UK Arenacross Champion Thomas RAMETTE, local hero Cyrille COULON, Nicolas AUBIN, Valentin TEILLET, Xavier BOOG, etc.

But with Weston PEICK, 2015 US SX podiumer, and Shane McELRATH, who finished second to WEBB on the West Coast, to complete this super-strong American line-up, the France vs USA battle might see a different outcome than in Ernée!

But it will actually be a “France vs USA vs Rest of the World” confrontation as British Champion and MXGP #4 finisher Shaun SIMPSON will also join the party, as well as a Swiss trio of MX2 star Valentin GUILLOD and the AUBERSON Brothers, Killian (on a 300 2-stroke) and Kevin. GUILLOD is famous for his jumping skills, and SIMPSON rides SX since his mini-bikes days on his private track. Killian AUBERSON has won on the French SX Tour (on a 250) before. Most exciting “Rest of the World” team in years too !

The race format for that thrilling SX1 battle will be the classical “semi-final, last chance, Main Event”, completed by the crowd-favourite “Superpole”.

The SX2 French Championship race will be an exciting support class as well, featuring SX Tour regulars like reigning Champion Thomas DO or Florent RICHIER, as well as wild cards Maxime DESPREY, reigning Prince of Lille, Darian SANAYEI, and former Women World Champion Livia LANCELOT, first female in Europe to take the challenge of racing with the Boys !

FMX will feature three legendary riders, Nate ADAMS, Edgar TORRONTERAS and Mat REBEAUD! FIM World Champion and X-Fighters regular David RINALDO has some of the most extreme new-school tricks on his repertoire. Japan’s rising star, Genki WATANABE, will complete the line-up and Monster Energy will bring BMX’s double-and-front-flipping wild man, Pat GUIMEZ, to the show!

“It is part of our goal in Lille to attract fans from the Benelux and UK to the biggest and most prestigious SX outside America”, says Xavier Audouard, the Event Sports Director.

“By train, Lille is 35mn from Bruxelles, 1 hour from Paris, 90 minutes from London and 2 ½ hours from Amsterdam and one can find great prices. From all these cities, fans can actually go to Lille and back on Sunday and watch the whole thing – practise sessions, riders autographs session, all is included in the ticket and those start at 49.5€ ! Event starts at 7PM and finishes at 10.35PM on Saturday and on Sunday, it goes from 3PM to 6.35PM. Outside pits gate opens at 10AM each day, practise starts at 1PM Saturday and 11AM Sunday”.

“This Event is a unique opportunity for a large range of Euro fans to spend a great day at the Lille Stadium -which is a brand new, roofed, modern facility- and enjoy James STEWART’s come-back race, Romain FEBVRE’s and Shaun SIMPSON’s SX challenges, Cooper WEBB’s revanche rides (and so on), some serious Freestyle extravaganza, all for a fairly affordable price!”. 

James Stewart’s latest video : “Don’t Call it a Comeback” :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSQ3I5yyJQg

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