Leading the 'Rest of the World' team will be Yamaha DeCarli's Antonio Cairoli (pictured with Christophe Pourcel) the 2005 MX2 world champion and Pourcel's closest rival during a hard-fought 2006 grand prix season. Although he has less Supercross experience than the other top Bercy contenders, the Italian has a good riding style for Supercross and is eager to confront some serious competition:
"I have raced Supercross in Italy before, and the promoter has arranged some Supercross training in the South of France with Didier Vuillemin so I might go there and come prepared for Supercross… It would be sweet for sure to beat Christophe in Paris after having lost the MX2 championship to him!" admitted the likeable Antonio.
Other foreign racers will include Kawasaki Australia's Dan Reardon, Honda Canada's Jean-Sebastien Roy, MD Racing's Alexandre Rouis, French SX1 champion, while the promoter is waiting for confirmations from new KTM USA rider Martin Davalos, KTM Germany's Markus Schiffer, KTM Australia's Ryan Marmont, KTM silver Action's Rui Goncalves, Yamaha Brazil Antonio Balbi and a few others to complete the Rest of the world list...
Meanwhile, with Team USA's natural leader, two-time Bercy King Andrew Short, unfortunately hurt, KTM's Mike Alessi - outrageously ambushed by French riders during last year's event - has bravely decided to return and in doing so will become the most experienced US rider at the event. "I have always raced hard and given my best in Bercy, coming 'short', so to speak, twice. This race is important to me and I want to become King this time, hopefully helping Team USA to keep the trophy in the process," said the 2006 AMA Motocross Lites' championship runner-up.
American Honda's newest recruit, Tommy Hahn, will fill in for Andrew Short and Team Factory Connection will send two of its best members. If recovered from injury, Mike Alessi's younger brother Jeff - also involved in the 2005 fracas - will also return. Josh Hansen, Mike Brown, Jason Lawrence, Zach Osbourne, to name a few, complete the promoter's Team USA short list.
The SX Tour, to be credited with a renewal of young French SX talent, always gives intense racing to the sold-out Bercy crowd. 2006 leaders of the SX Tour series are Kawasaki's Marvin Musquin, KTM France's Kounsith Vongsana, and Maxime Lesage, on a Honda.
