Just one week after the two back-to-back Polish Grands Prix in Krakow, the world championship contestants convene for the next NIGHT of the JUMPs jamboree.
The fifth world championship contest of the season in the world‰Ûªs most extreme freestyle motocross series is making its comeback in France after an eight-year absence. The last showdown on French soil was in Metz back in 2007. The competition calendar now includes a new venue ‰ÛÒ the city of Tours.
FMX fans can be excited about the prospects for the fifth round of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship, which promises to be another thrilling encounter. After the ‰Û÷Battle of the Body Varials‰Ûª in Poland, which featured two Volt premieres from Rinaldo and Podmol, expectations are running high for the Grand Hall de Tours.
Not least because Taka Higashino, one of the world‰Ûªs leading FMX showmen, will be making his NIGHT of the JUMPs debut. In addition to the California Roll, the Japanese superstar also has the Rock Solid Flip in his box of tricks. He could be one of the first newcomers to the series to rocket straight to the top of the podium.
Another star rider who has recently incorporated the Rock Solid Flip into his routine is Dany Torres. After a long lay-off through injury, the Spaniard is back in peak form, as he recently demonstrated at the Red Bull X-Fighters in Mexico.
The main contenders for the world championship title ‰ÛÒ Maikel Melero, David Rinaldo, Libor Podmol and Australian Rob Adelberg ‰ÛÒ will obviously be there too. The Magnificent Four excelled themselves last weekend in the Krakow Arena.
With every world championship event so far in this campaign having produced new jumps and with the standard having been so incredibly high, you begin to wonder what surprises will be sprung this time around.
Back in front of a home crowd at last, will three-time world champion Remi Bizouard include the Volt, the jump with which he claimed the winner‰Ûªs trophy in the 2014 world championship finale in Frankfurt.
Maybe he‰Ûªs been saving it up for the occasion, because he hasn‰Ûªt performed it so far this year. It‰Ûªs certainly his best bet for a victory in the French Grand Prix; without it, his chances of taking the title are diminished. So NIGHT of the JUMPs in Tours could well turn out to be NIGHT of the VARIALs.
Two more local favourites for the French fans to cheer on are Brice Izzo and Nicolas Teixier. Hannes Ackermann (GER), James Carter (USA) and Jose Miralles (ESP) complete field of riders.
Top Image: Aussie Rob Adelberg currently sits second in the championship standings heading into round five this weekend.
