For the eighth year in a row the best GP riders will be there, to enter one of their first races of the season just after the winter break; on February 21st and 22nd Valence, eighth edition!

Every year since 2002 the paddock of Valence grows up, and with most of the top teams involved in this race it looks like a mini GP now. Since several years teams Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM and Honda are used to come to Valence, and the race had some prestigious winners such as Everts (2006), Coppins (2007-2008), Townley (2005), Melotte (2004) and Demaria (2002-2003) in the MX1 class, or Rattray and Aubin in the MX2.

The club has already contacted most of the teams about this 2009 edition, and in a few weeks the first riders will have signed their contract to be there. A new program In 2006 the race had separate classes with MX1 and MX2 races, similar to the World Championship program.

It was successful, but for financial reasons the club came back to the former schedule in 2007 and 2008. For 2009, there will be again two classes. ‘When you line up two classes in different races, that’s more expensive for the club, as you have more riders to enter and to pay’ explained president Jacques Lebrun.

‘But we have more and more requests from teams and riders, so we’ve decided to have two separate classes, with two MX1 races, two MX2 races and a last one with the best riders of each class. Our event grows up every year; we have more fans coming, and even if the economical situation is not so good at the moment we made our decision.

It’s another step for us, but our goal has always been to run one of the best pre-season event; the MX2 riders will have their own race and that’s more fair for them, the fans will see more races, we think that it’s the best choice’ he added.

With his staff he is already working on the track and the facilities, improving the area to met in the best conditions riders, medias, technicians and fans.

Valence is located 100 km south of Lyon, alongside the A7 Motorway (Lyon to Marseille); you’ve to take the exit 15 to join the track, which is located in the Industrial State ‘Les Auréats’

For more details and information’s, please connect on www.mx-valence.com