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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127757
.SUPERCROSS' Rounds 2/3/4: Paris, France 1995 FlU World Supercross Championship series • C Rat 18 eRC too (Left) Jeremy McGrath (1), Ryan Hughes (5) and Spaniard David Aviles (26) blast off the line. (Below) Threetime Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath won two out of three main events in Paris. By Davey Coombs PARIS, FRANCE, NOV. 10-12 he worldwide supercross domination of Jeremy. McGrath was confirmed this weekend in Paris as the three-time U.s. champion became the "King Of Bercy" by winning two of three nights at the prestigious ParisBercy Supercross. "It feels great to come over here and be treated so well by everyone and then get a chance to put on a good show," said McGrath, the star of the American Honda / 1-800-Colleet/ Fox Racing team. "1 wish 1 could have won all three nights, but 1 made a mistake on the start Saturday and I couldn't get a sweep." The win on Saturday night went to Noleen/ Sizzler / Yamaha rider Larry Ward, who was the surprise runner-up to McGrath in the 1995 U.s. Supercross Series. Ward, however, has taken huge strides this fall towards confirming his status as the second-best guy out there. Like McGrath, Ward has finished on the podium in all four rounds of the 1995 FIM World Supercross Series. (McGrath won the opener in Barcelona, Spain; Ward was third.) For the record, McGrath was the winner on Friday night ahead of Ward and Kawasaki team newcomer Jeff Emig. On Saturday night, McGrath crashed in the second turn and Ward scooted away from Kawasaki's Ryan Hughes for the win while McGrath recovered for third. In Sunday's finale McGrath pulled away from Hughes and Ward to clinch his T l1") 0\ 0\ ,....; O\~ N l-< OJ S OJ > o z 12 second win of the weekend and the "King of Bercy" crown. For the weekend, McGrath took home a total of $35,000 in prize money: $15,000 for each win plus $5,000 the night he scored third. He also took home a considerable fee in start money. (See Briefly.) Ward's prize money totaled $28,000 for three night's work. The Paris-Bercy event has been the highlight of the fall season since its debut in 1984. Since then, Europe's best stadium pilots have challenged the barnstorming American stars, but rarely beaten them. The only non-U.S. riders to win a 250cc main event here were fivetime victor Jean-Michel Bayle and Australian Jeff Leisk, who was the first to beat the Americans in 1989. This year, the foreign contingent was diminished by injuries to Yves Demaria and Greg Albertyn, and the non-entry of World Champions Alex puzar and Kurt Nicoll. Leading the way was a flu-plagued Mickael Pichon and reluctant supercrossers Stefan Everts and Pedro Tragter. Neither Everts nor Pichon made it through the weekend; Tragter's only qualified once for the 16-man main, and Events finished 15th. "Over here supercross is just something to do for money after the world championships are over," said Dutchman Pedro Tragter, the '93 125cc World MX Champiort. "There are rules here to keep the GP tracks from being supercross, too. It is very hard for us to ride at the level of McGrath and the other Americans."