There was much more going
on in Paris than just racing
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYER
he Bercy Supercross is without a doubt
the biggest, most exciting supercross
event on the European calendar. It's been
that way for two decades. But it's the
22nd installment of the classic race that
might go down as the most extraordinary in the
event's history - and not necessarily for all the right
reasons.
While American Andrew Short was able to run away
with three wins and the overall, adding to his Paris legacy from the 2004 race, this year's event had the added
attraction of fist fights and wild riding.
"I'm the quiet guy," Short smiled. "I just came here to
race, and Ileave the other stuff up to others. It was tough
this year, and I didn't have the same type of event like last
year. Last year Iwon everything, but this time I lost some
heat races and I didn't always feel comfortable. The track
was really tricky with the slippery dirt. I don't know how
to take this win. Last year I won and didn't do so well
when the American series began, so I just have to wait
and see what I can do in 2006 in America."
T
The weekend began with French riders Eric Sorby
and Sebastien Tortelli winning their Friday night heat
races. Defending champion Short didn't get off to the
start he had hoped for, and he finished third in his heat
after a rough battle with KTM's Mike Alessi.
As for the Alessi brothers (Mike and Jeff), they came
to Bercy with huge pressure on their shoulders. In the
2004 version of the Bercy Supercross, Mike Alessi had
ridden into Pascal Leuret, causing the Frenchman to fall
and sending the 10,000 spectators inside the Bercy
arena into a frenzy. This time around, the Alessi family
again came under attack - not only from the crowd, but
this time from the French riders as well.
Short came back from his average start to win the
main event on Friday night, ahead of Tortelli and Mike
Alessi, but it was back in the pack where the action
proved most interesting. Mike Alessi had come in contact with Steve Boniface en route to his third-place finish, and the French rider wasn't happy about it. As
Short celebrated his win, Boniface went looking for
Alessi and ended up punching him in the face. Just like
that, Boniface was threatened with a four-year jail term
for assaulting a minor (Alessi is only 17 years old).
Later that night. Boniface wrote a letter of apology
to the Alessi family, and the French rider was cleared to
race in the Saturday night program.
