Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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IN THE WIND P32 ELIAS, WEST, MCALLISTER, KNAPP SET FOR SUPERPRESTIGIO T oni Elias, former Moto2 World Champion, head- lines the latest invitees to the Superprestigio of the Americas presented by Yamaha at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena on Satur- day, November 21. Elias, from Spain, just completed the Mo- toGP season racing for Forward Racing Yamaha as a midseason replacement rider. Joining Elias is fellow MotoGP rider Anthony West of Australia, who, like Elias, ended 2015 as a MotoGP replacement rider for AB Honda. Also new to the Superprestigio of the Americas roster is Mo- toAmerica's young KTM RC Cup Champion Gage McAllister and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Taylor Knapp. Elias is an avid flat track rider. He uses flat track as a training method and raced in the Barce- lona Superprestigio last year. "I'm very much looking forward to racing in the Super- prestigio of the Americas," Elias said. "America is the home of flat track racing and it will be an honor to have the chance to race against some of the very best riders in America. "My biggest goal is to pur- chase an American-made steel shoe while I'm there," Elias grinned, "but I would also like to make the final to be able to race against the best flat trackers on their home ground." West will be no stranger to flat track competition. Like many of his famous Australian predeces- sors, West cut his teeth racing dirt track from a young age. By the time he was 15 he had two national titles under his belt and was ready to take his first steps into road racing. West has world championship race victories to his credit. He scored his first World Championship 250cc Grand Prix win at the Dutch TT in 2003 and then won the Moto2 race there in 2014. The Superprestigio of the Americas will cap off a busy year for MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion McAllister. The 20-year-old Californian was one of the busier riders in America, as he raced in both the KTM RC Cup and Superstock 600 classes. And at season's end, McAllister was crowned as the inaugural Mo- toAmerica KTM RC Cup Cham- pion after winning five of the nine races. Last month he also repre- sented America in the KTM RC World Cup Final at the Silverstone Circuit in Great Britain. Along the way he found time to contest and win the AMA Supermoto Champi- onship as well. Knapp was one of the most consistent riders in MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 this year. The Michigander finished runner-up in the series scoring 12 podiums in 16 rounds, including a victory at Virginia International Raceway riding with TOBC Racing. NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will televise the 2015 Superprestigio of the Americas presented by Yamaha motorcy- cle race on Sunday, November 29, at 9 p.m. ET /6 p.m. PT. CN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MOTOGP.COM Toni Elias is one of the latest to commit to this weekend's Superprestigio race in Las Vegas.