It’s been five years since the Tipsport Arena in Liberec staged NIGHT of the JUMPs. The last time the city in northern Bohemia hosted the world’s most extreme freestyle motocross competition was back in 2008. On 8th November, eleven of the world’s top riders will be descending on Liberec for the ninth round of the 2013 FIM Freestyle MX World Championship.
From the perspective of the Czech fans, the timing of this return could not be better, with local FMX hero Libor Podmol having taken over at the top of the championship standings one week ago at NIGHT of the JUMPs in Riga. A victory in front of his home crowd could constitute a decisive step towards claiming a second world title.
Seeking to thwart him will be David Rinaldo. The Frenchman led the overall standings in the run-up to the Latvian Grand Prix and was widely tipped as favourite for the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship title. However, his performance was distinctly muted that weekend, and he didn’t even make it through to the final. He is therefore under pressure to go on the offensive at Liberec, in particular to pull out the Double Seatgrab Backflip which is one trick that is absent from Podmol’s repertoire.
After a long lay-off due to injury, reigning world champion Remi Bizouard returns to the NIGHT of the JUMPS track. There is still plenty at stake for the sixth-placed Frenchman who has a mathematical chance of moving up to third in the table on the night. For this scenario to materialise, his fellow countryman Brice Izzo would need to fall short of the impressive form he showed in the Latvian capital where he just missed out on a podium.
The winner of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship round in Riga, Rob Adelberg, will also be in the starting line-up for the Czech Grand Prix. In his NIGHT of the JUMPs comeback, the Australian performed Tsunami Flips, Cliffhanger Flips and 360s to perfection. He must also be considered a strong contender for victory on 8th November.
Libor Podmol is joined on this occasion by the full complement of Czech FMX stars: Red Bull rider Petr Pilat, who is currently fifth in the standings, veteran rider Martin Koren and Frantisek Maca. It would be a source of great satisfaction to the national contingent if their combined forces were enough to see off the interlopers.
Jose Miralles (ESP), Maikel Melero (ESP) and Massimo Bianconcini (ITA) complete the starting field. Melero returned to the podium in Riga after a long barren spell, which should certainly give him a boost for Liberec.
Fans can look forward to an action-packed programme as NIGHT of the JUMPS presents the best rider line-up ever to have graced a Czech arena.
NIGHT of the JUMPs Liberec 2013
FIM Freestyle MX World Championship: Round 9
8th November 2013
Tipsport Arena, Liberec (Czech Republic)
Riders:
Remi Bizouard (FRA)
David Rinaldo (FRA)
Libor Podmol (CZE)
Brice Izzo (FRA)
Petr Pilat (CZE)
Rob Adelberg (AUS)
Jose Miralles (ESP)
Maikel Melero (ESP)
Massimo Bianconcini (ITA)
Martin Koren (CZE)
Frantisek Maca (CZE)
FIM Freestyle MX World Championships
Ranking (after Round 8)
1. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Yamaha 128 points
2. David Rinaldo FRA FFM Yamaha 125 points
3. Brice Izzo FRA FFM Yamaha 95 points
4. Dany Torres ESP RFME KTM 84 points
5. Petr Pilat CZE ACCR KTM 79 points
6. Remi Bizouard FRA FFM Kawasaki 72 points
7. Jose Miralles ESP RFME KTM 71 points
8. Maikel Melero ESP RFME KTM 71 points
9. Hannes Ackermann GER DMSB KTM 67 points
10. Massimo Bianconcini ITA PZM KTM 57 points
11. Kai Haase GER DMSB Suzuki 43 points
12. Clinton Moore AUS MA Yamaha 22 points
13. Rob Adelberg AUS MA Yamaha 20 points
14. Gabriel Villegas CHL FMC KTM 16 points
15. Rich Kearns USA AMA Kawasaki 10 points