On the occasion of the 2019 Bol d’Or, a key event in the FIM Endurance World Championship which takes place on 20 to 22 September at the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet, Larivière, the organisation is breaking new ground once again by creating the Bol de Bronze; the very first endurance race for young riders aged between 14 and 20.
With support from the French Motorcycling Federation and Pirelli, who will be the exclusive tyre partner, the Bol de Bronze offers a unique experience to young riders; the chance to compete in a real endurance race on the 3.8 km configuration of this legendary circuit in front of the Bol d’Or’s spectators.
The two-hour Bol de Bronze race will take place on the afternoon of Friday 20 September. The next day, the young crews will hit the track again for a thirty-minute sprint race just before the Bol d’Or begins.
The grid can accommodate 50 riders, aged between 14 and 20, on machines with an engine capacity of over 125 cc and up to 499 cc (twin cylinders) and from 250 cc to 399 cc (single cylinder). These motorbikes must all be fitted with Pirelli tyres.
Sophie Casasnovas, President of Larivière Organisation : “It is with great pride that we announce the launch of the Bol de Bronze from this year, 2019. This new race is an addition to the ones that make up the Bol d’Or weekend: firstly the Bol d’Or, the climax of the event which opens the EWC with its 24-hour format, and also the Bol d’Argent and the Bol d’Or Classic. With the Bol de Bronze, we are offering the youngest riders a chance to experience competitive endurance racing in a magnificent setting, the Paul Ricard Circuit, and on a special weekend, the weekend of the Bol d’Or, when the youngsters will race in the slipstream of their distinguished elders. It will be an opportunity, who knows, to enable new talents to emerge in endurance racing. In particular, I must thank the French Motorcycling Federation for their trust and their support for this first edition, and our partner Pirelli, who has supported us in this endeavour for several years.”
Jacques Bolle, President of the French Motorcycling Federation : “For our sport to develop, we need more opportunities to participate in it. So this new race, which is aimed at young people and will take place in the prestigious setting of the Bol d’Or, is a very positive development. I must congratulate AMCF and Larivière Organisation on this initiative, which the Federation is happy to associate itself with. All of the ingredients necessary for this first edition of the Bol de Bronze to be a success are in place.”
Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Moto’s Racing Director : “Pirelli is happy to be the exclusive tyre supplier for this new competition, the Bol de Bronze. The Supersport 300 category, which is growing all the time in Europe and all over the world and in which Pirelli has believed in since the very beginning, is attracting increasing interest from the FIM, sponsors and constructors. This is proven by the creation of national championships, in addition to the World Championship for which Pirelli is already the exclusive supplier. This ground-breaking and ambitious partnership with Larivière Organisation will provide another opportunity to demonstrate the performance of our tyres and receive development support for our product which is dedicated to the category.”
Source - Press.Pirelli.com