Langston overcomes burnt back to be King of Bercy.

Grant Langston is the first King of the new Bercy era after winning the third and last night at the Paris Supercross on Sunday. Once more the French stadium was packed to capacity as 40,000 noisy fans supported the best 125 riders of the world.

It was not an easy win for Langston, as the 2000 World MX Champion crashed heavily in the whoops section during the practice session Sunday morning. The KTM star was the fastest guy on the track - and claimed pole position - but was struck on the back by his bike when he got the the whoops wrong.

The South African's red hot exhaust pipe burnt his back in the incident, but despite the pain Grant decided to race, just missing the riders presentation and taking some painkiller before the start.

Langston then made a superb getaway from the gate to hold second position behind Broc Sellards into turn one. He then swiftly dealt with the American to take the lead by the second lap; claiming the lap record, he was unbeatable and got his first major victory since the 2001 AMA season.

"I pushed hard in the first laps to take the lead, and then to make a break with my rivals. There's no easy race, but I had no problems during this final and I'd no pain to my back during the race," smiled a pom-pom girl surrounded Grant as he collected the winners Trophy.

"I'm really happy with this win; Bercy is definitively one of the greatest race of the world, and there's a long time since I won a major race," he admitted. "The new program of this event is really great, and I'm proud to be the winner of this 20th edition."

The main event offered great racing to the fans, with American Short again producing a superb ride to steal second from Sellands - after starting the first lap in ninth. Meanwhile home hero Sorby and AMA SX champ Travis Preston crashed together in the first corner and rejoined last, but both pushed during the entire race to finish tenth and thirteen.

Injuring his neck and vertebras in his crash on Saturday, Frenchman Maschio didn't race in Sunday's final; Ivan Tedesco watched the races in the stadium after his crash on Saturday, while in the main event Rodrig Thain had a big 'off' in the second lap,
loosing his seventh position but walking back to the paddock safe.

With seven riders in the top eight of the Prince of Bercy classification, the US team won the teams classification and the great trophy that David Bailey, their manager, will bring back in the US. The 'Rest of the World' finished second, and France third.

Results :

1st Moto: 1.Laninovich (USA, KTM); 2.Thain (Fra, HVA); 3.Preston (USA, Honda); 4.Meo (Fra, Kawasaki)2nd Moto: 1.Rodrigues (POR, KTM); 2.Sellards (USA, Yamaha); 3.Hansen (USA, Yamaha) ; 4.Beaudoin (Fra, Suzuki)3th Moto: 1.Short (USA, Suzuki); 2.Langston (AFS, KTM); 3.Sorby (Fra, Kawasaki); 4.Gosselaar (USA, Honda);

1st Semi: 1.Torronteras (ESP, Yamaha); 2.Andersson (AUS, Yamaha); 3.Ristori (SUI, Honda);2nd Semi: 1.Guidetty (Fra, Yamaha); 2.Pourcel (Fra, Kawasaki); 3.Dement (USA, Yamaha);

Final:
1.Langston; 2.Short; 3.Sellards; 4.Laninovich; 5.Rodrigues; 6.Gosselaar; 7.Torronteras; 8.Ristori; 9.Hansen; 10.Sorby; 11.Andersson; 12.Preston; 13.Renet (Fra, Yamaha); 14.Beaudoin; 15.Guidetty; etc

King of Bercy:
1.Langston, 5 pts; 2.Gosselaar, 16; 3.Preston, 17; 4.Hansen, 18; 5.Laninovich, 22; 6.Sellards, 26; 7.Tedesco, 27; 8.Short, 29; 9.Rodrigues, 29; 10.Thain, 31; 11.Torronteras, 33; 12.Boniface, 36; 13.Sorby, 39; 14.Andersson, 42; 15.Demartis, 42.