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Motocross ace Josh Coppins starts his European year this weekend, building up to the world 250 championship in which he will be a leading contender.
The New Zealand-born star has his first ride for the powerful Berni Honda Racing team of Italy in the first round that country\'s national championship.
\"It\'s called the Italian Absolute and it\'s a very important series in this part of the world,\" said Coppins today from Tuscany where he has been preparing the trick Honda CR250 he will campaign this year.
\"We\'ve got quite a bit of testing and training underway, but there\'s still a way to go,\" commented the 24-year-old. \"I just arrived a week or so ago from the American supercross programme.\"
Coppins has plenty of time for machine development - the world championship of which he is now a seven-year veteran kicks off on 24 March this year. But he is keen for a big showing in Italy and at other international events before that first grand prix in The Netherlands.
\"My new team is looking for top placings at all five rounds of its home championship, and that\'s realistic as support for the world title bid,\" Coppins said.
\"I\'ll be ready: I came out of the States very race-fit and at about 80 percent overall . now I\'m working on building that up without peaking too early.\"
The world title hunt, in which Coppins was disappointed to slip to sixth last year after fourth the previous season, covers a gruelling 12 grands prix across Europe and Asia to the end of September.
\"There\'s no doubt it\'s one of the toughest campaigns you can take on,\" quipped the man they call Lizzard. \"That\'s what attracts me, it\'s such a challenge.\"
Many interested eyes will be on Coppins as he takes the track at Montevaarchi, near the Berni Honda team headquarters.
It\'s his first European outing on a Honda, after his high-profile switch from Suzuki for whom he was a factory rider the past two years. In his final yellow ride Coppins led New Zealand to a stellar third placing in the Motocross des Nations, the Olympics of motorcycling, last October.
\"I\'m really enjoying the red bike,\" said Coppins of the Honda. \"I was able to get some practice on it in New Zealand before Christmas, at the height of our northern winter, and then the supercross in the States gave me a bit of race training.
\"I\'ve always respected the Honda, especially in the 250 class where it has won so many titles.
\"Now here I am backed by Honda Racing Corp, probably the most respected race organisation in the world, and by Berni Racing which is recognised as the most professional team in world motocross.
\"Let\'s get into the racing ..\"
Coppins will be joined this weekend by his 125 class protégé Ben Townley, the sensational New Zealander who turned heads in his rookie world championship season last year.
The youngster, just turned 17, is now an integral part of the South African / Belgian team Big Five Vangani Racing which specialises in developing young talent.
That puts Townley straight onto factory-supplied KTM machinery - the orange bikes which have dominated the 125 class at world level and below.
\"We have the new 2002 bikes now and we\'ve been doing quite a bit of development, mostly around northern Europe,\" said the Taupo-born racer.
\"It\'s good to be heading down to Italy where the weather is probably a bit better for motocross, and to get into some real racing.
\"It\'ll be good to catch up with Josh again as well - we were both in New Zealand when I had a holiday back there over Christmas, but we didn\'t get to ride together.
\"Josh taught me a heck of a lot last year and there\'s a lot more I want to know,\" said the rider who finished in 33rd spot in world 125 last year.
