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A big boost for New Zealand\'s hottest young motorsport star, world champs motocrosser Josh Coppins.
The Motueka-born 23-year-old has come through a gruelling fitness test in top ranking, ahead of a clutch of world champions and senior riders.
Contesting the toughest class, 250 motocross, as a fully-backed rider for the top-rated Suzuki team Coppins is expected to achieve fitness levels among the highest in any international sport.
He has been taken under the wing of Belgian fitness guru Yves Demeulemeester, who has taken riders to a dozen world titles over the past 15 years.
Aged \"about 50\" Demeulemeester has also trained Belgian athletes for four Olympic Games but has forsaken Sydney 2000 and travels with Coppins to the 16 events on his worldwide championship calendar to keep the young Kiwi in top shape.
Last week the trainer put Coppins and his other motocross charges through a half-day test and the young man outpointed all, including legendary four-time world champ Joel Smets of Belgium.
\"It was a big kick,\" said Coppins from his team base near Mol in northern Belgium. \"All my life I\'ve looked up to riders like Joel, now here I am setting the pace for them.
\"Of course fitness isn\'t everything, but you do need to be in the best condition to compete at this level.\"
The result is a fillip for the young man they call Lizzard, ahead of a demanding event in Holland this weekend. Round three of the championship is on a sandy circuit at Valkenswaard which saps the energy of competitors over two 40-minute races.
Coppins is determined to achieve two top placings and improve his standing after a spill in round one left him in 12th spot. He moved to seventh at round two a fortnight ago and is looking for a top-five spot to meet the expectations of his professional Suzuki team.
Still early in his first year as a full works rider, after flying to seventh in the title last year as a privateer, Coppins has been tipped as a future world champion by Suzuki team manager Sylvain Geboers, himself a former top world championship racer.
Aware of his responsibilities, Coppins is in optimum physical shape to take advantage of the opportunity.
