When the tapes go up this coming Saturday (24 June) at La Réole in the south-west of France for the FIM Long Track World Championship Challenge, one rider determined to make his mark will be home hero Mathias Trésarrieu.
At the tender age of twenty years old, Trésarrieu – who calls Bordeaux, around seventy kilometres south-west of La Réole, home – may not have the experience of many of his rivals who are also aiming to book one of five permanent places in the 2024 FIM Long Track World Championship, but he certainly has family heritage on his side.
His father Stéphane was runner-up in the 2009 FIM Long Track World Championship and his uncle Mathieu is the reigning FIM World Long Track Champion and both will be in his box on Saturday night.
“My uncle and my father always helped me by teaching me the right things,” said Trésarrieu, “whether in the garage or on the track. It is largely thanks to them that I am here and I cannot thank them enough. The French team coach, Laurent Sambarrey, also helped me a lot and still helps me with my position on the bike.”
From a very young age Trésarrieu travelled across Europe to watch his father race, but his first love was Motocross and it was not until he was thirteen that he got his first taste of Long Track racing on a 125cc machine. Success came quickly – in his debut season in 2016 he won the French championship in his class – and he has been racing ever since.
Last year he got a taste of international competition when he helped his nation to third at the FIM Long Track of Nations at Herxheim in Germany and it is safe to say he found it a very positive experience.
“I really enjoyed it. Riding at that speed on one of the most beautiful Long Track tracks with such good riders was an unforgettable experience, as well as representing my country.”
While his focus is currently completely centred on La Réole on Saturday night, Trésarrieu is also hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps and forge a parallel career in Speedway and he already has a contract to race for the GKM Grudziadz in Poland.
“I would love to qualify for the Long Track World Championships because it is a discipline I really enjoy, but I also have a big goal in Speedway where I want to launch my professional career in Poland and England.”
Racing at La Réole will get under way at 20:30 CET and all the action from La Réole will be available as a Pay-Per-View broadcast via a livestream package on the Tapes Up TV channel.
