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An integral part of the real road racing calendar, it’s always a great pleasure to write a pre-season preview about the IRRC Supersport Championship.
This weekend sees the middleweight IRRC class return in the Netherlands, at the fast, flowing Varsselring.
Reigning Champion Pierre Yves Bian on Super Twins racing duty in Italy, misses the opening round but will return for Imatranajo.
With Yves Bian absent, arguably favourites for Sunday’s Supersport encounters include the Performance Racing Achterhoek duo of Jorn Hamberg and Ilja Caljouw.
Runner-up in last year’s series, prospective TT newcomer Caljouw has the undoubted credentials to go one better this year.
Team mate, rising Dutch roads talent Hamberg a race winner last year at Circuit De Chimay, also has his sights set on contending for Championship honours.
Same applies to Festa Profesionální Nářadí by NCR supported Petr Najman.
The man to beat last year at Horice, it wouldn’t at all be a surprise to see Triumph pilot Najman firmly in the mix again for the title.
Fellow Countryman, twice former class Champion Marek Cerveny, returns to the Supersport scene, competing under the WRP/AAB Racing banner.
Although it’s been six years since he last sampled a full Supersport season, you’d be brave to state he’s not a prime Championship threat.
Further depth to the entry is provided by seasoned series front runners LSE Racing’s Christian Schmitz, Jonathan Goestchy and Team Schleizer Dreieck’s Thomas Walther.
Others aiming for top draw season campaigns include the UK’s sole representative, Never Be Clever Racing’s Mark Purslow, sole Suzuki mounted racer Anssi Koski and the French trio of Kevin Rigot, Romain Cleaz-Savoyen, Jerome Bagard and Julien Cregniot.
In total 22 riders are set to take in the five rounds of the 2022 IRRC Supersport championship, which has rounds hosted by the aforementioned Varsselring/Netherlands, Imatranajo/Finland, Circuit De Chimay/Belgium, Horice/Czech Republic, and Frohburger Dreieck/Germany.
Photo’s by Robby Repsol
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
