Source: KTM.

Aussie road racing legend and three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss will take his KTM into arguably its toughest environment yet at this weekend’s Superprestigio Dirt Track event in Barcelona.

Held for the first time last year, the event has returned to include a broader range of two-wheeled talent from a host of disciplines, and from all over the world, among them the reigning Australian dirt track and supermoto champion from Taree.

Bayliss will ride his beloved 2012 SMR 450 in the Superprestigio class at the former Olympic Stadium, on an indoor oval track approximately 250 meters in length. Though he retired from world championship road racing in 2008, Bayliss is passionate about his dirt track roots at both an event promotion and a participation level.

“Many of the top MotoGP riders are really getting into dirt track for their training, so it’s helping lift the profile of the sport, and that’s why I want to do this race,” Bayliss explained. “We do our event in Australia, but it just makes sense to go over there and give it a go with them guys.

“It’s going to be pretty cool, I haven’t done a lot of the short track stuff, but KTM Australia and KTM in Spain have helped organise getting my bike over there, so at least I’m in a pretty good way straight off the bat. I’ll be riding something that I know.

“Jeff [Leisk] and KTM have been helping me out for a couple of years now with bikes for the flat track, and this year we managed to win the 250, the 450 and the Unlimited titles in the Australian dirt track championships, then the following weekend we won the 250 and 450 supermotard championship as well. But my main bike is one I bought a few years ago, because I like the KTMs and its 2012 SMR 450.

“Even though I say 2012, it’s far from old – it’s got more good bits on it than you can imagine! It’s a good thing. I don’t know Marc [Marquez] very well, but I’ll get a ride on Thursday and Friday and it will be good to hang out with guys like Jared Mees, Brad Baker and Guy Martin.

“There are stacks of guys there it will just be nice to catch up with. Also my old bosses from Ducati are coming over to have a look – David Tardozzi and Paolo Ciabatti, as well as Byron my old suspension guy from Ohlins. Heaps of guys I used to work with are actually coming to give me a hand, so it’ll be pretty cool.”

In Spain he’ll bang bars with the likes of event host Marquez and fellow MotoGP racer Bradley Smith, as well as a heap of Moto2 and Moto3 competitors including the only other Aussie in the event, Remy Gardner.

The event’s Open class will also feature a litany of talent including world championship level riders from Enduro, Long track, Extreme Enduro, Isle of Man, Dirt Track and Supermotard including KTM heroes Ivan Cervantes and Taddy Blazusiak.

Aussie fans will be able to catch the event on Fox Sports live Sunday morning on Channel 506 and then in replay in the afternoon at 3:00pm.

2014 Superprestigio rider line-up:
1 Remy Gardner AUS Suzuki
2 Johann Zarco FRA Yamaha Moto2
3 Lorenzo Baldassarri ITA KTM Moto2
4 Kenny Noyes USA Kawasaki
5 Albert Arenas ESP KTM
6 Alex Marquez ESP Honda
7 Xavier Simeon BEL Suzuki
8 Troy Bayliss AUS KTM
9 Marcel Schrotter GER KTM Moto2
10 Toni Elias ESP Honda
11 Enea Bastianini ITA Honda
12 Mika Kallio FIN Suzuki
13 Bradley Smith GBR Yamaha
14 Tito Rabat ESP Honda M2
15 Julian Simon ESP Honda
16 Luca Marconi ITA Honda
17 Ricky Cardus ESP Yamaha
18 Marc Marquez ESP Honda
19 Jonas FolGER GER Honda
20 Christian Iddon GBR Suzuki

Open rider line-up:
1 Jared Mees USA Honda
2 Jose Pedro Gomez ESP Yamaha
3 Thomas Chareyre FRA TM
4 Brad Baker USA Honda
5 Guy Martin GBR Honda
6 Francesco Cecchini ITA Honda
7 Jaume Gaya ESP Honda
8 Tim Neave GBR Honda
9 Dani Ribalta ESP KTM
10 Angel Grau ESP Suzuki
11 Gerard Bailo ESP Suzuki
12 Franc Serra ESP KTM
13 Jose Luis Martinez ESP Yamaha
14 Ivan Cervantes ESP KTM
15 Oliver Brindley GBR Kawasaki
16 Alan Birtwistle GBR Kawasaki
17 Joel Lozano ESP Yamaha
18 Tom Neave GBR Honda
19 Ferran Cardus ESP Pursang
20 Aidan Collins GBR Honda
21 Raul Cardona ESP Kawasaki
22 Taddy Blazusiak POL KTM
23 Fabrizio Vesprini ITA Honda
24 Joonas Kylmakorpi FIN Zaeta