Throwback Thursday: A Trio of Americans in Superprestigio ‘92
Larry Lawrence | July 14, 2016
American riders Colin Edwards (45), Kenny Roberts, Jr. (25) and Chris D’Aluisio (2) discovered just how competitive 250GP racing was in Europe when they competed in the 1992 Superprestigio at Jarama. (Cycle News Photo Archives/Paul Carruthers)
The Superprestigio as we know it today is riders going wheel to wheel on a short track dirt oval, but in 1992 the Superprestigio was an end-of-the-year competition that brought together top 250 GP competitors from countries across the world to go head to head.
In late September of 1992 a trio of the leading young American 250GP riders, Colin Edwards, Kenny Roberts, Jr. and Chris D’Aluisio, headed to the hills of Central Spain and the road race circuit in Jarama, to do battle with the rest of the world’s top 250GP racers.
The event served as a wakeup call for the Americans. To be fair, they were at a distinct disadvantage with their production Yamaha TZ250s up against the factory and kitted 250s that many of the top competitors raced.
The American trio went in full of confidence, but came away with a newfound respect for the 250 scene in Europe. In the end after three, 12-lap segments, Roberts was the top finishing America in 12th, D’Aluisio finished 13th. Edwards would have been in that general area of finish, but he was taken out in the final of the three legs.
An up-and-coming young Italian named Massamiliano Biaggi won the Superprestigio over German Jochen Schmid and Pier-Francesco Chili.
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