Mickaël Pichon

French motorcycle racer

Mickaël Pichon

Nationality| French
Born| 13 February 1976 (1976-02-13) (age 49)
Le Mans, France
Motocross career
Years active| 1992-2010
Teams| Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda
Championships| FIM 250cc - 2001, 2002
AMA 125cc East SX- 1995, 1996
Wins|

* •MX1: 8
* •250cc/MX2: 27
* •125cc/MX3: 3
* •AMA 125cc Supercross: 10
* •AMA 250cc Motocross: 1

Mickaël Pichon (born 13 February 1976) is a French former professional motocross and supercross racer.[1] He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1992 to 1994 and the AMA Motocross Championships from 1995 to 1999, before returning to the Motocross World Championships from 2000 to 2009.[2] Pichon is a two-time 250cc FIM World Motocross Champion & a two-time AMA Supercross 125cc East Chanpion.[3][4][5]

## Motocross career

[edit]

Pichon was born in Le Mans, France. He made his world championship debut in 1992 at the age of 16, competing in the 125cc class where he completed the season ranked 19th aboard a privateer Honda.[6] In 1993, he improved to rank fifth in the 125cc world championship final overall results.[7] He also claimed his first AMA supercross victory in 1993 when, he won the 125cc Western Supercross race in San Diego.[8] Pichon won his first Grand Prix race at the 1994 125cc French Grand Prix and, finished the season ranked sixth in the 1994 125cc world championship.[9][10]

Pichon then moved the United States to compete in the AMA Motocross Championship for the Team Pro Circuit \- Kawasaki racing team. In his first full season of AMA competition with Kawasaki, Pichon won the 1995 125cc Eastern Supercross championship and ranked fifth overall in the 125cc outdoor motocross national championship.[11][12] He successfully defended his crown by winning the 1996 125cc Eastern Supercross championship.[13] Pichon joined the Suzuki factory racing team managed by former world champion Roger De Coster for the 1997 season and, finished the season ranked fourth overall in the 125cc outdoor motocross national championship.[14] He moved up to the 250cc class in 1998 and won the season opening race at Glen Helen Raceway, finishing ahead of Jeremy McGrath and Mike LaRocco.[15] He ended the 250cc outdoor national championship season ranked fourth.[16] In 1999, he joined the Honda factory racing team and finished fourth in the 250cc Supercross national championship.[17] An altercation between Pichon's father and race officials at the High Point Raceway led to Pichon's dismissal from the Honda team.[18]

Pichon then returned to Europe and signed a contract to compete in the 250cc motocross world championship with the Sylvain Geboers \- Suzuki team on the recommendation of De Coster.[18] Being dismissed from the Honda team motivated Pichon and he rededicated himself to training. He won the 2001 250cc motocross world championship in a dominating manner by winning 10 of the 14 Grand Prix races.[3][19] He continued to dominate in the 2002 250cc motocross world championship by winning 11 out of 12 Grand Prix races.[4][20] He won the first three rounds of the 2003 250cc motocross world championship but, an injury forced him to miss the last few rounds of the championship and he finished the season ranked third behind Stefan Everts and Joël Smets.[21][22]

Later in his racing career, Pichon went to Honda in 2004 and KTM in 2006. While racing for KTM, Pichon became ill. Tests showed that he had mononucleosis. In 2007, he competed in the MX3-GP class, finishing in 25th place.[23] From 2007 to 2009, he competed in the French Enduro Championship.[24] After that, he rode for Honda of France for two years and competed in the Le Touquet beach race.[24] He placed fifth in 2009, and won the event in 2010.[24][25] Also in 2010, he won the French round of the MX3-GP world championship.[9]

In total, Pichon won 38 Grand Prix races.[9] As of 2019, his 38 Grand Prix victories ranks sixth overall behind Stefan Everts (101), Antonio Cairoli (86), Jeffrey Herlings (84), Joël Smets (57) and Eric Geboers (38).[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Mickaël Pichon race results". mxgpresults.com. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
2. ^ "Mickaël Pichon AMA results". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
3. ^ a b "2001 250cc motocross world championship standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
4. ^ a b "2002 250cc motocross world championship standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
5. ^ a b "Mickael Pichon interview - Legend". mxlarge.com. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
6. ^ "1992 125cc motocross world championship final overall results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
7. ^ "1993 125cc motocross world championship final overall results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
8. ^ "1993 San Diego 125cc WSX". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
9. ^ a b c "Mickaël Pichon results at www.motocrossmx1.com". motocrossmx1.com. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
10. ^ "1994 125cc motocross world championship final overall results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
11. ^ "1995 Overall Supercross Points Standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
12. ^ "1995 Overall Motocross Points Standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
13. ^ "1996 Overall Supercross Points Standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
14. ^ "1997 Overall Motocross Points Standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
15. ^ "Glen Helen Raceway 250 MX". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
16. ^ "1998 Overall Motocross Points Standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
17. ^ "1999 Overall Supercross Points Standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
18. ^ a b Latitude Adjustment, Cycle World Magazine, January 1994, Vol. 39, Nos. 1-9, ISSN 0011-4286
19. ^ "2001 250cc Grand Prix race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
20. ^ "2002 250cc Grand Prix race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
21. ^ "2003 250cc Grand Prix race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
22. ^ "2003 250cc motocross world championship standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
23. ^ "2007 MX3-GP motocross world championship final overall results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
24. ^ a b c "The MXA Interview: Mickaël Pichon". motocrossactionmag.com. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
25. ^ "Le Touquet Enduro results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 November 2020.

* v
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* e

250cc / MX2 world champions1

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1962 – T. Hallman
1963 – T. Hallman
1964 – J. Robert
1965 – V. Arbekov
1966 – T. Hallman
1967 – T. Hallman
1968 – J. Robert
1969 – J. Robert

1970 – J. Robert
1971 – J. Robert
1972 – J. Robert
1973 – H. Andersson
1974 – G. Moisseev
1975 – H. Everts
1976 – H. Mikkola
1977 – G. Moisseev
1978 – G. Moisseev
1979 – H. Carlqvist

1980 – G. Jobé
1981 – N. Hudson
1982 – D. LaPorte
1983 – G. Jobé
1984 – H. Kinigadner
1985 – H. Kinigadner
1986 – J. Vimond
1987 – E. Geboers
1988 – J. van den Berk
1989 – J. Bayle

1990 – A. Puzar
1991 – T. Parker
1992 – D. Schmit
1993 – G. Albertyn
1994 – G. Albertyn
1995 – S. Everts
1996 – S. Everts
1997 – S. Everts
1998 – S. Tortelli
1999 – F. Bolley

2000 – F. Bolley
2001 – M. Pichon
2002 – M. Pichon
2003 – S. Ramon2
2004 – B. Townley
2005 – T. Cairoli
2006 – C. Pourcel
2007 – T. Cairoli
2008 – T. Rattray
2009 – M. Musquin

2010 – M. Musquin
2011 – K. Roczen
2012 – J. Herlings
2013 – J. Herlings
2014 – J. Tixier
2015 \- T. Gajser
2016 \- J. Herlings
2017 \- P. Jonass
2018 \- J. Prado
2019 \- J. Prado

2020 \- T. Vialle
2021 \- M. Renaux
2022 \- T. Vialle
2023 \- A. Adamo
2024 \- K. de Wolf

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1From 1962 to 2002 the MX-2 world championship was named the 250cc motocross world championship. 2In 2003 250cc 4-stroke machine was allowed to race in 125cc which convert to the new MX2 class later.

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* France
* BnF data

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