October 8, 2006 – American Donny Robinson (Napa, Calif.) rode to a win Saturday at the Fréjus Roc d’Azur UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in France. One of the hopefuls to represent the United States in the newest Olympic sport at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Robinson led wire to wire in his victory over top-seeded Michal Prokop of the Czech Republic and Damien Godet of France.

Robinson began the weekend Friday by earning the fourth seed with a 39.569-second run in the time trial qualifier. On Saturday, he advanced to the eight-man main where he faced teammate Mike Day (Santa Clarita, Calif.), reigning 4-cross world champion and San Jose BMX Supercross World Cup winner, Prokop, Robert DeWilde (NED), Arturs Matisons (LAT), Roy Wildenberg (NED), Roger Rinderknecht (SUI) and Godet.

In the main, Robinson led from start to finish to win the UCI category-two event. His win secured significant points for the United States – a factor in determining the number of start positions a country receives in Beijing. The UCI Supercross World Cup series is second to only the world championships in terms of prestige and available points.

Day placed fifth for the U.S.

One of only two UCI Supercross World Cup events in 2006, the Roc d’Azur event – along with September’s San Jose, Calif. race – mirrored the format that will be used in the Olympic Games.

Of the 91 riders entered in the event, nine were Americans. Four of those riders – Robinson, Day, Jason Rogers (Mesquite, Texas) and Kyle Bennett (Conroe, Texas) – landed in the same semifinal together. Robinson and Day advanced while Rogers and Bennett were ousted after placing sixth and eighth respectively. Still, their efforts also contributed to the point count for the United States.