Bol d’Or will be special to watch, says EWC legend Foray

Richard Rodgers2022-09-17T10:24:28+02:00September 17th, 2022|2022|

Four-time Bol d’Or winner and Eurosport pitlane reporter Freddy Foray has described the opening hour of the Bol d’Or later today as being particularly must-see.

Frenchman Foray took to the microphone after calling time on this riding career and is a highly respected, popular and knowledgeable member of the FIM Endurance World Championship paddock.

Speaking ahead of the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or, which is due to get underway at 15h00 CET, Foray said: “It will be a very special race on a very special track and the first hour will be incredible and really special to watch.

“The fight between the factory teams is something we must watch because the lap times have been amazing. You can see for five years that the fight is so high, the level of the bike is getting stronger and stronger but not all bikes can finish so I would like to have a great fight for all the factory teams but the main thing will be the reliability of the bikes.

“We know how strong and how fast the bikes are but to be on full gas for 25 seconds each lap is incredible, so in this race we have to be safe with the engine and safe with the bike.”

As well as the stresses and strains being placed on the bikes, Foray has pointed to a handful of key rider line-up changes ahead of the EWC finale as being potentially decisive in the outcome of the 24-hour race and title battle.

“Something different will be some of the riders,” said Foray, whose last Bol d’Or victory came in 2018 alongside Mike Di Meglio and Josh Hook. “SERT has changed a rider [with Kazuki Watanabe replacing Xavier Siméon] and also TSR with unfortunately Gino [Rea] not being here. Alan Techer has a big job because he has to be strong and help [F.C.C. TSR Honda France] fight for the world title.”

The 85th running of the Bol d’Or marks the deciding round of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship and here’s how the action can be followed live*:

Live on Eurosport International (Europe, Asia and Oceana) as follows:
Live on Eurosport 1 from 14h45-01h25
Live on Eurosport 2 from 06h00-09h20
Live on Eurosport 1 from 09h30-15h30

Full race live on Eurosport Player

Full race live on Eurosport 2 in France

Live and highlights coverage on other broadcasters including:

Austria: Servus TV
Belgium: RTBF auvio
Canada: MotorTrend
France: L’Equipe
Germany: Servus TV
Japan: J SPORTS
Luxembourg: RTL Play
New Zealand: Sky
Slovakia: RTV
Switzerland: Servus TV
USA: MotorTrend