The 17 round extravaganza that is the new 2003 World Supercross GP Championship gets underway this weekend w🌌ith the first event taking place at the Geneva Palexpo in Switzerland.

Joint producers Dorna Off-Road and Clear Channel Entertainment are a🏅iming to lift the sport onto a global level with their collaboration in the birth of a new series.

After two first races in Europe the SX GPs will cross the Atlantic for 15 more events in the US, which will also be⛎ part of t🅰he AMA Supercross Championship.

A host of top talent is set to compete in the 250cc SX season opener, with a 40 rider entry list comprising 20 of the highest ranked competitors from the US AMA﷽ 2002 Championship and 20 selected internationally.

This is the first time in some years that Europe has been able to witness such a high quality field. Perhaps the biggest name kick-starting the show will be Jeremy McGrath, looking for his third World SX crown. A multi-title winner in the US and the rider responsible for elevating the sport to the popular heights it currently enjoys in America throughout the 1990s, will be giving his new KTM machine its first serious outing in Genevaꩲ.

Other familiar American names competing include Mike LaRocco, Tim Ferry, Nick Wey an♋d Damon Huff🍬man.

Young Australian Chad Reed will also be present. Reed has been something of a sens🐻ation in recent years within the off-road ൲world, finishing runner-up to Mickael Pichon in the 2001 250cc Motocross World Championship at his first attempt and then claiming the East Coast 125cc series in his debut season across the Atlantic this year.

Reed steers a factory 250cc Yamꩵaha for 2003 and will𝓀 be hoping to continue his decent record of posting victories first time out.

Another forme🌟r MX World Champion (125cc in 2000) South African Grant Langston has enjoyed less SX success than Reed after heading to the US at the end of 2000 but ඣwill still be one of the leading contenders.

Ex double number one in MX GPs (125 in 19🅠96 and 250 in 1998) France's Sebastien Tortelli has suffered injury problems over the last year or so but pilots his new Suzuki against the likes of fellow US based countryman Ste💜ve Boniface and '01 German SX Champ, Portugal's Joaquim Rodrigues.

Not t🌊o be forgotten is another Frenchman and former World SX Champ David Vuillemin. The 2001 Motocross of Nations winner has matured as a Supercross rider over the last year and almost challenged Ricky Carmichael for the AMA title this season until his plight was wrecked by a traౠining injury.

Unfortunately for European fans, Carmichael and American Honda won't be making the trip across 💛the Atlantic, ruling him out of contention for the world crown.

However, in addition to the main events there will also be a riders presentation, an opening ceremony, Freestyle and Quad demonಌstrations and 15 hours of on-track action within the arena over two evenings with an international 125cc support race on both Friday and Saturday.

Vast TV coverage including agreements with major networks in all 5 continent🐈s, both terrestrial and satellite, mean that 200 million potential homes around the planet will be able to watch the first round of the series.

Thඣe opening contest at the Palexpo, one of two European based races before the series heads to the US, will be followed by a trip to the Gelredome in Arnhem, Holland next weekend.