The 250 Superstar From the 2010s You Forgot About! 

trey canard deserves his own vid as well. at his peak, he was a legit contender when villopoto, dungey, reed, and stewart were all championship favorites. if he didn't get injured so often, he could've been a 450 champ

If Pourcel doesn't get hurt, EVERYTHING is different. So smooth, so fast. Weird but effective line choices. Gutsy too. Saw him at High Point, doubles only 3 guys ere doing on the big bikes. PC, every lap and made it look easy, somehow. Funny side note: when Pourcel was 1st with PC, Dean Wilson was a team mate. Barcia was doing his stupid bully crap and picking on Wilson. Some SX, Pourcel sees Barcia do his thing to Wilson ahead of him as, of course, CP reels them both in. Pourcel had had enough and as he passes Barcia he punts him out of the stadium. When asked about it, Pourcel says something like, "If you are going to hurt someone, be sure you are faster than his friends. He's not." Barcia backed off with Wilson and NEVER effed with CP.

I really enjoyed your video. His 2017 run in Canada was fun to watch. Raced all 10 rounds of the 450 outdoor championship and finished just 3 points behind Georke for title. You could tell he wasn’t excited with another 2nd but stayed humble. I specifically remember him saying “2nd isn’t bad” on the podium. Seems to be his narrative for outdoors. After everything was done that day he was still kind enough to stay outside talking with fans and letting them get photos with him. Seemed like a real stand up guy!

Man, Pourcel was such an incredibly smooth and stylish rider! It was just poetry. Really a shame he got hurt so bad. His riding was beautiful.

yeah his back injury was not just bones, it affected his nerves some permanently and had no feeling in his legs immediately after the crash. the fact he came back at all, and still rode as fast as he did, was incredible. what he could have become if not for that injury is an all time great imo. I really only truly enjoyed watching two riders then , him and Bubba. both would do things you just didn't think possible. blake bagget has shown this off and on and it's a pity, it never lined up for him consistently. his run around Tomac in Colorado and the jump into the texas 12 pack are what i watch the nationals for.

I remember like yesterday when him and villopoto battled in I think 2007. The pro circuit kawis and Thor gear back then looked so much cleaner than they do today.

As a European we’ve always appreciated how good both Pourcel brothers were Christophe was incredible on a 250 beating cairoli a couple years before cairoli moved up to the 450s and won 5 straight world titles was insane

If you listen to some other media outlets, the word is he was very hard to work with, in his defence, after his accident because of the long term affects he couldn't train hard enough to race at the top level. Great rider that could've been an all timer.

Would like to see a Brock Hepler story. Another promising rider taken out by injuries, now back riding enduros.

I remember Pourcel adding so much spice to the 250 mains 🔥🔥 dude rode unbelievably wild

used to alwys see him running up front in the top 5 when he was full time. great battles with Tomac as well. great rider

Almost always would ride around the track in timed qualifying in supercross and then bust out a hot lap on the last lap and be fastest qualifier. This happened maybe 40% of every race he entered. That showed he had the speed to be great. The race you keep highlighting where Pourcel beat Dungey head to head in the Vegas shootout in 2009, was much more exciting than you make it seem. Canard and Pourcel were battling half the race with Trey leading and Dungey was coming up to join them from a not so good start. Dungey finally caught up to the other two which made Pourcel try to start getting around Trey and Trey mad a small mistake with about 2 and a half laps left I think and Pourcel and Dungey got by and the race was on and Dungey almost got him at the finish line. Really great race.

I mean, until Musquin started doing good things on a 450, CP was widely considered one of the greatest prospects to come out of France. I'd put him up there with Vuillemin and Tortelli, as would the rest of us I think.

He was so fast and smooth.

Good edit man. I like MX videos like this. Pourcel was a great rider. He was so smooth & just made it look so easy. I enjoyed watching him race. I look forward to more of these!

From what I’ve read in some interviews from him over here in France, he was expecting a 450 contract with Kawasaki USA for 2011, he even refused some contracts to be able to sign with Kawi. Nothing came from them, the reason would be that RV2 choose not to take him as a teammate and choose Weimer because he was less dangerous title wise. And apparently RV didn’t really liked the fact that CP was close to Mitch because of what he’s been through.

Pourcel had so much style on the bike. Definitely my all-time favorite PC rider. It's close with Villopoto, but he just looked too damn good. I can't remember which year it was, but it was Thunder Valley and it was muddy that day and Pourcel was the only one doing the double out of the billboard corner in the 250 class, and it looked so gnarly

Awesome video, it's not common to find this high quality, story telling style videos on the motocross community

Oh yeah, he is one of the best riders every. Period. Not by results, but by talent and raw speed. And he is the original ''crafty one'' after all :P

I was a big Pourcel fan. Dude just moved and was awesome to watch. I wish your vid had touched on the first back injury more as it truly was a defining moment in his career and all the consequences that went with it. For him to come back from those injuries, and perform at the level he did, he's a legend in my view.

Def should mention his hotlap speed. Was so good at it

Pourcels riding style is the new wave after js7. Jet Lawrence uses the Pourcel technique

I'm glad you made this video, because I had always wondered what happened to him. The last time I had even seen a picture of him, he was riding a Yamaha. But this is a dangerous sport, and some riders make the decision to pack it up after too many (bad) injuries.

I would say it was because he was from France and spoke his mind. America isn't the most welcoming country to all nations, especially to French people who best Americans and speak their mind. Remember when Marv gave Eli back some of the block pass medicine he had been handing out? And the crowd reaction to him for weeks. Or a badly misjudged pass by Ferrandis on Craig? No different than Anderson, Webb or Barcias aggressive passes that all have handed out, yet the crowd boo'ed him for a season. Aggressive overseas riders are not as attractive to sponsors as Americans- they are one misdemeanor away from outright crowd hatred.

Pourcel kept holding out for more money, never got the money he wanted and missed his window. His back was also pretty bad and he wasn’t known as the easiest guy to work with.

Solid video man. His a fantastic rider and beautiful to watch the way he could really flow and go

Nice vid dude. So many guys from that era that ALMOST made it.

That 2010 250 outdoor season was wild, Carnard showed so much heart in the second half of that season

Finally someone that agrees with me the season that trey canard and pourcell were battling was the best season in 250 moto history in my opinion

Great info. Your right, I had forgotten how good he was. Well done sir

I always heard he was really hard to work with. I think alot of teams shyed away from him for this reason

An insight to J-Laws career would be interesting

Pourcel was the smoothest Rider I have ever seen. Probably the most talented Rider, the poor guy couldn't prepare for Races because of his health after getting hurt.

Ryan Dungey is a legend in Motocross and Supercross. I loved racing him in 2007:and I was a crippled free rider and beat him because he didn’t realize that someone could show him what a true wfo 2 stroke KTM rider. In loronger Louisiana and I proved everything I needed to prove to myself not the world. Ryan Dungey went to KTM and won 5 Supercross Championship.❤️

He was pure magic on a motorcycle, like bayle!

I’ve never forget his first race and his last race on a Yamaha, it died he layed in down and walked off and it he took a long time to come back from what I remember

I didn’t forget about him, remember growing up loving his setup

Great video. I'd love to see something about Nico Izzi, his story is a true example of what could've been

I Never forgot about Pourcel ! … & his Brother…let’s Also Not Forget Ben Townley !….when you Follow MX All Year Every Year…you Don’t forget Anybody 🤘🏁

I never forgot about him.

Pourcel was the only one that could lay down a fastest lap way way faster in time practice than anyone else whenever he felt like doing it.

How does my rc channel have more subscribers than this man?!? Great video, brought back some old memories.

Ben Townley vs RV2 was the best battles in that era

I always liked watching that guy ride, he'd sit really straight up on the bike i noticed more than anyone else, a cool rider though he had an awesome style and always rocked the chest protector over the gear old school lol

I think you all forgot that as much as he was good he was greedy, Kawasaki nor other factory teams didn’t sign him because he was asking for to much money from manufactures. He put to much of a high price on his head and didn’t want to accept lower pay then what he was asking

Nice work👍

Great vid. I think another good example of this might be Blake Wharton…although to a lesser extent. He was good on a 250, but never really had that 450 success. What happened to him?

great video dude

great video

His attitude derailed him.

Broc Hepler. Concussion stole so much from him

Now on Tv they don’t ever mention Villipoto and he won 4 titles in a row lol

Remember everyone going nuts at Donnington park Des Naions around 2010 as Pourcel was chasing down Bubba. Guy had serious speed

Didn't forgot about him. The Crafty Frenchman. Because Dylan Ferrandis is doing so well, he's being overshadowed by this guy that looks kinda like him. Lol one rider I think could've had a better career if he didn't get hurt so much is Broc Hepler. He was faster than anybody when he was healthy and it was almost magical sometimes how he would just have speed where no one else could find it. Kinda like Baggets 250 outdoor rides.

Bro do Austin stroupe next !

Awesome

that zebra thor sential body armour was the OG

Yeah only actual fans remember this man .

Dude is still absolutely a mad man on a dirt bike if you follow him on Instagram

Oh trust me, I haven't forgot

I didn't forget about Pourcel, but I honestly think Pourcel turned into a big flake after MX 2010 when he crashed at the Pala finale. His 450cc career was a joke, and the fact that he demanded so much money for a factory ride for 2011 was a detrimental move in itself. He was even at the Honda test track and insisted this triple-triple rhythm was impossible to do, even after McGrath nailed it. The word was that Pourcel didn't like the '11 Yamaha and he outright didn't show up for the High Point race, which led to him parting ways.

Companies hire you for your experience and fire you for your personality ! Not saying that's the case here, but it might of been the situation. Bummer for him.

Back to the Fox Camplosion days.

2009 RD got lucky same as Trey Canar, Pourcel had them both covered.

The crafty Frenchman

I think CP takes it for being the most entertaining rider to watch. I’ve never seen someone go so fast while looking like he’s riding 6-7 corners ahead. A complete anomaly.

Damn good for small channel

Before clicking the video to find out, I thought the rider in question was going to be Jake Weimer. He was another 250sx champ that disappeared.

Ben townley a champion we never quite saw the full potiental of imo.

Neither Dungey nor Villopoto won a 250 title in the 2010s. They were already on a 450 by then.

He was a bit of a head case, where if he didn't feel it on a given day, he would ride conservatively. Conservative for him was easily top 10 though, so smooth!

What is the video called at James Stewart Compound. #15 KTM rider racing in Practice to learning to Fly by Pink Floyd or Shine on you crazy diamond? What is and what do I spell!? To look at the video. I love that video and have been searching for that video but there are so many James Stewart Compound in South Florida!?

Wtf I never forgot about Christoph......

Your leaving out.. he was very difficult to deal with...

It didnt help that he was extremely difficult to work with the guy and did little for PR/media. Made it hard to hire him on a successful team

Pourcel should have been 2 time outdoors 250cc AMA champ.

Pourcel was demanding a record breaking contract and no team was willing to pay him that.

To make a video about pourcel and not mention that he was actually paralysed just ruins the whole video.

Ok couple of things here. Pourcel is more then 6 years older then roczen. Roczen was born in 94. I don't get why people always think he is older then he is. Roczen was not racing dungey in the 250s neither did he race Pourcel. And the reason for pourcel not getting a ride etc. is actually well known if you'd have read any motocross magazine back then. He was a flat out A hole. Every magazin made fun of him arriving 4 hours late to interviews all the time just to be cocky af. Some interviewers even cut the interview off

I was at washougal and watched him crash it was gnarly

Why didn't Kawasaki sign him that is really odd, he surely would of been a contender against Dungey and Villopoto in the 450s

I think he missed out on the kawi 450 ride because rv2 and weimer were good buddies. I agree with you though, he woulda killed on monster kawi 450.

Vuelliman even got tired of his attitude

IF C.P was an American, he would've been in the 450 class after his first win !!

he shouldve gotten that kawi 450 ride

How you act off the bike helps.

Jessy Nelson sure was promising before his tragic accident.

He was so freaking smooth it always looked like he was putting in a quarter the effort everyone else was. Crazy. Although I have heard from podcasts like pulpmx that he was a bit of an asshole to everyone. This could have played a role.

Tyla rattary also needs a vid

How about a J-Law video

Right???

Kawasaki has a tendency to not make great decisions, hence why Eli left. They also won’t get rid of AC. I like AC but he hasn’t lived up to the projections that we’re set for him, not even close. So yea I understand why Pourcell didn’t get a premier ride.

Pourcel was probably the better rider in the 2009 motocross championship. Dungey kind of got lucky that year

The *250F* Superstar you forgot about. There. Fixed your title for ya bo. You're welcome.

If J-Law straightens his act out. I don’t see RV being as dominant in the 2010s… bold opinion, I said what I said. J-law was in his head.

At cairolis movie Marc de ruver tells an amazing story about how it was race pourcell… 2nd full season 16 yrs old pourcell won the title and in gps u have free practice, time qualifies and then qualirace pourcell didn’t ride free practice come in last 10 min at timequali and smoked everyone and then went back to bed 🤪

What happened to Ben Townley?

No one forgot about Pourcel, did they?

kawasaki choose Weimer in stead of Pourcel because Villopoto asked that.

Do a video on Zach Bell