Philippe Bergé Explained

Philippe Bergé
Nationality:French
Birth Date:1971 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Brive-la-Gaillarde, France
Years1:1996–1997
Career1:Oxford Cheetahs
Years2:1998–2000
Career2:Isle of Wight Islanders
Years3:1998
Career3:Peterborough Panthers
Years4:1998
Career4:Swindon Robins
Indivyear1:1996
Indivhonour1:French Champion
Teamyear1:1998
Teamhonour1:tier 2 league champions
Teamyear2:1998
Teamhonour2:Premier League Four-Team Championship

Philippe Bergé (born 20 June 1971 in Brive-la-Gaillarde) is a French former motorcycle speedway rider, who competed in Grasstrack, Longtrack and Speedway.[1] He is a former champion of France.[2]

Speedway career

Bergé came to prominence when he reached the final of the 1993 Individual Long Track World Championship, he then reached a second longtrack final the following year.[1] He began his British league career riding for Oxford Cheetahs during the 1996 Premier League speedway season, he was signed midway through the season but still rode 14 times for the club.[3]

In 1996, he became the champion of France and competed in his third world longtrack final at the 1996 Individual Long Track World Championship and had showed enough good form during 1996 to be retained by the Cheetahs for the 1997 Premier League speedway season, where he rode 35 times and averaged above 8 and recorded a maximum score in the second leg of the Premier League Knockout Cup final.[3] He also finished in 7th place during the 1997 Individual Long Track World Championship.[4]

He left Oxford for the Isle of Wight Islanders following Oxford's move to the Elite League and also rode a few matches for Swindon Robins before switching to Peterborough Panthers, who he helped win the league and reach the Knockout Cup final.[5] He was also part of the Peterborough four that won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, which was held on 30 August 1998, at the East of England Arena.[6]

He competed in the 1998 Individual Long Track World Championship and reached his third European Grasstrack final in 1999.[1]

Major results

World Individual Longtrack Championship

Family

His son Dimitri Bergé is also an international speedway rider.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Philippe Berge . Grasstrack GB . 15 December 2022.
  2. Web site: Individual Championship of France . Speedway Fansite . 15 December 2022.
  3. Book: Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn. The Story of Oxford Speedway. 2007. 128–135. Tempus Publishing Ltd. 978-0-7524-4161-0.
  4. Web site: SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK . Speedway.org . 15 December 2022.
  5. Web site: Philippe Berge . WWOS backup . 15 December 2022.
  6. News: Last heat fury . Hull Daily Mail . 31 August 1998 . 24 June 2023 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  7. Web site: Dimitri Bergé profile . Sheffield Speedway . 15 December 2022.