Twenty young riders took their next step on the road to their motorcycle racing dream today, as their qualification for the 2007 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup was announced.

The twenty were chosen after a phenomenal response to the invitation for them to try their luck, with a total number of applicants topping 1,100 young talents.

After whittling down the field from the initial entrants, a total of 165 riders arrived at the Circuit of Valencia on 28 August 2006 to begin the selection process under the watchful eye of Spanish motorcycling legend Alberto Puig and KTM Race Director Harald Bartol. The event in Valencia was contested on standardised Metrakit Pre GP 125 spec bikes.

The hopefuls were divided into two groups, to ride on either Monday 28th or Tuesday 29th, before the successful 45 returned on the Wednesday for the final chance to take a place amongst the lucky 20.

The selected twenty inclusding FOUR from the United Kingdom, making it the most represented nation. 

Lukas SEMBERA - Czech Republic

Johann ZARCO - France

Cyril CARRILLO - France

Lucy GLOECKNER - Germany

Markus REITERBERGER - Germany

Christoph SCHOENBERGER - Germany

Peter SEBESTY£N - Hungary

Lorenzo SAVADORI - Italy

Sturla Borch FAGERHAUG - Norway

Javier CHOLBI - Spain

Johnny ROSELL - Spain

Cristian TRABALON - Spain

Robert GULL - Sweden

Adam BLACKLOCK - United Kingdom

Matthew HOYLE - United Kingdom

Stuart MITCHELL - United Kingdom

Jamie Charles MOSSEY - United Kingdom

JD BEACH - United States of America

Cameron BEAUBIER - United States of America

Kris TURNER - United States of America

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 will also be contested using uniform top material, namely a KTM RC 125 specially developed race model for rookies motorised with 45 HP and technically supervised by August Auinger, a multiple motorcycle GP winner from Austria, and his team.

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races in 2007 will be run mainly on the Sunday of a GP weekend, immediately after the MotoGP premier class and in front of the corresponding crowds.

Only in Assen and Mugello will the races will be held on a Saturday.

The following rounds are provisionally scheduled, including the British Grand Prix at Donington Park.:

25 March 2007 Jerez

2 June 2007 Mugello

24 June 2007 Donington Park

30 June 2007 Assen

15 July 2007 Sachsenring

19 August 2007 Brno

4 November 2007 Valencia

More information can be found at www.redbullrookiescup.com and www.motogp.com

ends.