Australian Freestyle Motocross hero Blake Williams put an original Italian police Moto Guzzi motorcycle through its paces at the Stadio Olympico in Rome on Tuesday afternoon in the lead-up to this weekend’s Red Bull X-Fighters round.

Williams will be competing on Friday evening in front of 50,000 fans at the venue, which is also home to AS Roma and Lazio Rome, on what will be the greatest FMX course ever built in Italy against the world’s best freestyle motocross athletes.

“The bike’s handling is really good even though it’s obviously a bit heavy for backflips and things like that,” the 26-year-old Williams said with a laugh.

“The shock absorbers really aren’t made for this. I’m happy that I’ll be able to use my own freestyle bike in the competition on Friday evening.”

The Red Bull X-Fighters will be appearing in Rome for the second time in the history of the sport on Friday evening.

In 2010 Dany Torres won the spectacle in the Stadio Flaminio. Nate Adams took third place in Rome, which was enough for him to clinch the overall championship.

“I can well remember the great atmosphere,” Adamds said. “There were 25,000 fans there and the place was really hopping.”

The number of spectators will double this year. There will be 50,000 spectators this year in the Stadio Olympico, which was one of the venues for the 1990 World Cup soccer tournament.

The FMX motors will be roaring at six events on four continents this year. After Rome the tour moves on to Madrid, Poland and Australia.