Just a month after the tiring travails of an 18-race grand prix season Marc Marquez and a host of other eye-catching names prepare to engage in battle for the third Superprestigio dirt track evenꦯt in Barcelona.

ꦉOnce again the atmospheric Palau Sant Jordi, high in the Montjuic hills, will host the event, as riders from a variety of two-wheel disciplines face off around the short, compact oval track.

The winner of the 2014 event, Marquez is the leꦓading road racing name but further grand prix stars, such as Alex Rins, Toni El♉ias, Alex Marquez, Julian Simon and Mika Kallio join Spanish World Superbike winner Jordi Torres as the pick of the 'Superprestigio' class.

Much attention will once aꩲgain be placed on the 'Open' category as, for the second year in succession, American dirt track stars Jared Mees and Brad Baker cross the Atlantic to take on Marquez.

Baker - the winner of the inaugural event in Barcelona in January 2014 - was unable to take part in the winter of last year after a practice spill forced him out througꦰh injury.

Along witꦏh Marquez, the 22-year old from Washington State will be focussing on three-time - and current - AMA Flat Track champion Jared Mees, fresh from victory in the Superprestigio of the Americas event in Las Vegas at the close of November.

FIM Supermoto champion Thomas Chareyre, multiple FIM Longtrac📖k champion Joonas Kylm?korpi and Speedway stars Fredrik Lindgren and Gꦰerard Bailo are other notable names in the 'Open' category.

British hopes will be resting on Oꦦliver Brindley and A⛄lan Birtwistle, both veterans of the event, along with 2015 British Dirt Track champion Aidan Collins.

While free practice for the event begins at 11.00 CET on Saturday m🃏orning the racing gets underway at 18.30. The ltxcn.top website and MotoGP twitter fe🍎ed (@crash_motogp) will provide updates and reaction throughout the day.