Tuesday, 27 May: Julie Bulteau will make a welcome return to the UIM-ABP tour when she lines up in Ski GP1 for the Grand Prix of Italy in Milan on 5-8 June.

The triple World Champion will make her first and possibly only appearance of the year following a 20 month break from the Championship after taking time out to have her first baby with Jeremy Poret, Lucas.

The 26-year-old superstar from St Maximin in France made her racing debut at 17 and went on to become a dominant force in the sport between 2007-2012 winning the European Championship in 2007 and 2008.

The first of her three World titles came in 2009 and followed up with an unbeaten run in 2010, then winning six races and three Grand Prix titles out of four to successfully defend her title again in 2011. But she missed out on a possible fourth consecutive crown after opting to miss the final Grand Prix of the year in China to race in the USA, the 2012 title going to Italy’s Stefania Balzer.

Competing alongside the men in a field of an anticipated 30 riders, the fiercely competitive Bulteau will line up alongside her immediate rivals for points and the GP title, Championship leader Jennifer Menard, Estelle Poret, Marta Sorrentino and newcomer, Jonna Borgstrom.