Tony Cairoli: “Ready for America”

It’s the kind of news that has us trembling as we write it - nine-time MX World Champion Antonio Cairoli, a living legend on two knobby tyres, will take to the track for the first two rounds of the American National MX championship!

Pala and Sacramento for Cairoli, in attesa di Herlings

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This will be the second debut in the space of a few weeks for the Sicilian, following on from his recently announced enduro commitment. Tony will line up for the first two rounds at Fox Raceway National in Pala and at the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento, on 28 May and 4 June respectively. He will be riding the KTM 450 SX-F that he himself has developed. In addition to the obvious marketing-related goals, the aim is to continue to develop the bike and fill the void left by Marvin Musquin and Cooper Webb, who have decided not to take part after completing a tough Supercross season, in which they ran 17 rounds in the space of just 18 weeks. Herlings’ participation is still to be confirmed as he continues to recover, but if the Dutchman is unable to travel to America and Cairoli gets on well, the Italian may extend his stay until the end of the season, when the Grand Prix of Nations will run at Red Bud.

Cairoli: "I’m taking it seriously and will be looking for good results"

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Tony Cairoli: “It’s exciting to finally confirm that I will be racing in the U.S. To ride and race in America is something I always wanted to try. I like the look of the tracks. For me there is no pressure to perform and I’m not going there with the same preparation as I would have had for a world championship but I’m taking it seriously and would be looking for good results. I know this will generate some interest and it will be great to travel, see some friends and enjoy my time.”

Beirer: " Tony is an icon and still an important part of our racing program"

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Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director: “It’s a big pleasure for us to finally reach the stage where Tony is able to race again and to attempt one of his ambitions. Our Red Bull KTM structure means we can be fully ready for him in the U.S. and can give him all our support. Tony is an icon and still an important part of our racing program and it feels like this is the least we can do to pay back all the wins, the titles and the stories he has made with us for over ten years. I think it will also be cool for the American motocross fans to see some of the special talent that made Tony one of the best riders in world championship history.”

Harrison: "It will be exciting for the US fans to see him in action"

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Ian Harrison, North America Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “We couldn’t be prouder of having a rider and a person like Tony in our awning. He’s a true legend of the sport and one of the best riders of the modern era. His achievements are matched only by the impact he has had around the world. We know he’s been preparing to race out here, and we’ve also been readying everything to give him the best amount of support. As we saw right up until the end of 2021 MXGP he is still extremely competitive, so I think that will be exciting for the fans in the U.S. to watch him in action.”

Translated by Heather Watson

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