KTM's MX riders lauch season in Italy

From KTM North America

Fresh from their winter break, KTM factory riders and riders from the new KTM supported teams are gathering in Mantova, Italy for the first pre-season event in the MX 1 & MX2 racing season.

Max Nagl of Germany is the KTM MX1 Red Bull factory rider for the 2008 season and is joined by Tyla Rattray, Tommy Searle and new recruit Rui Goncalves in the MX2 class. Also onboard KTM machines in MX 1 racing for the new KTM-supported teams will be Jonathan Barragan for the Italian-based Team Silver Action and Marcus Schiffer from Germany's Team Sarholz while in MX2 there will also be a group of young talents in the KTM-supported teams. Mantova is the first chance for season for the KTM MX stars to test themselves against their counterparts from the other major factory teams.

Max Nagl has been preparing for the season in Spain, working with Stefan Everts who heads the KTM Factory Team: "I feel very positive and am getting a good feeling for being in the team. I am very happy with the bike and working with my two mechanics Peter and David. We have been testing and working on the setup and we hope to do our best here in Mantova."

British rider Tommy Searle spent the winter in the USA where he will race for KTM in the 2009 season. Ahead of Mantova he said: "I had a great time in the USA and I did a lot of training there and took advantage of the good weather. I like Mantova a lot and I am really pumped. I'm feeling strong and I think it will be a good start to the season."