Triumph Racing: New era with top test riders for 2024 MXGP and SuperMotocross World Championships

14. April 2023

4 min read

Triumph Racing is gearing up for the 2024 MXGP/MX2 and SuperMotocross World Championships and has signed two top riders for test development.

Clément Desalle and Ivan Tedesco reinforce Triumph Racing

Clément Desalle, the “MX Panda,” will become a test rider for the Triumph Racing MXGP/MX2 team, led by Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni. Ivan Tedesco, known as “Hot Sauce,” becomes a full-time test rider for the Triumph Racing US SuperMotocross World Championship team led by Bobby Hewitt.

Clément Desalle brings experience to Triumph Racing MXGP/MX2 team

Desalle, a Belgian rider, has competed at the highest level in the MXGP World Championship for 15 years. He was able to win the vice world title three times, third place three times and fourth place twice. In his career, he has been at the top of the podium 23 times and became Belgian Pro Open champion in 2009. After retiring from racing in 2020, he focused on testing and developing race bikes and is already making a significant contribution to Triumph’s race bike development.

Desalle expressed his pleasure at working with Triumph and the opportunity to contribute his experience to transform the production bike into a full factory race bike for the 2024 MX2 season. Vincent Bereni, Triumph Racing Team Manager – MXGP, highlighted Desalle’s experience and ability to optimize the bike in every aspect.

Ivan Tedesco to join Triumph Racing US SuperMotocross World Championship team

Tedesco started his racing career at the age of eight and turned pro in 1999. During his 14-year career, he won the AMA 125cc West Coast Supercross Series twice (2004 and 2005), the AMA 125cc National Motocross Series (2005) and the Motocross of Nations three times with Team USA (2005, 2006 and 2009). After retiring from professional racing in 2014, Tedesco dedicated his time to coaching and developing racing motorcycles.

Tedesco is looking forward to working with Triumph and the opportunity to develop a new motorcycle for the SuperMotocross World Championship. Bobby Hewitt, Triumph Racing Team Principal – SMX, emphasized the importance of Tedesco’s experience and ability to develop young riders.

Triumph Racing Off-Road Program

Triumph Racing will compete in both the Monster Energy AMA SuperMotocross World Championship and the prestigious FIM Motocross World Championship with factory-supported racing programs beginning in 2024. Both teams will use Triumph’s brand new 250cc 4-stroke MX bikes. In the SuperMotocross World Championship, the team will initially compete in the West and East Coast series before moving into the 450cc premium class in 2025.

The MXGP team will also compete in the MX2 class in 2024 and move up to the 450cc MXGP class in 2025. Both teams work closely with Triumph factory engineering groups to continuously improve chassis and engine performance.

Triumph Racing is based in Hinckley, United Kingdom, where the company’s off-road design department is located. This is responsible for the design and development of the powertrains and chassis for the new motocross and enduro motorcycle range.

The MXGP/MX2 World Championship team will be based at Thierry’s racing facility near Eindhoven, Netherlands, while the SuperMotocross World Championship team will be based at a new state-of-the-art racing facility in the USA.

Test riders Ivan Tedesco and Clément Desalle are already undergoing intensive testing in the U.S., U.K. and Europe in preparation for the world championship debut in 2024.

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