Big MX season for Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing in 2011

Any
KTM factory rider is quick to point out that riding for this racing
stable means being much more than a team member; it is a true family
affair. That is why an essential part of the pre-season preparation was
the joint training session at Benicasim in Spain at the MX training
facility owned and run by team boss Stefan Everts and his father Harry,
both multiple MX champions. This was an occasion for the entire KTM
offroad factory contingent to get together when KTM's Enduro riders
joined Tony Cairoli, Max Nagl, Jeffrey Herlings, Jeremy van Horebeek,
Stefan Everts, Pit Beirer, head of the KTM Racing Department and
selected media representatives. Ken Roczen, the final member of the
factory squad has been competing in the AMA SX West Lites series with
the US Red Bull KTM Factory Team and rejoins the team in time for the
first GP in Bulgaria. 
 
As
well as working out on- and off the track, the team took care of media
presentations and photo and video shooting activities. But a major part
of this now traditional pre-season get-together was team building and
solidarity, elements that lay the groundwork for good cooperation and
dedication during the season.  There was also time for some pursuit of
personal interests - Tony and Jeremy went fishing and Jeremy took a
swim in the ice cold sea water, illustrating perhaps the same courage
as he shows on the track! 
 
Looking ahead to the World Championship GP season 
In
MX1, reigning champion Tony Cairoli of Italy will be out to capture yet
another award to boost his trophy collection and if he succeeds in
securing another title, it will be his fifth at world championship
level. Tony is very much at home on the 2011 edition KTM 350 SX-F, the
revolutionary and agile MX machine developed and launched in 2010 on
which he stole the world title against the bigger 450 ccm bikes in its
debut year. Tony has been training in the USA, Spain and Italy in the
winter and got down some impressive pre-GP track practice at the
Italian MX championships. 
 
Tony
is again joined in MX1 by Max Nagl of Germany, a rider who is well
known for his attacking style and brilliant starts. This year Max swaps
his 450 SX-F for the 350 SX-F[mh1] . A seasoned member of the Orange
factory team Max picked up his first GP win in Italy in 2008, was MX1
vice world champion in 2009 and in 2010 finished a very creditable
fourth after being forced to miss two races in France in the middle of
the season. 
 
Meanwhile
in MX2 all indications are that there will be some amazing track action
from the two most junior members of the factory lineup, Ken Roczen and
Jeffrey Herlings. Since joining the KTM family in January 2011, Ken has
captured a lot of attention by delivering some thrilling performances
on the AMA SX Lites track. He has also had two rides in the SX Open
class on the 350 SX-F proving he can more than hold his own in both
classes. Ken turns 17 in April and that means 16-year-old Jeffrey
Herlings is the youngest of the lineup. The Dutch teenager is fit and
ready to race after shoulder surgery that corrected the injury from the
Czech GP that sidelined him for the final races in the 2010 season. But
as a mere 15-year-old, he also turned many heads last year with his
performance on the track in the first half of last season. Now a year
older and physically more developed, he is an absolute podium
contender. Ken and Jeffrey are joined in the team by Belgian ride r
Jeremy van Horebeek, also new to the full factory team in 2011. Jeremy
is no stranger to KTM after having raced with the Jackie Martens
KTM-supported team in 2009. 
 
In
the women's competition, WMX world champion Steffi Laier continues as a
full factory rider for Red Bull Teka KTM and in pre-season races looks
the favorite to retain her honors.  Steffi had two stunning wins in the
opening races of the Dutch WMX Championship in Gemert, taking the
second moto by well in excess of a minute. As Steffi wants to up her
game, she has opted for another pre-season ride in Genk, Belgium this
time together with the MX2 riders. She has been testing on a range of
tracks and surfaces in the pre-season period and reports that she feels
100% in tune with her KTM factory bike.  This year the women's GP
season opens in Bulgaria with the men's but then follows the MX3
competition schedule.     
 
All
the Red Bull Teka KTM team are primed, fit and ready for the 2011
season but as Pit Beirer says, striving for perfection means there's
always plenty of work to do. "We had a sensational season last year but
that has set the bar very high. No doubt we have a lot of work to do to
maintain that high standard. We're fortunate that we have plenty of
talent in the team and we are working with excellent bikes. Now all we
have to do is to go out and win races," he said. 
 
MX GP Calendar 2011 
10 Apr 2011 GP Bulgaria Sevlievo 
25 Apr 2011 GP Netherlands Valkenswaard 
15 May 2011 GP USA Glen Helen 
22 May 2011 GP Brazil Indaiatuba 
05 Jun 2011 GP France Saint Jean d'Angely 
12 Jun 2011 GP Portugal Agueda 
19 Jun 2011 GP Spain TBA 
03 Jul 2011 GP Sweden Uddevalla 
10 Jul 2011 GP Germany Teutschenthal 
17 Jul 2011 GP Latvia Kegums 
31 Jul 2011 GP Limburg (BEL) Lommel 
07 Aug 2011 GP Czech Republic Loket 
21 Aug 2011 GP Britain Matterley Basin, Winchester 
04 Sep 2011 TBA 
11 Sep 2011 GP Italy Fermo 
18 Sep, 2011 Motocross of Nations France Saint Jean d'Angely 
 
Check out the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Team Video in Benicasim, Spain! 
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-XYQNWX-yI&feature=channel_video_title