Off Road

KTM Group Australia Announce 2021 Rider Line-ups

Author: Aaryn Minerds

Posted:

Sunday, December 27th, 2020

6:23 AM

KTM Group Australia Announce 2021 Rider Line-ups

Todd Waters will carry the #1 plate into the 2021 PRO MX Championship for Husqvarna Australia

The Australian KTM group, comprising of KTM, Husqvarna and Gas Gas motorcycles have announced their Australian Motocross and Off-Road line-ups for the 2021 season, with all three brands running a slightly different mixture of riders across various classes and disiplines.

National MX1 champion Todd Waters will lead the way for the Husqvarna Motorcycles family for another year and will pull double-duty in both the Australian Motocross Championship (ProMX) and Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC).

Waters is an important ambassador for the Husqvarna Motorcycles brand and will split his time between the Husqvarna Factory Racing Team riding the FC 450 in motocross and the FE 450 in enduro, where he placed third in E2 on debut during 2020.

"To be remaining part of the Husqvarna family into 2021 is a big deal to me, an exciting project and one that I am happy to be involved in." Waters enthused. "We haven't been able to race nationally since winning the MX1 title in 2019, but it has been a busy year in its own ways and now we are definitely looking forward to getting back on track and working hard to defend the championship.

"I'm also looking forward to continuing off-road, gaining experience there and hopefully being in contention throughout the season."

Waters will double in 2021 to lead not only Husqvarna's MX charge, but also their AORC campaign.

Also named at Husqvarna for 2021 is Dylan Wills, who himself has immense experience with the brand and is regarded as one of the country's top young talents as he prepares to step up to the premier class in supercross. He will also be contesting MX2 outdoors within his own program.

"This is a dream come true for me, to be a part of a factory team in supercross and as a rookie on the FC 450." WIlls stated. "I will have great people behind me and the best equipment possible, so that is a great opportunity that I want to make the most of at this stage of my career and I'm thankful for everybody who has been involved to get this deal together.

"I'm going to be riding outdoors in MX2 with my own program as well, so we have solid plans in place and I'm looking forward to it all in 2021."

Husqvarna Motorcycles will also bring their desert racing program back in-house, set to tackle the FINKE Desert Race with up-and-comer Callum Norton aboard the FE 501.

"I am really excited to be able to go racing again and looking forward to what hopefully should be a good year," Norton exlaimed. "This will be my third FINKE desert race and I cannot wait to get out there on the Husky.

"I have always been attracted to desert racing, ever since I was a kid and went to watch the HATTAH race. Through my junior ranks I realised I liked sand and was pretty good at riding it, so when the opportunities came up when I turned Senior to focus on the desert style of racing, I jumped at the chance. And now to be part of the Husky team for 2021, I am so excited to get out there and see what we can do."

Daniel Milner leads the way for KTM as the current AORC Chamipon

Like Husqvarna, KTM will hit the track in 2021 with riders representing, Motocross / Supercross, Off-Road and Desert racing, with mulit time and current Australian Off-Road champion Daniel Milner leading the charge.

Milner will continue with the KTM Factory Racing Team for a fifth-straight year, fresh from clinching this year's E2 crown and being top of the series outright.

Milner will revert to his favoured KTM 500 EXC-F in the E3 division next season, determined to get back to racing after having the 2020 championship cut short and spearheading KTM's more focused off-road program.

"Being able to sign for my fifth year with KTM in 2021 is really cool. I'm looking forward to working with the team again, getting back to the races and seeing what we can do in the new year." MIlner stated.

"I've been able to achieve a lot with KTM since joining them and have been really motivated this year, so we will continue that, aim to do the same again next season and deliver some more championships."

Another KTM rider who will carry the #1 plate in 2021 will be David Walsh when he heads back to defend his title at Finke

Current Finke Desert Race title-holder David Walsh will also return to the KTM Factory Racing Team in 2021, eager to get back on the KTM 500 EXC-F in a competitive environment as he looks to defend his result achieved in the prestigious event during 2019.

"I can't wait to get back out on the bike with KTM and it will be good to do some racing again." Walsh said. "I'm very grateful to be part of the factory team and I really want to keep the success in the desert going for everybody.

"I chased the Finke win for so long and managed to hold onto it without even racing this year! Seriously though, we will prepare for 2021 and make the most of this opportunity together."

In addition, longtime KTM Junior Motocross Racing Team standout Regan Duffy will lead KTM's return to operating an in-house factory Australian Motocross Championship (ProMX) and Australian Supercross Championship effort.

Duffy captured the 2019 Australian MXD title riding KTM machinery and, following a glowing performance at that year's Motocross of Nations (MXoN) in Holland riding the KTM 450 SX-F, the teenager has earned his opportunity in the premier class with KTM Motocross Racing Team.

"I'm really excited to be joining KTM and riding the 450 SX-F next season. I've been part of the brand's development path for a lot of my career and feel at home on the bigger bike, so it's a really good opportunity to step up with a great team around me." Duffy explained.

"Not being able to race at the national level in 2020 was disappointing, but we will now set our sights on what's ahead and look forward to the challenge."

There will be a new Factory Team in MX/SX and AORC pits in 2021 with GASGAS joining the party.

All new for the 2021 season will be the Gas Gas team that will take on the challenges of the Pro MX championship, the Australian Supercross championship with the highly talented Aaron Tanti, while Mason Semmens will show off the red livery in AORC championship in the E1 class.

With a wealth of great results behind him in the MX2 class, Tanti will step into the MX1/SX2 class for the upcoming season aboard the GASGAS MC 450F.

‰ÛÏI'm really looking forward to joining the factory GASGAS team in 2021, it will be a lot of fun being part of the brand and I can't wait to get on the new MC 450F." Tanti enthused. "I was always aiming to step up to the premier class for next year if I was staying here in Australia, so it's worked out well to be joining GASGAS in the factory team and having this opportunity.

I've been putting a lot of effort into my racing for a number of years now, so I look forward to getting things going!‰Û