The MX KTM factory teams, primed with passion and pumped with confidence after a great pre-season training camp at team boss Stefan Evert's MX school facility in Spain are embarking on what is shaping up to be a rewarding racing year.

"We have just completed a super training in Spain where all the offroad KTM factory riders trained together for the first time and the result was a great forging of team spirit within KTM's orange racing family," Pit Beirer, KTM's Offroad Racing Director said. The group, including the KTM Enduro riders and Supermoto team member Bernd Hiemer all came together at Evert's comprehensive facility. They also enjoyed the additional benefit of fitness facilities and swimming pool thanks to local KTM partner Intursport.

Great line-up of talent for 2009 and beyond
Beirer is confident of one thing: with the MX1 riders Max Nagl (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jonathan Barragan (KTM Silver Action), MX2 riders Rui Goncalves and Shaun Simpson (both Red Bull KTM), the KTM Factory Junior Racing Team of Valentin Teillet, Jeremy van Horebeek and Joel Roelants as well as Steffi Laier in the MX Women's category (all Red Bull KTM) the Austrian manufacturer has a string of potential podium winners both now and in the future.

"With this line-up - and the talent we also have at European level - I can be confident that we not only have riders capable of winning podiums at any time now but also in the foreseeable future," Beirer said. "We simply have a huge potential."

Passionate, motivated and a great team spirit
Nagl and Barragan, Beirer says, have both made major steps forward during the off season and completed good preparations. "We have a great atmosphere in the team and these two guys are both ready for the podium." In MX2 Rui Goncalves has tanked up on new confidence and has been in South Africa in the off season training with Tyla Rattray's former trainer. Meanwhile young Shaun Simpson comes to the team fully motivated and displaying an enthusiasm and passion that Beirer says has proved contagious. "They are motivated and mentally very strong. You can tell that when the team sits down together that they are in it with all the passion they can muster - and they're also having fun!"

The next generation of top riders
The three rider line-up in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team illustrates KTM's philosophy of capturing the spirit of talented young riders and raising them in the "Orange family" atmosphere to ensure that not only today, but also tomorrow KTM will be in the foreground of top level offroad racing.

Teillet, 18, had already secured the European title one race before the end of the 2008 season while the two young Belgian juniors, van Horebeek and Roelants already proved last season that they are capable of racing with any of the top names in MX2.

Best woman rider in KTM factory team
Steffi Laier, the talented German rider in the Women's MX championship, has been elevated from a KTM supported rider to full factory status in 2009. "She has the factory bike, a mechanic and full technical support and with the way she performed last year, she has earned it," Beirer said. "Although Steffi missed the first race last year through injury she was clearly the best rider.

The world championship season kicks off in Faenza, Italy on March 29 and runs through to September. As well as the usual stops on the calendar, riders this year will also contest rounds in Latvia and Brazil in 2009 in the course of the 2009-GP program.