Ivan Tedesco began racing motorcycles at the age of eight and turned Pro in 1999, with a career that spanned 14 years. In his racing career, Tedesco 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).
Former MX, SX and multi-time MX des Nations winner Ivan Tedesco has signed on as the development rider for Triumph in preparation for the British brands debut in the 2024 SuperMotocross and MXGP/MX2 world championships. “Hot Sauce” comes onboard as full-time test rider for the Triumph Racing US SuperMotocross World Championship Team led by Bobby Hewitt. Concurrently Clément Desalle joins as test rider for the Triumph Racing MXGP/MX2 Team run by Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni.
“Today is a great day and I’m very excited to add ‘Hot Sauce’ to the program,” says Hewitt. “I’ve known Ivan for many years now, as a multi-time AMA SX Champion and AMA MX Champion who has raced at the highest level including being a member of Team USA multiple times at the Motocross of Nations. Adding someone with his experience to the program adds another layer of quality and racing experience to an already strong foundation at Triumph Racing here in the US.”
Hewitt adds, “In 2014 I had the privilege to have Ivan as a team member and pro-rider on one of my previous racing programs before he retired. During that time, I personally had the opportunity to work with him as a rider, experience his attention to detail as a test rider, and more importantly see first-hand how he works and would mentor upcoming riders. I truly believe this is another example that the future here at Triumph Racing is very bright!”
After his retirement from professional racing in 2014, Tedesco turned his talents to coaching up and coming racers and becoming one of the very best manufacturer development test riders of the current era. “I’m super excited to be part of the new Triumph racing program and to be working with Ricky and Bobby again,” says Tedecsco. “To have the opportunity to work with a new brand in our sport, to take a new bike and develop it to a race ready package, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The team that Triumph is assembling to compete in the SuperMotocross championship is second to none, and together with the support of the engineers at the Triumph Factory, I’m confident we will line up with a competitive bike for Anaheim 1 in 2024.”
“I have no doubt that with guys like Ivan Tedesco and Clément Desalle and the knowledge they bring to the table from an R&D standpoint, that these bikes will be top of the line, from a race bike perspective as well as a production model,” notes the GOAT, Triumph Off-Road Ambassador Ricky Carmichael. “These guys know what it takes to win at the highest level and will be a huge asset to the development of a great product!”
Triumph Motorcycles will enter the Monster Energy AMA SuperMotocross World Championship at the start of the 2024 season, with a fully supported factory race program established in the United States to run motocross operations under the all-new global Triumph Racing banner. Set-up and operated in partnership with Bobby Hewitt, this new Triumph Racing team will field three of Triumph’s all-new 250cc 4-stroke MX bikes in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship West and East Coast series before entering the 450cc premier class in 2025.
