— Youthstream presents the new 300cc European Championship together with Husqvarna, KTM and TM
During the 67th edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations Youthstream’s President Mr Giuseppe Luongo presented the new European 300cc 2-stroke championship together with the FIM President Mr Vito Ippolito, Mr Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Manager, Mr Paolo Carrubba, Husqvarna Media and PR Manager, and Mr Marco Ricciardi, TM Sales and Marketing Manager.
“The 2-stroke bikes are coming back strongly and a proof of that is the big demand they have on the market,” explained Mr Luongo. “It does not mean that it is the end of the 4-stroke bikes, it is just one more choice. The European championship is working very well with all the young riders, so with the 300cc we want to give the complete range to all of them going from the 65cc to the 300cc.”
Mr Beirer continued by saying: “For KTM the 2-stroke world has always been alive and we still have a big request. I think it is a very useful way to enter the sport and it is a great balance between cost and excitement. I strongly believe that a rider needs to learn how to ride a 2-stroke bike before he is ready to move up to the bigger bikes. This is our philosophy in KTM and we will follow the same in Husqvarna. We, as European, understand how to keep the sport alive from the base, which is important for all of us and I am sure we will see future world champions riding this 300cc bikes. “
Mr Ricciardi added: “For TM is important to be part of this project because the 2-stroke bikes are in our DNA, as we have a lot of experience with these bikes. We also think that it is important to follow the market and at the moment there is a high request for these kinds of bikes.”
“This is a very special moment for Husqvarna,” explained Mr Carrubba, “because it is the first worldwide unveiling with the new colours, so I hope you all like it. We absolutely wanted to be present in this launch because Husqvarna believes in the 2-strokes technology and in the young generations.”
Mr Ippolito concluded the press conference by saying: “For the FIM is very important having this kind of projects in order to give the opportunity of having an affordable bike to the young generations of motocross riders. One of the FIM goals is having thousands and thousands of young riders around the world, so the cost or purchasing and maintaining the bikes is very important to make this happen.”
The new European 300cc 2-stroke championship will start in 2014 and it will have seven rounds, which will be held together with the FIM MXGP World Championship; all the participants will take part in two races of twenty-five minutes and two laps in each round. All the riders will need a European license and they will be able to enter the series directly through Youthstream by sending an email to [email protected] .
