KTM 350SX-F makes stunning competition debut

KTM has pulled the trigger on its 2010 international motocross season in the most emphatic fashion, with Italian Antonio Cairoli winning the annual Mantova Star event Italy on the all-new 350SX-F.

Cairoli, the reigning MX1 world champion and the latest recruit to KTM's factory team, rode the ground-breaking bike to victory in the first two of three finals and was third in the finale to clinch the overall from Belgian Suzuki pair Steve Ramon and Clement Desalle.

"It was a fantastic start for me and I enjoyed riding the 350 bike," said Cairoli, already a three-time world champion. "Today I wanted to do some tests to see how it went at the start and everything went well for me. I'm happy with the bike and the results today, and it's always a terrific atmosphere here at Mantova."

Meanwhile, in racing across the Atlantic, Davi Millsaps (Honda) captured victory in round five of the AMA Supercross Championship in San Diego from Josh Hill (Yamaha), Ivan Tedesco (Yamaha), Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki) and Justin Brayton (Yamaha). Australian Yamaha pair Daniel Reardon and Michael Byrne were 13th and 14th, while Chad Reed (Kawasaki) continues to recover from a broken hand.

KTM officially launched the 350SX-F in Mantova before racing got underway, with the latest creation from the Austria stable featuring an all-new chassis, a conventional rear suspension linkage and fuel injection. The bike carries the design signature of multiple world motocross champion Stefan Everts who is now the team director for KTM. The international press launch for the 350Sx-F will be held in May, and the bike should go on sale in Australia sometime in the last quarter of this year.

KTM will race the 350SX-F in this year's world MX1 title, alongside its current 450SX-F. The 250SX-F will be on MX2 duties.

The 15-round world title begins in Bulgaria on April 4.

Pics: R Archer and P Mitterbauer