MURRIETA, Calif.—FMF KTM Factory Racing has announced its six-rider lineup for 2021, boasting a dynamic mixture of both youth and experience this season. In his eighth season with the team, multi-time offroad champion Taylor Robert will lead a hungry group of riders into the 2021 season including east-coast riders Josh Toth and Ben Kelley, newcomers Trystan Hart and Dante Oliveira in the west and the return of eight-time GNCC Nation Champion Kailub Russell, who is slated to compete in select races throughout the year.
Robert, the reigning WORCS Champion, will return to the series as the rider to beat in 2021 as he fights for his fourth-career title aboard the KTM 450 XC-F. For 2021, the 2016 ISDE Overall Individual Champion is diversifying himself to also lineup for the AMA National Extreme Offroad Championship aboard the KTM 300 XC-W.
In his fourth season with the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team, Josh Toth will return aboard the KTM 350 XC-F, where he will compete in the GNCC and National Enduro Championship for 2021. He will be joined by teammate Ben Kelley, who is set to line up for his second season with the team. Kelley will contest the GNCC and National Enduro Championships aboard the KTM 350 XC-F and 450 XC-F.
The team will welcome two new riders in 2021 as former KTM-Support riders Trystan Hart and Dante Oliveira make the jump to the factory squad after years of solid results under the guidance and support of the highly-successful RPM KTM Racing Team. Hart most recently clinched the 2020 AMA Grand National Extreme Championship (TKO) and he looks to defend his title while also vying for the AMA EnduroCross Championship in 2021 aboard the factory KTM 300 XC-W TPI and 350 EXC-F machines. Oliveira, the team’s newest addition, heads into his factory debut as the reigning AMA National Grand Prix Champion and WORCS front-runner where he is expected to contest both championships this season.
Team Manager, Antti Kallonen
“I’m very pleased with our rider lineup and structure for this season. I’m happy to continue with our talented riders such as Taylor, Josh and Ben, who are all aiming for the top step in their respective series. I’m also excited to welcome Trystan and Dante to the factory team. They are no strangers to our program as they both raced for RPM KTM Racing Team last year with great success. We are READY TO RACE for the 2021 season.”
Additionally, upon announcing his retirement from professional GNCC Racing last season, multi-time offroad champion Kailub Russell will compete in select races throughout the 2021 season as he prepares to represent the USA World Trophy Team for the upcoming International Six Days Enduro (ISDE). As a true orange bleeder, Russell will also be transitioning into a new role of supporting KTM’s factory riders and youth racers in the sport.
For more information on KTM, please visit www.ktm.com.
