Press release issued regarding the 2011 MX2 team launch: TEAM HUSQVARNA / RICCI RACING Husqvarna has a great tradition within the world motocross scene, achieving nothing less than 21 world titles in this discipline, that is rightly considered the F1 of off road motorcycling. In 2011 Husqvarna returns to the world MX stage with an official entry in the FIM MX2 World Championship. Husqvarna's last official appearance at world motocross racing with a small capacity bike was back in 2003 with the 125 two stroke. For this latest adventure, Husqvarna has chosen a Team with extensive experience in world championship motocross: Team Ricci Racing. Ricci's riders for the Husqvarna assault on the MX2 Championship are Alessandro Lupino and Michael Leib. In a team headed by team manager Ilario Ricci, they will campaign all 15 rounds of the World Championship as well as the 4 races of Italian Motocross International Championship, that will start on 27 February from Ponte a Egola(Pisa). Andrea Cervellin, the young Italian motocross champion in 2010, will complete the team. This fresh rider is back from a knee surgery and will participate again in the European Championship MX2, with aim of improving on his second place achieved last season riding Husqvarna TC250. Team Ricci Racing has been developing the TC250 for several months now, working in conjunction with Paolo Brovedani, chief engineer of Husqvarna R&D Department, Pierluigi Zampieri, Husqvarna racing department manager and Ralf Kleid, Husqvarna engine R&D manager. ABOUT Ricci Racing Started in 1998 by Ilario Ricci, Italian motocross Champion with 125 in 1985, Team Ricci Racing rapidly came to the fore of the international motocross scene. Good results have been achieved throughout a decade of racing, rewarding the efforts of the team and riders, with the highlight being back in 2005, on the Teutschenthal circuit. Here, Andrew McFarlane, Chicco Chiodi and Davide Guarneri finished the German GP in first, second and third place respectively! The season finished with the second place for McFarlane and third for Chiodi. After more than ten years of racing activity, Team Ricci Racing starts on a new adventure with the Italian manufacturer Husqvarna, with great ambition and targets. THE TEAM Ilario Ricci- Team Manager Liliana Bergonzini- Administration Pierluigi Zampieri – Husqvarna Racing Department Manager Martino Bianchi – Husqvarna Racing Activities Coordinator Nicolas Minne – Chief project mechanic Alessandro La Barba- Electronics engineer Gianpiero Capaldi – Technician for Alessandro Lupino Frank Michal – Technician for Michael Leib Giuseppe Manuele – Technician for Andrea Cervellin Marco Rosa- Logistics Manager Jones Rosi- Cook THE RIDERS Alessandro Lupino (Italy) FIM MX2 World Championship - Husqvarna TC 250 Michael Leib (USA) FIM MX2 World Championship - Husqvarna TC 250 Andrea Cervellin (Italy) MX2 European Championship - TC 250