27.08.2022
LE PUY-EN-VELAY, France – The stage is set for the 96th edition of the FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) and six KTM-mounted trophy team riders are ready to race for American gold in Le Puy-En-Velay, France. The 2022 event will kick off on Monday, August 29 with five full days of competition before culminating with a motocross finale and awards celebration on Saturday, September 3.
Eight-time GNCC National Champion Kailub Russell leads the charge for the Americans as the most seasoned and decorated member on the United States World Trophy team, racing aboard the KTM 350 XC-F FACTORY EDITION in his seventh ISDE event. Russell is joined by another ISDE veteran and FMF KTM Factory Racing teammate, Josh Toth, who returns for his sixth time aboard the KTM 350 XC-F FACTORY EDITION. FMF KTM's Dante Oliveira, a strong force on the 2021 U.S. Junior Trophy Team, has moved up to the World Trophy team this year on the KTM 450 XC-F, while his brother, KTM-supported Mateo Oliveira, steps onto the Junior team roster aboard the KTM 250 XC-F in 2022.
In the women’s category, KTM-supported Brandy Richards returns to ISDE action where she hopes to repeat her individual class win from 2021 on the KTM 350 XC-F FACTORY EDITION, as well as leading her team to back-to-back victories in the Women’s World Trophy. She is joined by KTM-supported Korie Steede, who is set to make her ISDE debut aboard the KTM 250 XC-F.
Antti Kallonen, U.S. Trophy Team Manager: “Team USA has been here in France for the last 10 days, walking the special tests with the riders and the terrain looks pretty favorable for us. The special tests, especially the enduro tests, will be super technical so I think some of the east coast riders will excel in those. We also have lots of cross-tests that the west coast riders will do well in, so we’ve got a good mix. For riders, we should have a very consistent team across all three categories and we’re looking forward to getting the racing started. We had the opening ceremonies on Saturday in the city center and now, we’ll get some rest on Sunday and kick it off on Monday morning.”
Kailub Russell (World Trophy Team): “Everything is looking good! The weather is cooperating pretty well right now so we’re looking forward to it. We’ve got a little bit of moisture – it’s the first year I’ve seen actual moisture in the ground – and this is my seventh Six Days, so it’s a lot different from France the first time back in 2017. We’ve got a lot of variety in the tests, everybody is ready to go and we’re looking good, so we’re just ready for Monday to get this show on the road and hopefully put in some solid test times and be at the top of the leaderboard.”
Josh Toth (World Trophy Team): “This is coming into my sixth ISDE and I’m feeling more prepared than ever. I’m super stoked on the special tests this year, it looks more technical than any other one I’ve done in the past so I think it’s going to suit myself and the rest of the Americans. I’m looking forward to a tough week!”
Dante Oliveira (World Trophy Team): “I’m excited to get going! We’ve been walking tests all week and finally finished up our first test yesterday. We’re going to go relax on Sunday and get after it Monday morning. They’ve got a little bit of everything here, some tighter terrain, some more open terrain, a bunch of flowy elevation, and there’s some flat tests too, so I’m ready to get to digging.”
Mateo Oliveira (Junior Trophy Team): “It’s my first year racing the ISDE and I’ll be on the Junior Trophy team and I’m excited to get things going Monday morning on some fresh grass tracks!”
Brandy Richards (Women's Trophy Team): “We’ve been walking test all week and they look great! It’s super technical this year, so I’m super excited. We might have a little weather next week so it might make things a little interesting but we’re all ready to go and ready to compete!”
Korie Steede (Women's Trophy Team): “It’s going to be a super long week with six days of riding but I’m looking forward it. I’m feeling really good with a solid team – Brandy Richards and Rachel Gutish – so it’s going to be really exciting!”
The 2022 FIM ISDE kicks off Monday, August 29 from Le Puy-En-Velay, France. For updates on KTM riders, follow along on
Instagramand be on the lookout for daily recaps on all of the U.S. teams.