Triumph Factory Racing is pleased to announce that Mikkel Haarup will ride for the American race team in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. With his extensive GP experience and with Jalek Swoll sidelined until later this year due to injury, Mikkel will compete in the 250 class this summer on the TF 250-X.
Haarup’s role in the development of Triumph’s bikes has seen him spend several months at the team’s state-of-the-art training facility in Georgia, USA. The Danish rider has been given the opportunity to step behind the gate once again and is currently preparing intensively for his first AMA series appearance, while familiarising himself with the American-spec TF 250-X. The 23-year-old will use the championship to get his race rhythm up to scratch before returning to his testing role.
Haarup joined Triumph last year for their debut season in the FIM MX2 World Championship, and led the British marque to multiple top-five results and a historic first Grand Prix podium at the opening round. Mikkel enjoyed a strong season, finishing fifth in the final standings.
The unique opportunity to compete in the American outdoor championship is a childhood dream come true for Mikkel. Before the start of the Pro Motocross season, the Dane will compete in smaller races to fully prepare himself for competition conditions. His last official race was the Motocross of Nations in October. Mikkel's first appearance with the team is this weekend during a qualifying race for Loretta Lynn's in South Carolina.
The eleven-round Pro Motocross Series kicks off on May 24 at Pala Raceway in California and concludes on August 23 in Budds Creek, Maryland.
Mikkel Haarup: “First of all, I am super excited about this opportunity. It has always been a dream of mine to race in the US, and to do it with a team I trust and on a bike I love is just perfect. Of course, this means that I will step back from my development role for a while, but that work will continue in the good hands of Clément Desalle and Ivan Tedesco. It is difficult to express expectations for the season. It is a new racing format for me and there are different rules regarding the bikes, but the first goal is to improve race by race. Then the goals can be adjusted. The first round is close and I can’t wait to get started.”
Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America: “Mikkel’s addition to our Pro Motocross line-up is really exciting – not just for us, but for the entire series – as we have another MXGP rider on the gate. Mikkel has been with us for a few months now and it’s been great to work with him. Testing has been going really well. When the outdoor season starts I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do, and it’s going to be a fantastic summer of racing.”
Ian Kimber – Head of Global Racing Programmes, Triumph Motorcycles: “Having Mikkel based in the US for his development work on our 450 bike put us in a unique position to use his skills and experience for our US race programme, while he continued to work on our 450 machine. The 2025 AMA Supercross season was tough, and we won’t have our full line-up until later in the year heading into the Pro Motocross season. As a result, we’ve signed Mikkel up to the Triumph Factory Racing team for the 250 class. This will be a huge benefit for everyone involved. We’ve taken the time to familiarise him with the US bike and optimise his set-up, ensuring he’s fully prepared for the season. It’s important to keep him in race shape, and he also strengthens the link between our US and MXGP race programmes. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Mikkel develops this summer – his contribution to the team is invaluable. It’s going to be a valuable experience for him, and we’re looking forward to seeing him on the gate this year.”
Photos: Triumph
