Glenn Coldenhoff: “Factory KTM feels like a 250…”
The Red Bull KTM factory team welcomes a new rider this year with Glenn Coldenhoff. The Dutchman will be the new MXGP rider who will join Claudio De Carli's team in the set-up alongside former world champion Tony Cairoli. In contrast to the British Tommy Searle who spent the previous winter period at the team's base in Malagrotta (Rome) training and testing Cairoli's 305SX-F, Coldenhoff will develop more on the 450SX-F with which the both riders will start their Grand Prix campaign for '16.
“The adjustment went very well and the engine actually feels like a 250, nice and smooth and powerful,” says the winner of the 2015 Latvian Grand Prix. “It always involves some adjustment when you change brands, but I'm feeling pretty good about it at the moment.”
Coldenhoff remains very calm about his turbulent debut year in the MXGP with the Factory Suzuki, where he still took two podium places, including the only victory for the yellow brand in 2015. But he was still thanked for his services to Suzuki. The race bosses in Mattighofen were therefore interested in placing the 24-year-old Dutchman's qualities alongside Cairoli in De Carli's team, which was downsized from three to two riders in 2016.
For Glenn, this factory contract brings him back to the brand he rode with when achieving his first GP victories in 2013 at the English Matterly Basin circuit on the MX2 bike. In 2015 he was regularly in the top ten in the premier class and he quickly got used to the power of the 450. “We have already had many long days of testing but we are making good progress, but I think Now we know that we have a basic set-up with the engine and suspension. Now it's just some fine-tuning.” he added now that he is not going overseas to do his preparation as he did in 2015. “No California visit this year, I am now spending a lot of time in Italy working with the team and training hard with my teammates. ”
Coldenhoff's first appearance on the KTM 450SX-F will be on the island of Sardinia on January 31 during the first round in Alghero of the next three stages for the Italian Championship.
Original: Adam Wheeler – ontrackoffroad.com – Dutch Version: @Kris…
Photo: Luc Wright
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