KTM recruits bright spark FMX talent Petr Pilat as factory rider

.

KTM, In keeping with its policy to encourage bright young talent, has signed bright spark Czech FMX rider Petr Pilat to join the stable of international class factory riders now competing for the Austrian manufacturer

Professional, thoughtful and hard working

Pit Beirer, KTM’s Offroad Director said he expected big things from the latest recruit to the KTM factory team. "Petr is still very young and we have signed him for the 2008/2009 seasons. He’s not just a very likeable guy, he’s also very professional and he plans his tricks very carefully. I predict a great future for him and I think when he gets the experience in international competition he will be able to reach the same high standards as the top American riders," Beirer said.
 

Eyes on the world elite

FMX is a sport with its root in the USA but events like the Red Bull X-Fighters (www.redbullxfighters.com), which this year has a six-event calendar (April: Mexico; May: Brazil and Italy; June: USA and July: Germany and Spain) is opening it up to a huge international audience. In his first year for KTM Petr will be competing in the X-Fighters and other top events where he will ride against the best FMX exponents in the world.
 

Flawless back flip at just 14

Pilat, now 17 made a name for himself very early in his career when at the age of 14 he performed a flawless back flip before a crowd of 17,000 at Prague’s Freestyle Motocross competition in the Sazka stadium. He is the youngest rider ever to complete the tricky maneuver.
 

Already a veteran

Despite his youth, Pilat is already a very experienced rider. He contested his first motocross race at the age of six and won his first race at just seven. By the time he was nine he was already the Czech champion in the 65 cc class and at 10 he advanced to Freestyle, enjoying the adrenaline rush and making the commitment to “Live to Ride”. He has also confronted and mastered the challenge of major injury. Back in 2004, at the tender age of 13 he crashed, breaking both arms and injuring his lungs, liver and spleen but he was never discouraged enough to abandon his passion to ride.