Plews Tyres is proud to announce its partnership with the Norman KTM Factory Rookies Team as official tyre sponsor for their EMX 125 program beginning in 2026.

The Norman KTM Factory Rookie Team has been running their 125 project for approximately three years now, and team manager Thomas Traversini had the following to say about his impression of Plews Tyres: "We are really happy with the product, I was really impressed when we tested it the first time and in any kind of track it seems to be pretty good stuff. I would say it's really high level quality".

Moritz Ernecker is a young, up and coming rider from Austria who will be riding for the Norman KTM Factory Rookies Team. This is his second year racing in the EMX125 class and therefore knows a thing or two on what to expect heading into the 2026 season. He has now raced both of the MX pre-season races, part of the EICMA International Italian Championship. He shared that they had good pre-season testing and he is now trying to give his best for the rest of the season.

EICMA International Italian Championship

The Internazionali d'Italia Motocross is well known as one of the most prestigious events in the international off-road scene and the ultimate pre-season championship in European motocross. It is a chance for top riders from all over the world to showcase their talent heading into the MXGP World Championship season. These races are a sneak peek into what the racing season may hold and a clear indication of which riders to look out for. This year there were two events spread over two weekends in two different locations namely, Alghero and Mantua.

Results

Round 1 - Alghero, Sardinia, Italy

Alghero is a technical 1,625-meter sand track with challenging turns and spectacular jumps. This is where top riders and teams showcase their skills. The event itself was filled with adrenaline and passion.

According to Traversini, round one had its positives and negatives. Moritz performed unbelievably well getting the holeshot twice and leading from the first to the last lap in both motos. He took the win confidently and the team couldn't have asked for anything better. "It was a demanding track due to lots of water and it was easy to make a mistake". The downside of this round was when their second rider, Ricardo Bauer had a small crash and injured his right wrist which will see him off the bike for at least four weeks.

Heading into this round Traversini shared that although they call them "preparation races", once you're behind the gate "everybody wants to win". There are a lot of riders who are ready to show Moritz what they have to offer on the track.

Round 2 - Mantova, Italy

This historic Tazio Nuvolari track is the second and final round of the Internazionali d’Italia Motocross and with a stacked 125cc class with 54 riders and wet conditions, racing was expected to be exciting.

Race 1 was relatively uneventful for Moritz who confidently took the win but it was race 2 that was a bit more of a challenge. He just missed the holeshot by running wide but managed to make his way back to the front of the pack and took the win.

Moritz Claims Italian 125 Title

Moritz remained unbeaten throughout the championship, winning all four motos and securing a full 100 points over the two rounds to claim the Italian 125 Championship title. Reflecting on his weekend and his experience with the tyres, Moritz shared that "The tyres are working perfectly, I like them, feel really good with them and quite comfortable with them". Moritz has been racing on the MX2 Matterly GP Front Tyre and the MX1 Hawkstone GP Rear tyre.

 

Josh Plews, Founder of Plews Tyres:

“Four races, four wins, that's championship level performance and it's exactly what our 'Made To Win' approach is built on. We’re proud to support the Norman KTM Factory Rookies Team's mission of developing the next generation of motocross talent. Moritz Ernecker's unbeaten Italian championship performance is just the beginning as our partnership moves forward into the 2026 EMX 125 season.”

Be sure to check out the youtube video on the Plews Tyres Youtube Channel