– The new Bagger World Cup by Harley-Davidson has found its first prominent name: Andrea Iannone. The Italian will make his debut with the Road Glide at the second race weekend of the new series, which takes place as a support event to the MotoGP.
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When the Bagger World Cup was held for the first time in Austin (USA), only nine riders started. Now Iannone strengthens the Indonesian team Niti Racing, increasing the field to ten riders.
The former MotoGP rider will participate for the first time in the next two races, which will take place at the end of May in Mugello (Italy). Afterwards, he is expected to compete in the remaining races up to the season finale in Spielberg (Austria).
Niti Racing has started successfully in the inaugural season. Oscar Gutierrez won the second race in Austin. Against this background, Iannone announces that he “does not just want to fill the field.”
“I like challenges, especially when they push you out of your comfort zone,” says the 36-year-old. “This is something completely different, and that’s exactly why I said yes.”
“I’m really looking forward to opening this new chapter because I have always admired Harley-Davidson and its legendary rider community, which plays such an important role in the scene.”
“These motorcycles have a strong personality, you have to respect them, but at the same time you can push them to the limit. In a way, we are similar, and I think that’s why this project suits me well.”
In advance, Iannone will not be able to test the racing motorcycle from Harley-Davidson. Of course, he knows Mugello very well from his past in the motorcycle world championship.
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After Iannone’s doping ban expired, he returned to international racing in the Superbike World Championship in 2024. In his first season, he celebrated a race win in Aragon.
However, it became clear early last year that the GoEleven team would not continue with Iannone. He also did not find a place with any other team.
Photo gallery: The career highlights of Andrea Iannone
Therefore, Iannone initially secured a place on the Superbike entry list for 2026 under the pseudonym “Cainam Racing Team.” However, no motorcycles were ever ordered from Ducati, and the team did not actually exist.
According to rumors, Iannone was already a topic for the start of the Bagger World Cup in Austin. Now it finally worked out, and Harley-Davidson has found a well-known name for the new series.
“Bringing a rider like Andrea into the championship,” says Jeffrey Schuessler, the director of global racing programs at Harley-Davidson, “is a strong sign of what we are building with the Bagger World Cup.”
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“He is a proven race winner at the highest level, with that kind of talent and personality that will give the starting field even more energy. That is exactly the kind of profile we want to attract as the championship continues to grow.”
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