250SX defense triggers early 450 transition for Vialle
Dual 250SX class champion to move to premier class for 2026 Supercross.
Image: Octopi Media.
Winning back-to-back 250SX East championships will trigger an early 450 transition for Tom Vialle in 2026, the Red Bull KTM rider no longer eligible to compete in the quarter-liter division of Monster Energy Supercross as a repeat title-winner.
In just his third year in the United States, Vialle has amassed two 250SX crowns, which implements the category ruling of a rider having to move up into the premier class after having captured two championships.
Already a double MX2 world champion, while 24-year-old Vialle will complete 2025 onboard the 250 SX-F in Pro Motocross and the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) post-season, he had intended to step up to 450MX next year regardless. Now, that transfer will be forwarded to Anaheim 1, but a deal with KTM is yet to be formalized.
“I’m really excited, actually, and I think the plan was to move up to the 450 next year anyway for outdoors,” commented Vialle after successfully defending his 250SX crown in Salt Lake. “It depended on this championship on whether I would stay on the 250 for Supercross or not [next year], but now I have to [go up].
“This provides me [with] a new challenge in my career, as I’ve been in the 250 class since 2019, which is five or six years already. I did some riding already on the 450 during our outdoor preparation, and I’ll work pretty hard during the winter to get on the 450 [for next year] – it’s something that I am excited about.”
Given his longstanding relationship with the Austrian manufacturer dating back to his title years in Europe, Vialle has expressed that he would like to remain with KTM, but has suggested that a contract was ‘not done yet’. Red Bull KTM has already re-signed Aaron Plessinger, with Chase Sexton’s future remaining up in the air amid ongoing links to both KTM and Kawasaki for 2026.