Bagger World Cup in Spielberg: Title showdown featuring two US champions

From 18 to 20 September, the MotoGP World Championship will be visiting Spielberg. The season finale of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will take place as part of the Austrian Grand Prix. The final two races of the year will be held at the Red Bull Ring. Excitement is guaranteed, as the battle at the top of the overall standings is extremely close.

After former MotoGP and Superbike rider Andrea Iannone won both races at Aragon, the Italian is very much in the running for his first title in the new series. Iannone is in 4th place, just 27 points behind World Cup leader Archie McDonald. Eric Granado and Oscar Gutierrez currently occupy 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Competing in Spielberg on wildcards: Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli

To add a little extra spice to the Bagger World Cup final, two new riders will be on the starting grid at Spielberg. Americans Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli will be competing on wildcards.

Kyle Wyman won the King of the Baggers series in the USA in 2025. At the Red Bull Ring, he will make his debut on the world stage with the Wegner Automotive x KWR (Kyle Wyman Racing) team. As one of the most successful riders in American bagger racing, Wyman brings a wealth of experience on the Harley-Davidson racing bike.

Kyle Wyman

Foto: Harley-Davidson

“I’m absolutely thrilled about this opportunity. Together with the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Team, we’ve put a lot of work into developing the Harley-Davidson Road Glide and the King of the Baggers programme over the years. To have the chance to take what we’ve built onto the world stage is something very special,” said Wyman. “I’m very grateful to MotoGP, the FIM and Harley-Davidson for giving me the chance to be part of this, as well as to Wegner Automotive, who are supporting my participation as an independent wildcard rider. I’m heading to Austria to be competitive, but also to enjoy the experience, soak it all in and have fun riding our motorbike in a completely different environment. An opportunity like this doesn’t come along often, and I’m looking forward to making the most of it.”

James Rispoli will line up as the third rider for Joe Rascal Racing in Austria, replacing Jordi Torres for the final round. Rispoli, the Super Hooligan National Champion, brings a wealth of experience from American road racing and the King of the Baggers series, and will line up alongside title contenders Archie McDonald and Eric Granado.

“I’m really looking forward to putting myself to the test at the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup at the Red Bull Ring, a legendary circuit with such a rich history in Grand Prix racing,” said Rispoli. “I’ve watched a lot of video footage to get a better understanding of the circuit before I arrive, and I’m already impressed by just how unique it is. It’ll be a real thrill to experience it for the first time on the Road Glide. I’m very grateful to Joe Rascal Racing and James Tonna for giving me this opportunity. I’m travelling to Austria determined to be competitive and put in a strong weekend, but at the same time I have great respect for Eric Granado and Archie McDonald, who are both fighting for the championship. I’m looking forward to the challenge and will do everything I can to help the team have a great season finale.”

James Rispoli

Foto: Harley-Davidson

Jeffrey Schuessler, Director of Global Racing Programmes at Harley-Davidson, said of the two wildcards and the season finale at the Red Bull Ring: “We are delighted to welcome Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli to the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup for our championship finale in Austria. Both are seasoned racers with a wealth of experience racing Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the United States, and their inclusion in our World Cup line-up is another important step in the continued growth of this championship. The opportunity for riders from different championships and markets to come together and compete against one another on identical machines on the global MotoGP stage is exactly what the Bagger World Cup is all about. Kyle joins us as a two-time King-of-the-Baggers champion, whilst James also brings extensive experience and his own successes to the table. We are keen to see how they will fare against our World Cup riders. With four riders still in contention for the championship, two races remaining and new international talent joining the starting grid, Austria promises a very exciting conclusion to our first season and another strong step forward for Harley-Davidson Racing worldwide.”