Former world champ Jordi Tixier will ride for the VHR KTM team in MXGPs next year, and will start his international season for the squad when he lines up as part of Team France in the Motocross of Nations in the USA next month.

Tixier, names as a replacement for injured Romain Febvre, recently split with the BOS team so it seemed an odd choice as he was without a team for the Nations. But the announcement means VHR has rushed out details of the deal.

VHR KTM’s statement says: “We wanted to announce it next week, but following the announcement of its selection by the French Federation of motorcycling for nations in the US, we had to do it now. The VHR team has signed Jordi Tixier for the 2019 MXGP season. The team will be at his side at Red Bud to provide technical assistance. We wish him good luck and the entire team of France. (We apologize to our partners for the photo put in this email, but in a hurry the official shootings have not been made yet).”