Michele Rinaldi

Michele Rinaldi is an Italian former professional motocross racer and current motorcycle race team manager, born on 9 March 1959 in Parma. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1976 to 1987 and is notable for being the first Italian to win an FIM motocross world championship. He finished in the top three of the 125cc world championship for four consecutive years between 1980 and 1983, first for Gilera and then for Suzuki, and captured the 125 title in 1984. He moved up to the 250 class, where his best result was second in 1986 behind Jacky Vimond, and retired in 1987 after competing in the Paris to Dakar rally. As a team manager for the Suzuki and Yamaha factory teams he guided Bobby Moore, Alessandro Puzar, Andrea Bartolini, Stefan Everts, David Philippaerts and Romain Febvre to world championships.