Ryder Thomaselli Prepares for What's Next

If you follow AMA National Hare & Hound racing, you've probably seen Ryder Thomaselli's name near the top of the results sheet all season. He's a young, Husqvarna-supported racer and one of the most exciting up-and-comers in desert off-road, and we're stoked to have him in the KOPILOT.ID crew.

Hare & Hound is a different beast. Riders line up across open desert, take off when the banner drops, and chase a ribbon-marked course through rocks, dunes, washes and dust for hours. There's no stadium and no crowd lining every turn. It's you, your bike and a lot of empty terrain.

Ryder has made it look good. He races the Pro 250 class on a 395 Motorsports/MX Trophies/Leatt Husqvarna FC 250. He opened 2026 at the Winter Classic in Johnson Valley with a class win and fourth overall, setting the fastest second loop of the day. "I gave everything I had on the second loop because I wanted to win," he told Cycle News. A month later at the Prospector 150, he got tangled up with another rider about a mile in and had his visor blown off by roost. He fought all the way back anyway, winning Pro 250 and finishing third overall. He called it "probably the toughest race I've ever done, mentally."

The middle of the season brought a couple of near misses. He led most of the Rabbit Creek 100 in Idaho before settling for second in class and sixth overall, then took second in class and fifth overall at Cherry Creek in Utah. He bounced right back at Round 5 in Little Sahara with another Pro 250 win and fourth overall. Class rival Kayden Lynn put it simply: "Ryder was ripping through the rocks."

Most recently, at the Muley Run in Panaca, Nevada, Ryder won Pro 250 for the fourth time this season and finished third overall, on a 250. "I knew the dust was going to be gnarly, but I knew I was going to be good here, so I just played it smart," he said. With one round to go, he leads Pro 250 points over Lynn, 170 to 149, and sits third in the overall standings.

That's what's next: the series finale at the end of October, with a class title on the line. It's also exactly the kind of racing KOPILOT.ID was built for. When you're miles out in the desert and something goes wrong, the first person to reach you might be another racer, a sweep rider or a medic who's never met you, and you might not be able to tell them anything. KOPILOT.ID is a digital emergency ID that lives on your gear. One tap or scan gives first responders the info they need: who you are, who to call, and the medical details that matter. You don't need an app, and nobody has to dig through your gear on the side of the course.

Good luck at the finale, Ryder. Ride hard, stay safe.

Want to race like Ryder? Grab a KOPILOT.ID for your helmet, bike or pack and set up your profile in minutes.