Behind the Scenes of the Bagger World Cup? I’ll Tell You All About It

Thursday, 09 April 2026 at 10:00

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On Filippo Rovelli’s podium in Austin there’s the hand of Emanuele Pusceddu: here are all the behind-the-scenes of the Bagger World Cup.

From March 27–29 at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, the premiere of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup supporting the Motorcycle World Championship took place. The (controversial) World Cup reserved for the “bagged” maxi-cruiser Road Glide, which replaced MotoE, sparked plenty of debate. Partly because it’s far from the European philosophy. Partly due to the small number of entrants on a grid that included Filippo Rovelli, who managed to deliver a feel-good story in the colors of his ParkingGO Team. With a project finalized at the very last moment, the Gallarate native brought the tricolor to the podium by clinching an unexpected third place in Race 1, followed by a fifth place in Race 2. A double result well above expectations, with the helping hand of… an exceptional mechanic! That would be Emanuele Pusceddu, a familiar face on our national scene and a future Axon Seven Team rider in CIV Superbike, who found himself catapulted across the Atlantic to support Rovelli himself.

Emanuele Pusceddu, is the credit yours?

"Nah, that’s not me. Without a team, a rider achieves nothing, and vice versa."

Humility is the foundation of greatness. So how did this star-spangled experience come about?

"Almost by chance. For several years I’ve run my own setup in the Coppa Italia Velocità (EMC2 Squadra Corse, ed.), offering a full service to a few amateur riders. I have a special relationship with Filippo: we’re friends, we live near each other, and we often train together. When Team ParkingGO decided to take on the Bagger World Cup challenge, we were in Valencia: I was working with my guys, while Filippo was lapping on his training bike with my team supporting him. One evening we got a call from Filippo’s father: they needed a hand, they were in deep s*** just weeks before the start of the championship. They turned to me, and I couldn’t say no. I can handle a couple of wrenches, so I said to myself: why not? As soon as I got back to Italy I went to get my passport. We showed up in Austin “half-cocked,” without a data engineer, let alone a suspension technician. The team group was made up of Filippo, me, and two other guys."

You had to overcome quite a few hurdles...

"When we arrived in the States, we made do by buying components as well as some spare parts. Just to make sure we didn’t miss anything, we were forced right off the bat to skip most of the first day of pre-event testing due to a technical issue. I have to say I didn’t envy Filippo: a track he’d never seen and tough to interpret, a package to figure out from scratch, problems right away. Even so, we didn’t give up. The race weekend was a steady progression, and in the end we treated ourselves to a great satisfaction. The podium was a nice redemption."

Your take on that “beast” of a Road Glide?

"It’s hard to set up and particularly sensitive to changes. It requires a lot of maintenance work and maximum attention. Contrary to what fans and enthusiasts might think—perhaps a bit hastily—Harley-Davidsons are true racing motorcycles. Dedicated swingarm, quick-releases, wheels that slip in with one hand, and various other accessories. Would I like to try them? As a rider I’m a bit curious, I won’t deny it. From what Filippo says, it requires a different approach than usual—overall he had fun and he liked the Road Glide."

The Bagger World Cup was immediately subjected to harsh criticism. What’s your take from the inside?

"Harley-Davidson is betting big on the Bagger World Cup with the aim of bringing a road product closer to the racing world. Those who can afford it should absolutely take part. It’s still a World Cup on the MotoGP bill—what’s better than that? If this format manages to attract new spectators, sponsors, and partners of various kinds, why not? Innovations like this can stimulate the renewal of our scene. What benefit is there in criticizing on principle? None. The organizers made us feel at ease and, in our own small way, made us feel important. For example: even though our tents were far from the main paddock, we took advantage of a very efficient shuttle service provided by the championship. In other environments we would’ve had to walk a long way to reach the track..."

How did it feel to “do it American style” in MotoGP?

"On a personal level it was a first in every sense. First time in the USA, first time following MotoGP, where I found a super professional environment. From the people to the companies involved, no one excluded: they live for—and off—this. In the past I frequented the World Superbike paddock (I have a background in the European Junior Cup and international Superstock 1000, ed.) and compared to the Grand Prix paddock it’s more within reach for us “ordinary mortals.” The COTA in Austin is fabulous, too. In Italy we’re used to the ups and downs of Imola or Mugello, but I would never have imagined that some sections of COTA were so fast: TV shots don’t do it justice. Truly impressive; during the track walk I had fun like a kid at a playground."

Will you repeat the experience with ParkingGO?

"We’ll see. In addition to coordinating my team in the Italian Speed Cup, this year I’ll make my debut in CIV Superbike. Alongside this double commitment, I’ll add a new project: I’ve taken over management of the Pista Alpi Marittime in Salmour, Cuneo for pit bikes. I certainly won’t be short on things to do. ParkingGO will gear up as best as possible for the second round of the season at Mugello (May 29–31, ed.), but if the opportunity comes up again, I won’t back down. Even more so for the home race, in front of the Italian crowd. After all, I’ve lost count of how many briefings I did in Austin: at this point I know the Road Glide by heart!"

Did you manage to resist the temptation of hamburgers?

"... next question?"

Emanuele Pusceddu with Axon Seven Team’s BMW S 1000 RR (credit: Daniele Guazzetti)

Emanuele Pusceddu with the BMW S 1000 RR of Axon Seven Team (credit: Daniele Guazzetti)

Fair enough, let’s move on to your new adventure in CIV. Ready for your Superbike debut?

"Axon Seven Team approached me after I parted ways with Kuja Racing. Initially, the plan was to stay in CIV Supersport with a Yamaha R9 available, but unfortunately the conditions weren’t favorable. By mutual agreement, we decided to try the jump to CIV Superbike with a BMW S 1000 RR (in Production Bike configuration, ed.). I like challenges—after racing in the same category for so many years, I felt the need for new motivation: I wanted to put myself back in the game. I didn’t expect to find myself in the middle of such a competitive and large grid; it really feels like the ‘old’ Supersport. We got started a bit late, but we didn’t do badly in the few tests we’ve had so far, and I like the bike. It will be a season full of unknowns for everyone. The 2025 benchmarks among the Production Bikes should be taken with a grain of salt; a lot will change this year, starting with the protagonists."