Image: Supplied.

An unexpected withdrawal at Budds Creek has been further clarified by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, citing ongoing shock issues for his decision not to line up in 250MX moto two.

Following the no-show, Red Bull KTM team manager Ian Harrison said that Vialle had not been comfortable with his set-up, and had consequently ‘called it a day’ before the final race of the Pro Motocross season.

The 24-year-old has since added further clarity to the exit, highlighting in a pointed social media post that a ‘broken/fading’ shock was ultimately responsible and has caused dramas throughout his 2025 outdoor campaign.

“I’ve seen some stupid shit online since Budds Creek and I just want to clear it up,” explained Vialle. “I haven’t quit or anything like that. Like everyone knows, and I’m not the only rider in this situation, we’ve been dealing with broken/fading shocks all summer.

“The team and I can see in the data that the shock isn’t working properly, and something happened early in the moto. It’s been really tough for me the last couple of races with the shock, but I still wanted to keep racing and give it my all like I always have my whole career.

“But after the shock broke once again in moto one at Budds Creek, I decided not to race the second moto for my own safety – I’m sure everyone gets that. KTM and the team are working on it, and I’m confident we’ll be good to go for SMX. See you guys there.”

Vialle fell short of his P2 result from last season, finishing fifth in 2025 with two second-place finishes at both the High Point and Southwick Nationals being his best scores, along with a further three overall podiums.

His tenure in the United States is widely-tipped to conclude following this year’s SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) post-season, with a return to Europe as part of a multi-year deal with the Honda HRC program in the MXGP category all but confirmed.