The Pedercini team has confirmed that Matteo Baiocco will join their team to contest the 2010 Superbike World Championship season, joining American Roger Lee Hayden on the privateer ZX-10Rs for the year.

The 26-year old won the European Supersport Championship in 2003 and made his debut on the international scene competing in the Supersport World Championship the following season.

In 2006 Baiocco participated in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, claiming third place in the 2007 championship standing.

An ill-fated move to World Superbike with the PSG1 Kawasaki team ended partway through the season when the team folded, however he ended the season with Guandalini Ducati team.

“I’m very happy for the opportunity that has been given to me by the Pedercini family – I’m really excited about next season,” Baiocco said. “After a very difficult 2009 season now I have the opportunity to compete in all the Superbike World Championship races and my targets are to enter the Superpole and to obtain as more points as possible.

“It will be one of the most difficult championship of the Superbike history with 14 official riders but I’m ready to race and work with my team to give the best of myself. I will try to give back some great results to the Pedercini team, Kawasaki, my family and all the sponsors who have had such faith in me.”

The team is also pleased to be running two young riders in 2010, a family-run team managed by ex-WSBK racer Lucio Pedercini.

”We’re very happy with our signing of Matteo. He is a young rider and we hope to realize his full potential,” said team owner Donato Pedercini, father of Lucio. “Baiocco has already shown he can run inside the top fifteen to twenty and we’ll do our best to guide him through the next Superbike World Championship.

“Our team is very motivated to take our two young riders to the their highest level and we are working hard to be ready for the 2010 season in the best possible way. For sure the first two races in Phillip Island will be very difficult for us with two new riders and private bikes, but we’ll try our best as usually. I think the next season will be very open and there are many strong riders and teams and so our target is to do better than in 2009.”