GARCIA AND BAUER SIGN OFF AS CHAMPIONS WITH DOUBLE WINS IN TÜRKIYE

AFYONKARAHISAR (Türkiye) 6 September 2026 - The 2026 EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing seasons reached their conclusion in Afyonkarahisar, and the two riders who arrived in Türkiye holding the red plates left the country holding the gold ones. Neither of them left anything to chance on the way out, with both champions sweeping all four races of the final round.

In EMX250, Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Francisco Garcia rounded off his title campaign with a seventh overall victory of the season, leading team-mate Jake Cannon home in both races and taking his 17th race win of a year that a pre-Lommel injury had threatened to derail. In EMX125, Norman KTM Factory Rookies’ Ricardo Bauer did precisely the same, a sixth overall of the campaign and a tenth race win, while behind him the fight for the silver medal was settled in favour of his team-mate Moritz Ernecker.

Francisco Garcia

The 12th and final round of the EMX250 season opened with a rare holeshot for SixtySeven Racing-Team’s Nicolai Skovbjerg, who had secured second in the championship a round earlier, with Cannon and Garcia tucked in behind him and Byron Dennis, Team VHR Yamaha Official’s Mano Faure and Cat Moto Bauerschmidt KTM’s Mads Fredsoe all in the top seven. Garcia needed barely a lap to sort it out, going inside on Cannon and then taking Skovbjerg for a lead he never gave back, and from there the Spaniard simply controlled the race. Behind him it turned on errors. Faure tipped over and lost time, then lost fifth to GABRIEL SS24 KTM Factory Juniors’ Gyan Doensen on lap 11. Dennis made a mistake of his own from third on lap nine, opening the door for Cannon to move up and go after Skovbjerg. Team VHR Yamaha Official’s Jarne Bervoets found a way up the inside of Maddii Racing Team Honda’s Nicolo Alvisi for 11th on lap 10, and with two laps left Cannon completed his afternoon by taking second back off Skovbjerg, a move that all but confirmed his bronze medal. Garcia took the win by 5.160s from Cannon, with Skovbjerg third, Dennis fourth and Doensen fifth.

The final race of the 2026 EMX250 season was decided inside the first two corners. Alvisi looked to have the holeshot but came under immediate pressure, and by the exit of the second corner Garcia had swept around the outside from third to first in one clean move, with Cannon following him through into second. By turn four it was another Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki one-two, and neither man was headed again. Cat Moto Bauerschmidt KTM’s Francesco Bellei took third early and held it for all 14 laps for his best result of the weekend. Dennis threw away a genuine podium chance when he fell from fourth on lap three and rejoined ninth, recovering only as far as sixth by the flag, while Skovbjerg picked off Faure to take fourth on lap seven. Garcia crossed the line around three seconds clear of Cannon, with Bellei third, Skovbjerg fourth and Doensen fifth.

A 1-1 gave Garcia his seventh overall of the season ahead of Cannon on 2-2 and Skovbjerg, whose 3-4 was enough for third on the day. The 2026 EMX250 championship therefore closes with Garcia on 496 points, Skovbjerg on 403 and Cannon on 358, with Doensen fourth on 296 and Fredsoe fifth on 284. That seventh overall of the year also carries Garcia to 10 overall wins in his EMX250 career which past every rider who has gone before him in the class: no one in EMX250 history has won more rounds.

Francisco Garcia: “It was really, really difficult, but now I can say I don’t care. One week before Lommel I got injured, so I was thinking I can’t race. I came to Sweden with no training, with nothing, and I won the two races. I went to Arnhem and it was so difficult for me, but I don’t care, I win the championship. I am really happy. The season was really difficult but I like this, I like to fight and to come back. We will see next year, but for sure I will be training so hard to be the best.”

Nicolai Skovbjerg: “It’s better than what I expected, but I also put in the work in the winter, I will say that together with Emil. Really good year. We finally figured the start out with the team. I wish now was the beginning of the championship, because then I could be fighting for it as well. I can’t complain, it’s been a really good year and a really good end to the year, so I’m really happy.”

Jake Cannon: “I feel like it was a big improvement from last year. The first half went really well, I felt strong, but my sand skills kind of let me down a little bit. I had a few bad races with some bike issues as well, which just didn’t help in the championship. I’m happy with my efforts, I gave my all and I have no regrets.”

1. Francisco Garcia; 2. EMX250 Start Turkiye 2026

EMX250 - Race 1 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), 30:05.093; 2. Jake Cannon (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:05.160; 3. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:06.292; 4. Byron Dennis (AUS, KTM), +0:07.133; 5. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), +0:15.335; 6. Mano Faure (FRA, Yamaha), +0:27.190; 7. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), +0:34.878; 8. Francesco Bellei (ITA, KTM), +0:37.716; 9. Lyonel Reichl (LIE, KTM), +0:41.314; 10. Simone Mancini (ITA, Ducati), +0:43.689

EMX250 - Race 2 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), [time TBC]; 2. Jake Cannon (AUS, Kawasaki), [gap TBC]; 3. Francesco Bellei (ITA, KTM), [gap TBC]; 4. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, Husqvarna), [gap TBC]; 5. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), [gap TBC]; 6. Byron Dennis (AUS, KTM), [gap TBC]; 7. Mano Faure (FRA, Yamaha), [gap TBC]; 8. Lyonel Reichl (LIE, KTM), [gap TBC]; 9. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), [gap TBC]; 10. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, Yamaha), [gap TBC]

EMX250 Overall - Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 50 points; 2. Jake Cannon (AUS, KAW), 44 p.; 3. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, HUS), 38 p.; 4. Francesco Bellei (ITA, KTM), 33 p.; 5. Byron Dennis (AUS, KTM), 33 p.; 6. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Mano Faure (FRA, YAM), 29 p.; 8. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Lyonel Reichl (LIE, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, YAM), 21 p.

EMX250 Championship - Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 496 points; 2. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, HUS), 403 p.; 3. Jake Cannon (AUS, KAW), 358 p.; 4. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 296 p.; 5. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 284 p.; 6. Nicolo Alvisi (ITA, HON), 236 p.; 7. Francesco Bellei (ITA, KTM), 214 p.; 8. Tom Brunet (FRA, [bike TBC]), 197 p.; 9. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, [bike TBC]), 170 p.; 10. Simone Mancini (ITA, DUC), 162 p.

EMX250 Manufacturers - Top 10 Classification: 1. Kawasaki, 537 points; 2. KTM, 465 p.; 3. Husqvarna, 409 p.; 4. Yamaha, 348 p.; 5. Honda, 283 p.; 6. Triumph, 198 p.; 7. GASGAS, 167 p.; 8. Ducati, 162 p.

Left to rgiht: Andrea Barbieri, FIM Europe Chairman, 2026 EMX250 Championshp Podium, Infront Moto Racing President & CEO David Luongo

Ricardo Bauer

Round 10 of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing series began with the newly crowned Bauer sweeping to the head of the field, and it stayed that way. SWISSMOTO’s Emil Ziemer ran second on the opening lap before team-mate Ryan Oppliger took the place on lap two, while Brian Gyles briefly showed in third for Britain before a couple of mistakes at the end of the lap pushed him back. Yamaha Europe Monster Energy MJC’s Sleny Goyer picked off Fantic Factory Racing EMX’s Bertram Thorius for fourth on lap eight, then inherited third when Ziemer went down on lap 11 and slipped to fifth behind Thorius. There were no such problems at the front. Bauer took his sixth win in a row and the ninth of his season by 4.663s from Oppliger, with Goyer third, Thorius fourth and Ziemer fifth. Norman KTM Factory Rookies’ Moritz Ernecker, still in the fight for the silver medal, came home sixth, ahead of Fantic Factory Racing EMX’s Gennaro Utech, Gyles, RFME Spain National Team pair Pau Caudet and Jordi Alba, and home rider Deniz Karahan, who picked up good points in 11th.

Bauer got the jump again in the final race of 2026, but Goyer swept from third to first on the exit of the second corner, taking both Norman KTM Factory Rookies machines in one move, and led the opening three laps. Bauer had to go the long way around the Frenchman on lap four and, once ahead, was gone. Oppliger threw away a strong result when he tipped out of fourth towards the end of the opening lap and rejoined eighth, and Goyer’s own fall on lap nine handed second to Ernecker, which ultimately settled the silver medal. Thorius found a good drive to take fourth off Ziemer late on, only to hand it straight back with a mistake, and then came under pressure from the recovering Oppliger. Bauer completed the sweep by 5.705s from Ernecker, with Goyer third, Ziemer fourth and Thorius fifth.

Bauer’s 1-1 was his third straight double of the season and gave him a sixth overall of the year, with Goyer second overall on 40 points and Ernecker third on 37, ahead of Oppliger on the same score. The final EMX125 championship reads Bauer on 419 points, Ernecker on 344 and Goyer on 336, with Thorius fourth on 290 and Ziemer fifth on 264. It also completes a clean sweep for Norman KTM Factory Rookies. Between them, Bauer and Ernecker won every single round of the 2026 EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing series, six overalls for Bauer and four for Ernecker, and took 16 of the 20 races along the way.

Ricardo Bauer: “I think I ended the season as I wanted to. I want to thank everyone who’s been around: Uncle Scott, my trainer, my family, everyone who’s been around to help me achieve this dream. We worked hard over the winter to get where I am now, so I’m pretty happy. On to a new chapter.”

Moritz Ernecker: “In the beginning of the year I was pretty much dominant and it was unfortunate that I got the injury, but it is what it is. I had to miss my mechanic this weekend because he had an accident, so I wish him a speedy recovery as well, I know he’s watching. It was a fun year and we keep on working for next year.”

Sleny Goyer: “It was a really good season, up there again almost every time, and a good feeling on the bike. That was fun. Thank you to everyone, my team and my family, and we will see next year.”

Left to right: Andrea Barbieri, 2026 EMX125 Championship Podium, David Luongo

EMX125 - Race 1 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 30:49.329; 2. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), +0:04.663; 3. Sleny Goyer (FRA, Yamaha), +0:34.868; 4. Bertram Thorius (DEN, Fantic), +0:44.065; 5. Emil Ziemer (SUI, KTM), +0:55.270; 6. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), +0:56.150; 7. Gennaro Utech (ITA, Fantic), +1:08.323; 8. Brian Gyles (GBR, KTM), +1:09.259; 9. Pau Caudet (ESP, GASGAS), +1:24.570; 10. Jordi Alba (ESP, KTM), +2:06.339

EMX125 - Race 2 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 31:16.823; 2. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), +0:05.705; 3. Sleny Goyer (FRA, Yamaha), +0:12.320; 4. Emil Ziemer (SUI, KTM), +0:17.184; 5. Bertram Thorius (DEN, Fantic), +0:23.100; 6. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), +0:23.730; 7. Jordi Alba (ESP, KTM), +0:24.672; 8. Gennaro Utech (ITA, Fantic), +0:30.144; 9. Brian Gyles (GBR, KTM), +0:41.962; 10. Pau Caudet (ESP, GASGAS), +1:01.411

EMX125 Overall - Top 10 Classification: 1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 50 points; 2. Sleny Goyer (FRA, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), 37 p.; 4. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), 37 p.; 5. Emil Ziemer (SUI, KTM), 34 p.; 6. Bertram Thorius (DEN, FAN), 34 p.; 7. Gennaro Utech (ITA, FAN), 27 p.; 8. Jordi Alba (ESP, KTM), 25 p.; 9. Brian Gyles (GBR, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Pau Caudet (ESP, GAS), 23 p.

EMX125 Championship - Top 10 Classification: 1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 419 points; 2. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), 344 p.; 3. Sleny Goyer (FRA, YAM), 336 p.; 4. Bertram Thorius (DEN, FAN), 290 p.; 5. Emil Ziemer (SUI, KTM), 264 p.; 6. Gennaro Utech (ITA, FAN), 250 p.; 7. David Cracco (ITA, [bike TBC]), 189 p.; 8. Liam Bruneau (FRA, [bike TBC]), 177 p.; 9. Riccardo Pini (ITA, [bike TBC]), 169 p.; 10. Lucas Leok (EST, [bike TBC]), 165 p.

EMX125 Manufacturers - Top 10 Classification: 1. KTM, 489 points; 2. Yamaha, 396 p.; 3. Fantic, 341 p.; 4. TM Moto, 242 p.; 5. GASGAS, 110 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 72 p.

Ricardo Bauer