MXGP

ALMONTE (Andalucia, Spain), 22nd March 2026 – The second round of the 2026 FIM World Motocross Championships saw the series ignite in Europe for the first time, and the local Spanish fans filled the revamped facility of the Circuito di Motocross di Almonte, an atypical circuit for this country with a sandy surface that made for a tough day’s racing for the MXGP elite.

After rain hit the track earlier in the week, Sunday’s weather was dry and overcast, giving near enough perfect conditions for both racers and spectators, who created an incredible atmosphere as they got behind their local riders in particular!

One rider completely dominated the event in MXGP, as Lucas Coenen went 1-1-1 across the weekend to take his 17th career Grand Prix victory, his seventh in the premier class, and he now leads the Championship for the first time in his career!

Jeffrey Herlings gave chase all day to claim a brace of seconds for Honda HRC Petronas, while Tim Gajser moved forward through both races to take his first podium finish for his new team Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP.

In MX2, history was made for the Triumph Racing Factory Team by South African Camden McLellan, who took the first ever Grand Prix victory for both himself and the British manufacturer in its current form.  His teammate Guillem Farres had delighted his home crowd with a great win in race one, but was prevented from challenging for the overall at the start of race two. 

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Simon Längenfelder and Sacha Coenen rounded out the podium, but McLellan will attach his, and Triumph’s, first ever red plate to his machine as they head to round three in Switzerland!

With a raucous atmosphere and a surprisingly challenging circuit, the inaugural event at Almonte was a memorable occasion for spectators and competitors alike as MXGP launched into its European season in style!

Main Photo: Lucas Coenen; Top Photo: MXGP Start Andalucia 2026

Right until the end of the MXGP Warm-Up, it looked like Jeffrey Herlings had kept his perfect record for the season of the fastest time in every session, until the very closing seconds of the session when a shock lap from Alberto Forato put him to the top of the timesheets for Fantic Factory Racing MXGP by four-tenths of a second! Tim Gajser was third behind Herlings, while Forato’s teammate Brent van Doninck took fourth!

As the pack tore into first corner of race one, Tom Vialle took his first Fox Holeshot Award in the MXGP class for Honda HRC Petronas, while his teammate Herlings survived a flirtation with the outside of the circuit and rounded turn two in third position behind the Frenchman and Qualifying Race winner Coenen.  Andrea Adamo snapped his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine into fourth ahead of defending Champion Romain Febvre for Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP. 

Behind them, there was a pile-up on the exit of turn one as Calvin Vlaanderen tangled with Gajser, putting the Red Bull Ducati Factory MX Team rider on the ground and collecting the MRT Racing Team Beta of Jago Geerts, plus Honda HRC Petronas’ home hero Ruben Fernandez, to the anguish of the crowd!

Vialle held on to lead into the first full lap, under pressure from Coenen and Herlings.  Then the trio hit the wave section almost bar-to-bar-to-bar, the Belgian using a fast outside line to dive into the lead, but “The Bullet” was frustrated in his first effort to get past his teammate. He had to wait for another full lap to make the move, by which time Coenen had already started to get the hammer down.

Maxime Renaux was ahead of his Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP teammate Gajser outside the top five, with Kay de Wolf in eighth for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing. Coenen hit his top pace with a blazing Acerbis Fastest Lap of the whole day on lap four of the race, rapidly extending his lead but never looking like he was pushing too hard, too soon.

Renaux started to move up the order, passing Adamo at the end of the longest jump section on lap seven, and as he started to look interested in the next spot, Febvre passed Vialle for third with a big double jump that only the 450cc machines could attempt, right in front of the packed grandstands!  Renaux was able to get up to fourth with three laps to go, a confidence-boosting ride for the Yamaha man.

Gajser also got past Adamo over a big tabletop jump on lap 15, leaving the Italian in seventh, while Ben Watson claimed his best MXGP result in Spain with a solid ride to eighth for Dirt Store Triumph Racing. Mattia Guadagnini took ninth for Venrooy KTM, and De Wolf faded to tenth in his first race back from injury. 

Coenen took his 38th GP race win by over 20 seconds, and left his competition scratching their heads as he also took the Championship lead from Vialle.

Straight out of the gate in the second race, Watson’s good weekend took an unfortunate turn as he clashed with Herlings and hit the floor! Flashing round the outside was his domestic Championship rival Oriol Oliver, taking his first Fox Holeshot Award in MXGP for Gabriel SS24 KTM to the roar of his countrymen in the crowd!  The two Red Bull KTMs of Adamo and Coenen were in his wake, and this time Vlaanderen started will in fourth, although he was passed by Herlings for that spot after a third of a lap!

Before they crossed the finish line for the first time, both Coenen and Herlings had got past Adamo, then in successive laps the top two blitzed past the Spaniard through the waves, as Herlings tried grimly to hang on to the pace of the teenager.  Even a momentary stall for Lucas didn’t give his rivals any hope, and while Herlings kept the gap to a slightly lower 12 seconds at the close, it was still a dominant performance for Coenen.

Febvre got up to third by lap five, but Gajser looked to have found more speed and was closing on his long-time rival. On a fast right-hand corner the Frenchman got crossed up and went down hard, unable to get upright for several minutes and was helped off the circuit, not looking seriously hurt but too far down to contemplate returning to action.  It was his first non-score in a full GP race since July 2024.

Behind Gajser, Adamo took a season-best fourth, and Vlaanderen a fine fifth after passing Vialle.  Renaux also passed his fellow Frenchman for the second time in the GP, giving him sixth in the race and fourth in the GP behind his teammate Gajser.  Adamo was fifth overall ahead of Vialle and De Wolf, who improved to a steady eighth in race two.  Pauls Jonass, a non-scorer after a crash in race one, took ninth in the second outing ahead of Forato. The Italian took tenth overall behind Vlaanderen.  Febvre’s single result was still enough for eighth overall.

Fernandez had a better second race, still feeling unwell but struggling to eleventh in both race two and the overall, and the fast-starting Oliver ended the race in twelfth.

For the first time ever, Lucas Coenen was presented with a red plate on a GP podium.  He had worn a red plate after the first MX2 Qualifying Race of 2024, but swiftly lost it with a crash that day.  He now leads the series by eight points over Herlings, with Vialle another five further back. Febvre remains in fourth, level with Renaux and with Gajser just one point behind. 

There is still everything to play for, but Coenen’s sheer pace on the tough Spanish track will worry his rivals, and we now head to the track where he took his first victory in the class less than twelve months ago.  Will he go on a rampage, or will his many titled rivals step up to the plate? Find out next weekend!

 Lucas Coenen: “Overall, the track really suited me this weekend. I found some good lines and had a good flow, and the starts helped a lot, I was up front every time. Once I got into the lead, I could just do my own thing and manage the races. It was a perfect weekend where everything clicked. Even with the pain in the second race [blister], I just kept going, it’s worth it for the win. And having the red plate for the first time since I started is an amazing feeling, but it’s still a long season, so we need to stay consistent.”

Jeffrey Herlings: “Yesterday was tough. I had a crash at the start and hurt my back and neck quite badly, so I was pretty sore all weekend. That cost me some points again, like in Argentina. But on Sunday I felt better, got good starts and was there fighting near the front. Lucas was the best this weekend, no excuses, he was faster. I think even without the crash, it would have been difficult to beat him. There are still a lot of races to go, and anything can happen. The level is really high, so it’s going to be an exciting season.”

Tim Gajser: “It feels good to be on the podium. We are still testing things and making changes, especially with the suspension, but I felt much better as the weekend went on. The starts didn’t help, I was outside the top ten both races, but in the second race I could push more, make passes and ride more aggressively. We are moving in the right direction, but there is still work to do. We will keep improving and try to take another step in the next races.”

    
1. Jeffrey Herlings; 2. Tim Gajser

MXGP - Grand Prix Race 1 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:53.443; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), +0:20.573; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:38.005; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:49.453; 5. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +0:51.172; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:53.074; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:58.340; 8. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), +1:00.206; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +1:09.054; 10. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +1:16.376;

MXGP - Grand Prix Race 2 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 35:20.181; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), +0:12.803; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:24.976; 4. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:49.029; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:55.391; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:58.674; 7. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +1:00.483; 8. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +1:01.485; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +1:03.193; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +1:04.636

MXGP Overall - Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 50 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 44 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 35 p.; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 33 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 30 p.; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 24 p.; 8. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 20 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 19 p.; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 19 p

MXGP - World Championship - Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 102 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 94 p.; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 89 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 75 p.; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 75 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 74 p.; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 69 p.; 8. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 51 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 49 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 40 p.

MXGP - Manufacturers Classification: 1. Honda, 113 points; 2. KTM, 102 p.; 3. Yamaha, 88 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 87 p.; 5. Ducati, 51 p.; 6. Fantic, 40 p.; 7. Husqvarna, 24 p.; 8. Triumph, 20 p.; 9. Beta, 15 p.

MXGP Podium Andalucia 2026

Camden Mc Lellan

The Warm-Up session already caused excitement for the local fans as their hero in MX2, Guillem Farres, took the fastest time by a quarter of a second for the Triumph Racing Factory Team, with Valerio Lata enjoying a good session in second for Honda HRC Petronas. Qualifying Race winner Sacha Coenen was third.

It was almost a shock that the Holeshot king of the last two years had to wait until the third opportunity to take his first Fox Holeshot Award of the 2026 campaign, but Sacha rocketed into the lead and looked strong at the beginning of race one.  He was almost unnoticed, however, as the crowd were roaring for Farres in second place!  With his number coloured like the national flag on his back, the Triumph man held off the reigning Champion Längenfelder, until suddenly Coenen dropped the bike in front of the Monster Energy rig and made that battle one for the lead!

The German couldn’t quite hold the pace, and the charge was coming from behind him.  After fighting past rookie Janis Reisulis on the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 machine, Camden McLellan was building momentum, especially through the wave section where he gained significant time every lap! He past the Champ there on lap eight, and set after his teammate out front!

Mathis Valin had got past his successor as EMX250 Champion, Janis Reisulis, to take fourth on the same lap, and the young duo were to finish in those positions as Liam Everts had a quiet ride to sixth for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing. Sacha Coenen was only able to recover to seventh, with Valerio Lata fighting forwards to eighth for Honda HRC Petronas. 

Karlis Reisulis, brother and teammate to Janis, took a steady ninth ahead of the Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki of Kay Karssemakers, revelling in the sand! 

The battle of the Triumphs was mesmerising! Well known in the Paddock for being good friends, training partners and housemates, they fought hard as the South African continually made ground in the waves, but the Spaniard held him off!  With his supporters urging him on, Farres was inspired to hold on and take the race win, just 1.6 seconds ahead of Camden, and he headed straight to the largest bank of spectators for an emotional celebration!  Längenfelder’s third had just about kept the series lead in his possession, however.

With all eyes on him to repeat the feat, Farres sadly never got the opportunity.  Visibly hunting for gears down the start straight of race two, he was called into Pit Lane and ultimately just given a Pit Board instruction to “STOP”, and his dreams of a home GP win were shattered. 

Längenfelder had taken the Fox Holeshot Award, but got pushed wide immediately as Coenen took the lead into turn two. McLellan was better placed this time, although his progress was delayed by an opportunistic move from Lata into the fourth corner of the race!

Everts was fifth early on, but seemed to be struggling for pace.  Valin passed the Belgian on lap eight, and Janis Reisulis put him down to seventh two laps later. That’s where he stayed for seventh overall, with Karlis Reisulis eighth and Karssemakers ninth, although the Dutchman would be tenth overall behind Farres’ points from his race win. Julius Mikula, after a big crash on Saturday, recovered well to take tenth in race two for Osička KTM.

With Coenen not motoring away at the front, McLellan could afford to be patient in his pursuit of Lata, and on lap eleven he used his speed through the waves to catch the Italian before carving inside the Honda man through the next corner!  Just three laps later he was onto Coenen, pulling a supreme pass through, where else, the wave section, and immediately started to pull away. 

Längenfelder passed Lata on the final lap to confirm himself in second overall ahead of Coenen, who went 7-2.  Janis Reisulis also passed Valin on the final lap to take fifth, but fourth overall ahead of the Frenchman, with Lata’s 8-4 races good enough for sixth.

It was a commanding first overall victory for McLellan, however, in a stunning display of raw pace that could stake himself a claim to being the best MX2 rider in the sand.  And it marks the arrival of Triumph as a winning manufacturer in the modern Motocross world.  An incredible day for all concerned!

Now carrying the red plate, the determined South African has a two-point lead over the defending Champ, as they head to a track where the German was near perfect last year.  Will that form book be turned on its head?!

There are still many questions to be answered in the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championships.  Join us very soon for the next instalment in this compelling drama!

Camden McLellan: “It feels really good. It’s a special weekend for me. Since my last race win in Trentino, a long time coming that makes it even more sweet. The red plate is a nice bonus as well. The first race was more chaotic and a big fight until the last corner, but the second race I controlled more. I waited for the right moment, made my moves, and everything was quite calculated. I didn’t want my first overall without a race win, so to take both is really satisfying.”

Simon Längenfelder: “I felt good, but not perfect. Today Camden [Mc Lellan] was just stronger and faster, so I didn’t take any risks. I focused on my rhythm and did my own race. 3-3 is not too bad for the championship. Every point counts, especially in such a competitive class, so consistency is really important.”

Sacha Coenen: “The first race was difficult. I had arm pump from the beginning and made a mistake, so it was hard to come back. In the second race I had a better start and felt better, but I still made a small mistake and couldn’t fight for the win. I need to be more consistent and make fewer mistakes, but overall there are still positives to take from the weekend.”

    
1. Simon Längenfelder; 2. Sacha Coenen

MX2 - Grand Prix Race 1 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), 33:54.093; 2. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:01.623; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:11.796; 4. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:12.990; 5. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:27.569; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:30.409; 7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:42.848; 8. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +0:55.174; 9. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +1:14.100; 10. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Kawasaki), +1:17.666;

MX2 - Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), 34:05.274; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:04.560; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:11.209; 4. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +0:16.718; 5. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:35.328; 6. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:35.989; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:42.479; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:43.754; 9. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Kawasaki), +1:01.319; 10. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +1:11.791;

MX2 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 47 points; 2. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Mathis Valin (FRA, KAW), 33 p.; 5. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Valerio Lata (ITA, HON), 31 p.; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 29 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 25 p.; 10. Kay Karssemakers (NED, KAW), 23 p.; 

MX2 - World Championship Classification: 1. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 99 points; 2. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), 97 p.; 3. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 80 p.; 4. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 78 p.; 5. Mathis Valin (FRA, KAW), 76 p.; 6. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 76 p.; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 74 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 57 p.; 9. Valerio Lata (ITA, HON), 48 p.; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), 40 p.;

MX2 - Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 112 points; 2. Triumph, 110 p.; 3. Yamaha, 77 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 76 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 74 p.; 6. Honda, 57 p.; 7. TM, 39 p.; 8. GASGAS, 13 p.; 9. Ducati, 9 p.; 10. Fantic, 8 p.

MX2 Podium Andalucia 2026

Wath Highlights Click Below

All the photos from the MXGP of Andalucia will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

MXGP OF ANDALUCIA QUICK FACTS:

Circuit length: 1700m

Type of ground: Sand

Temperature: 20°

Weather conditions: Sunny

Crowd Attendance: 37,500

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXGP Andalucia

AMONTE (Andalucia, Spain) 22nd March 2026 - Infront Moto Racing is pleased to announce the renewal of its agreement with Arnhem, securing the MXGP of The Netherlands on the MXGP calendar for the next three years.

Following the outstanding success of recent editions, Arnhem has firmly established itself as one of the most iconic and demanding stops on the MXGP World Championship calendar. The deep, technical sand circuit continues to deliver spectacular racing while drawing passionate crowds from across the Netherlands and beyond.

Renowned for its challenging terrain, Arnhem’s sand track provides the ultimate test for riders and machinery alike. It is also a venue that holds special significance for the many talented Dutch riders, who relish the opportunity to compete on home soil in front of their fans.

The Netherlands has long been a cornerstone of motocross heritage, producing some of the sport’s greatest sand specialists. With Arnhem confirmed through the coming seasons, fans can look forward to more unforgettable moments as national heroes rise to the challenge in one of the toughest GPs of the year.

The continuation of this partnership reinforces the importance of the Dutch Grand Prix within the MXGP calendar, ensuring that Arnhem remains a must-visit destination for riders, teams, and fans alike.

David Luongo, Infront Moto Racing CEO & President: “Arnhem has been established on the calendar for many years now, and Dik and his team have really elevated the level of organisation of Grands Prix in the Netherlands. From the moment we arrived at this venue, in terms of infrastructure, paddock and overall environment, we made a big step forward in how races are delivered. Dik is a fantastic and very passionate person, always giving everything to improve the facility year after year. Big investments are being made on site, and this is extremely important for the GPs and for us, because the Netherlands is a key country for motocross. We also see it on the sporting side, with a fantastic generation of riders in MXGP and in the European classes, thanks to the investment in youth development. By renewing this contract, we are securing this race for the long term. This is also important for the organiser, as it allows them to invest even more and continue improving the venue. Last year’s edition was great, with a lot of fans, and the atmosphere continues to grow with the current level of riders in the championship. I see many great years ahead and on behalf of Infront Moto Racing, I’m very proud to renew this agreement.

Antonio Alia Portela, FIM / CMS Director: “Arnhem has become the hotspot of the Motocross World Championship in the Netherlands, and it has improved every year for the series. This is a very positive point for the FIM as we continue to raise standards. We have to be very thankful to Dik and his team, and by giving continuity to Arnhem, we are strengthening the championship. This will help define the future level of MXGP events. It is a pleasure to announce this continuation, and it will receive full support from the sporting side. We know the organiser will continue to implement all the developments requested in recent years, improving facilities, access, safety, and overall experience. It’s a pleasure to make this announcement together.”

Dik Van Wiskelaar, Organizer of MXGP of The Netherlands: “For us, it’s very important to have a long-term agreement, because it allows us to invest more and improve the event step by step every year. We now have very good cooperation with the army, which improved again last year, and also with the government, who are very supportive. This is important because we are located in a natural area and obtaining permissions every year is not always easy. A lot of people are involved in making this event happen, and every year the organisation grows stronger. We will continue working, together with Infront Moto Racing and the FIM to improve the track and the overall venue, and for me it’s also important to build something for the future, so this can continue and have a strong foundation to build on.”

* Main Photo: (Left to Right): Antonio Alia Portela, Dik Van Wikselaar, David Luongo

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXGP The Netherlands

ALMONTE (Andalucia, Spain) 21st March 2026 – In front of a packed crowd of eager Spanish fans, the MXGP of Andalucia saw FIM Motocross World Championship racing for the first time at the Circuito di Motocross di Almonte, on an uncharacteristically soft surface for this part of the world that started to dry out as the sun hit the area for the afternoon’s action!

In a dominant display for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Lucas Coenen powered to his first race win of the year through the deep sand after an early pass on Tom Vialle. The new Honda HRC Petronas rider held on for second place, with Maxime Renaux bringing home a strong third place for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP.

Lucas’ victory completed a second perfect Saturday for the Belgian family, as Sacha Coenen had already taken his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine to the Qualifying Race win in the MX2 class.  There was another battle amongst the Triumph Racing Factory Team pairing of Camden McLellan and Guillem Farres, with the home hero losing second to the South African in the closing laps, but still taking a loudly-cheered third in front of his home fans!

Above all, it was fantastic to see the first European crowd of the season pack out the new venue to get their first in-person views of the riders in their 2026 guises! We should see even more of them here tomorrow!

Main Photo: Lucas Coenen; Top Photo: MXGP Start Almonte 2026

There was an early indication of just how closely this GP could be contested in Free Practice, as red plate holder, for the first time in 1,602 days, Jeffrey Herlings hit the top of the first MXGP session for Honda HRC Petronas by a mere one-thousandth of a second over Lucas Coenen!

The Time Practice session saw Herlings and Coenen again battle it out, the top spot going back and forth between the two sand masters, until the Dutchman pulled clear by just three hundredths of a seconds with his final flying lap! Behind Coenen was Kay de Wolf, obviously well recovered from his hand injury to claim third in his first MXGP Time Practice for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing.  The stage was set for a showdown in the Saturday sun!

Sadly for Herlings, the only contest with Coenen was lost from the gate drop, as the Belgian teenager jumped ahead of his Dutch rival down the start straight, and suddenly it got worse for “The Bullet” as his front wheel dug in to the soft ground in the first corner, sending him over the bars!  De Wolf was unable to avoid the stricken Honda and went down as well, along with Fantic Factory Racing MXGP rider Brent van Doninck!

Vialle led the pack through the first and second corners, but Coenen swept around the Frenchman on the outside of the third turn to decisively take the lead, and from there he was never headed, making a break instantly, although he almost crashed in doing so as he got a corner wrong at the end of his second full lap!

Renaux held third ahead of the Venrooy KTM of Mattia Guadagnini, after the Italian survived his own scare in the first corner, while Calvin Vlaanderen was fifth for Red Bull Ducati Factory MX Team, until he got past the Italian with a fine inside move. 

With more to do, Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre had to make an early pass on Fantic Factory Racing MXGP’s Alberto Forato, then the defending Champion hunted down Guadagnini to take fifth on lap three.  He made the same calculating inside move on Vlaanderen, although he needed a little more aggression to make the Ducati man concede fourth place!

Herlings and De Wolf began to carve through the pack, swapping places several times between themselves as they did so! Meanwhile, Febvre soon caught Renaux, but his compatriot would not allow the Champ an easy pass and kept him at bay for the entire race!

Behind Vlaanderen’s fine fifth, the best Ducati result of the young season, came a spirited ride from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star Andrea Adamo. With four laps to go, the Italian made a solid inside pass on the Monster Energy Yamaha of Tim Gajser, before hauling in Guadagnini to take sixth on the final lap!

Ben Watson collected the first points for Dirt Store Triumph in MXGP with ninth spot after working through from the very back, due to just missing the first turn melee, passing Forato with three laps to go! Herlings fought all the way to 11^th, a frustrating two and a half seconds behind the Fantic man, with De Wolf not far behind!

As Coenen cruised to a 15-second victory, the all-French battle nearly caught Vialle, but the youngest of the three re-took the red plate with this second position, and now has a four-point advantage over Febvre, with Coenen now third ahead of Herlings! 

For the second Saturday in a row this season, the young guns had their day in Qualifying.  Will Sunday swing back to the more experienced stars, or are the winds of change ready to brush them aside?!  Tomorrow will give us a super-tough sandy circuit to challenge every single one of them.  You don’t dare miss this one!

Lucas Coenen: “A win is never easy, but I really enjoyed it out there. I made a big mistake at one point, but I’m trying to push myself and learn, even on the difficult sections. The track is fun but very technical, so tomorrow is going to be tough, but I’m looking forward to some good battles.”

Tom Vialle: “I had a great start, which helped a lot, and I’m happy with that. The track was really tricky,  sandy on top but hard underneath so it was important to stay consistent. I had Maxime [Renaux] behind me, but I could control the gap. It’s a good Saturday, and we’ll work on a few things to be even better tomorrow.”

Maxime Renaux: “I was under a lot of pressure during the race and my arms were really pumped, so it was a tough one. I’m happy to finish in the top three, but we still have work to do with the bike. We’re not there yet, but it’s a good step and we’ll keep building for tomorrow.”

    
1. Tom Vialle; 2. Maxime Renaux

MXGP - Qualifying Race Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 24:43.682; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +0:15.550; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:17.362; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:18.264; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:28.722; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:31.581; 7. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +0:33.531; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:36.874; 9. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), +0:42.877; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +0:44.653

MXGP - World Championship Classification: 1. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 59 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 55 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 52 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 50 p.; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 42 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 39 p.; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 37 p.; 8. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 32 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 30 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 28 p.;

Sacha Coenen

After struggling with sickness in Argentina, Liam Everts made his presence felt with the fastest time in Free Practice for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, but only by a whisker after his last lap knocked Janis Reisulis off the top spot.  The Latvian was just eight hundredths of a second down for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2!

It was all change in the Time Practice session, however, as Camden McLellan set the top time for Triumph, showing again his strength in sandy going, while Simon Längenfelder took second, three tenths back for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, marginally ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team MX2’s Mathis Valin.

For the fourth straight race, however, a Reisulis brother on a Monster Energy Yamaha claimed the best start, as Janis did all he could to pull away from the pack!  The home crowd urged on Guillem Farres, who was instantly second, but the roars turned to howls of anguish as the Spaniard nearly came to grief with a brutally hard landing from a big jump into turn four of the opening lap!

Shaken slightly, he was powerless to prevent Sacha Coenen from blasting past him through the wave section, after the Belgian had already blitzed into third around the fast-starting SB Racing KTM of Jens Walvoort.  Valin was briefly fifth, but a charging McLellan had not started well, and passed the Frenchman by the end of the first full lap!

It took the South African until lap four to get past sand fly Walvoort, then the two Triumph riders got to snap at the heels of Coenen while the younger Reisulis brother enjoyed some clear air out front.

Längenfelder had also not gated well, having to fight past Walvoort just after Valin did on lap six, while Everts had a quiet race to seventh place, just ahead of Karlis Reisulis on his Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 machine. The Latvian, along with Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki rider Kay Karssemakers, both passed Walvoort on the final lap to put the Dutchman into a final tenth position.

It took until after two-thirds distance for Coenen to catch and pass Janis Reisulis for the lead, which he did with an inside line at the end of the longest jump-filled straight here on lap nine.  Farres and McLellan followed suit either side of the finish line jump to take second and third, and the Latvian also fell prey to Längenfelder, but the rookie still registered fifth place and is getting used to the pace and intensity of Grand Prix racing!

McLellan made a sweet pass on Farres to clinch second place with two laps to go, and the Spaniard just held off the reigning Champion for third to send the local fans into raptures!  Längenfelder’s fourth place, ahead of Janis Reisulis and Valin, was enough for the German to retain the red plate, but the Triumph boys are closing in!

Sacha Coenen’s fourth career Qualifying Race win still only leaves him in seventh place in the standings, but he is only 15 points down on Längenfelder, which goes to show just how competitive MX2 is this season!

Will the twins match today’s success to become the first ever twin brothers to win GPs on the same day?! There are four full races of action tomorrow for them to go for that, but many others will have their say! The atmosphere is building towards what should be a very well-attended Grand Prix Sunday tomorrow, and we can’t wait to see the latest developments in the still embryonic story of the 2026 MXGP series!

Sacha Coenen: “It was a difficult race, the track was really sketchy, but I made it happen. When I made the move, I just put my head down and focused on my laps. In the end I could control it, so I’m happy to bounce back from last weekend.”

   
1. Camden Mc Lellan; 2. Guillem Farres

MX2 - Qualifying Race Classification: 1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 25:19.366; 2. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:03.021; 3. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +0:05.149; 4. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:06.568; 5. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:09.961; 6. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:10.497; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:33.532; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:42.496; 9. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Kawasaki), +0:44.722; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), +0:51.704

MX2 - World Championship Classification: 1. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), 57 points; 2. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 55 p.; 3. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 52 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 45 p.; 5. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 44 p.; 6. Mathis Valin (FRA, KAW), 43 p.; 7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 42 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 32 p.; 9. Cas Valk (NED, TM), 22 p.; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), 22 p.; 

All the photos from the MXGP of Andalucia will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY:

08:40 EMX125 Race 2, 09:25 MX2 Warm-up, 09:45 MXGP Warm-up, 10:30 EMX250 Race 2, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP Andalucia

ALMONTE (Andalucia, Spain) 20th March 2026 – The new Circuito di Motocross di Almonte venue has now been colonised by the travelling circus that is the MXGP Paddock, and after the afternoon’s Start Practice excited the keenest fans who have already gathered on site for the inaugural MXGP of Andalucia this weekend, some of the most popular characters in the paddock made their way to the MX Music Fest stage to welcome fans and kick start the Opening Party that will keep fans buzzing between the track action all weekend!

Firstly, the riders gathered in the Paddock to ride in a traditional wagon, towed by pickup truck instead of the regular horse-drawn method, and threw out some free event merchandise to fans they were passing, many of whom grabbed selfies with their favourites on the route!

Monster Energy-backed athletes Tim Gajser for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP, plus Valerio Lata and Ruben Fernandez from Honda HRC Petronas, rode in the back of a Monster Energy branded pickup truck, with the speakers already blasting out some full-on rock music!  When they got to the stage, riders were introduced to the gathering crowd one-by-one, starting with the full EMX squad from the RFME Spain National Team, their EMX250 riders Manuel Carreras and Adria Monne, plus EMX125 racers Jordi Alba and Pau Caudet.

​Then came the Grand Prix stars, beginning with Gajser who is looking forward to pushing towards the front on his new machine. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammates and twin brothers Lucas and Sacha Coenen were there, as was reigning MX2 World Champion Simon Längenfelder, as the crowd generously applauded the MX2 red plate holder whose star is definitely on the rise.

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MXGP debutant Kay de Wolf delighted fans with his appearance, expressing his excitement at hitting the premier class for the first time, on a surface that should be ideal for him!  Calvin Vlaanderen of the Red Bull Ducati Factory MX Team joked that he still preferred beach sand to track sand, and Alberto Forato greeted some fans in his Fantic Factory Racing MXGP gear with a few lines of improvised Spanish!

The biggest cheers were saved for the Spanish riders, kept until the end of the show of course, beginning with MXGP class rookie Oriol Oliver, in the colours of his Gabriel SS24 KTM squad!  The ever-cheerful Guillem Farres got the crowd excited, as well as entertained, and went to the front of the stage to give out Triumph Factory Racing posters, sign autographs and take selfies with eager fans!

Finally, Ruben Fernandez drew a massive cheer, as the sole GP winner from Spain in this weekend’s event, and the local hero knows he will get full support this weekend from trackside supporters!

The preliminaries are done with, the fans are pumped up to be here, and the riders are ready to face a challenging new circuit in the morning!  The action begins at 08:00 in the morning and continues for over ten hours at the new Spanish circuit as the MXGP of Andalucia gets underway!

LIVE TIMING – WEEKEND SCHEDULE

SATURDAY – March 21

SUNDAY – March 22

Catch all the racing LIVE on MXGP-TV! 

Saturday’s Time Practice (MXGP/MX2), the Qualifying Races (MXGP/MX2), and Races from all classes will be broadcasted LIVE on MXGP’s streaming service www.MXGP-TV.com, while results throughout the weekend will be available  HERE.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP Andalucia

ALMONTE  (Andalucia, Spain) 20th March 2026 – Infront Moto Racing is excited to announce the three-year partnership renewal Fox Racing, the global leader in motocross and mountain biking gear and apparel, continuing their commitment to the MXGP, FIM Motocross World Championship, and the MXoN, FIM Motocross of Nations. In addition to being recognized as a MXGP Global Partner at race events and across Infront’s digital channels, Fox Racing continues as the exclusive Holeshot Title Partner and the Official Apparel Partner, equipping all Infront Moto Racing staff.

“Fox Racing has been a partner of the FIM Motocross World Championship for over a decade, since we first committed to the Fox Holeshot award in 2014. Our partnership with Infront reflects our own mission - to equip and inspire the best athletes in the world,” said Mikey Rangel, Vice President of Marketing at Fox Racing. “But more than that, we’ve built trust and strong collaboration with the Infront team and their capability to execute events at the highest level in motorsport racing. This allows us to create even more value with our own factory team & athlete investments, to share experiences with key partners throughout the MXGP series, and to connect with race fans globally.”

Infront Moto Racing CEO & President David Luongo: “Fox Racing has been an integral partner of the FIM Motocross World Championship for more than a decade, and we are extremely proud to continue this successful collaboration for the years ahead. Since the introduction of the Fox Holeshot competition, Fox has brought added excitement and recognition to one of the most thrilling moments of our sport. Beyond that, their commitment to MXGP, the MXoN, and our global paddock demonstrates a genuine passion for motocross and its athletes. Together, we share the same ambition to grow the sport worldwide and to deliver the highest level of racing experience for fans, teams, and partners.”

The Fox Holeshot competition began in 2014 and continues today, celebrating the most exciting and top performing moment of racing. The first rider to cross the white line painted at the exit of the first corner at each race secures the Fox Holeshot, and earns one point in the special Holeshot classification. The rider with most accumulated Fox Holeshot points at the end of the season is awarded prize money, in both the MXGP and MX2 classes. The Fox Holeshot competition also extends to the MXoN and Junior Motocross World Championship with varying prizes at each event. Read more about the 2025 Fox Holeshot winners by clicking here. 

Fox Racing is also a proud partner of Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing with Kay de Wolf and Liam Everts, Honda HRC Petronas’ MXGP team with Ruben Fernandez, Tom Vialle, Jeffrey Herlings, Valerio Lata along with Jeremy Seewer, Courtney Duncan, and Lotte Van Drunen. For exclusive information on Fox Racing, follow @foxmoto and @foxracingeurope on Instagram and Fox Racing’s YouTube channel.
 

Photos Credit: Shotbybavo

About Fox Racing
For over five decades, Fox Racing has been the global leader in motocross and mountain bike gear and apparel. Fox outfits the world’s best competitive action sport athletes and enthusiasts with products that combine innovation and style, rooted in the brand’s original competitive motocross spirit. The company is based in Irvine, California, with offices, retail stores, and an international roster of sponsored athletes, located around the world. www.foxracing.com

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Fox Racing

ALMONTE (Andalucia, Spain) 19th March 2026 – Just a few kilometres from the new Circuito di Motocross di Almonte venue lies the ancient village of El Rocío, which often attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims for its various religious celebrations throughout the year.  This Thursday evening, the village welcomed local dignitaries and organisers of the inaugural MXGP of Andalucia, as the gathering launched the event in the shadow of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Dew, the famous Hermitage that is the centre of most of the area’s festivities.

The village has hardly any paved streets, so locals generally ride on horseback over the sandy makeshift roads between the buildings.  Directly adjacent to the marshland of Madre de las Marismas del Rocío, it is a distinctly unique environment!

After a Floral Offering and a photocall in the Sanctuary itself, the Parish Priest and Rector of the Sanctuary of El Rocío, D. Francisco Miguel Valencia Bando, gave a prayer of blessing to the event before Rocío Moreno Dominguez, Vice President of the Provincial Council of Huelva, welcomed everybody to the area.

Daniele Rizzi, COO of Infront Moto Racing, joined Antonio Alia Portela, FIM/CMS Director, in expressing their gratitude for the welcome and hard work by the local organisers, as RFME President Ignacio Verneda, CEO of MXGP Almonte Antonio Parici, and Director General of MXGP Almonte Antonio Abad joined them onstage to show their excitement at the Championship making its first visit to the region.

The gathered dignitaries and fans were treated to the specially-composed anthem for the race, with its author Fran Fernández showing a startling video of how the race might look with wildlife surrounding the circuit!  After more delegates showed their appreciation for the event, the RFME Spain National Team was presented onstage, including WMX contender Daniela Guillen, EMX250 riders Manuel Carreras and Adria Monne, plus EMX125 racer Jordi Alba. Local schoolchildren flew the flags of all the competing Nations, with the largest cheer being reserved for the national flag of Spain, of course!

The flags of Huelva, Andalucia, and finally Almonte were carried to the stage by local riders on their bikes, filling the square with the sounds of dirt bikes for possibly the first time! 

This historic region has certainly showed its joy at hosting the first European round of the 2026 FIM Moocross World Championship, and MXGP is clearly very welcome here for the very first MXGP of Andalucia!

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP Andalucia

2026 MXGP of Andalucia Tickets