Herlings and Sacha Coenen master Montevarchi at MXGP of Italy

2026 MXGP World Championship
Round Nine – MXGP of Italy
Montevarchi – Miravalle

The MXGP paddock returned to Montevarchi for the first time in 20 years and the old-school Miravalle circuit did not offer an easy welcome back.

Hot, dry conditions on Saturday were followed by a more unsettled Sunday, with the rocky hard-pack surface, limited traction and later rain making the Tuscan hillside circuit a very different challenge across the weekend.

Jeffrey Herlings

After the Coenen twins had made MXGP history in Latvia, Lucas and Sacha arrived in Italy still carrying the red plates in MXGP and MX2, respectively. Montevarchi, however, did not deliver another twin sweep. Jeffrey Herlings put Honda HRC PETRONAS back on the top step in MXGP, while Sacha Coenen showed the value of consistency in MX2, taking the Grand Prix overall without winning either moto.

It was also a significant weekend for Triumph Factory Racing, with Guillem Farres and Camden McLellan sharing the MX2 race wins and both moving up in the championship standings, while Francisco Garcia continued to tighten his grip on the EMX250 series with another perfect 1-1 scorecard.

---

MXGP

Herlings makes the most of Montevarchi

Montevarchi was not expected to be ideal Herlings territory, but the Dutchman made the most of his opportunities and left Italy with his fourth Grand Prix victory of the season.

Jeffrey Herlings

The opening MXGP moto was shaped at the start. Herlings launched well and was into clean air early, with Honda team-mate Tom Vialle also right there in the opening exchanges. On a circuit where roost, track position and line choice mattered heavily, that start proved critical.

Maxime Renaux

Maxime Renaux was the rider who applied the most pressure. The Yamaha rider had bounced back strongly from a difficult Latvian round and chased Herlings all the way to the flag, finishing only 1.384 seconds from victory. Lucas Coenen, meanwhile, salvaged third after a measured ride on a day where title management was every bit as important as outright aggression.

Calvin Vlaanderen was another major story in the opening race. The Dutchman gave Ducati its best MXGP race result yet with fourth aboard the Desmo450 MX, running with genuine top-five pace and finishing ahead of Vialle, Romain Febvre and home favourite Andrea Adamo.

Tim Gajser

For Tim Gajser, Race One went the other way entirely. The Slovenian had won Saturday’s qualifying race and looked capable of challenging for the overall, but a lap-one clash left him with damaged front-wheel spokes. After a pit-lane wheel change, he returned to the race but finished outside the points.

Gajser then responded in the most direct way possible in Race Two. After starting second, he moved into the lead on lap five and controlled the race from there, taking a convincing win by almost seven seconds.

Herlings did not quite have enough to answer Gajser in the second moto, but second place was more than enough to seal the overall on 47 points.

Jeffrey Herlings

Jeffrey Herlings (1-2 – 1st Overall)

“That isn’t really a track that suits me, but we got two good starts and I made some good passes early-on in race two. It was tough out there, but the track was much better today and even though we were racing on conditions that I’m not the most comfortable on, I still was happy with my one-two and my fourth win of the season. The team have worked so hard and it’s great to get the victory and just hopefully keep this momentum going.”

Lucas Coenen completed another composed day with third in Race Two and second overall, stretching his run of top-three moto finishes and keeping firm control of the red plate.

Sacha Coenen

Lucas Coenen (3-3 – 2nd Overall)

“I’m happy to be here on the box and I didn’t really expect it. It took some time to adjust to this track and I had a bad jump from the gate. I rode well to make passes and arrive to the other guys at the front and the second moto was good also…but I didn’t want to make a big mistake. The track was sketchy, so I rode smart and played the long game.”

Renaux’s 2-6 scorecard was enough for third overall and a welcome return to the podium, especially as he was still dealing with illness across the weekend.

Maxime Renaux (2-6 – 3rd Overall)

“It was a really tough day. The first moto was very positive and I felt like my pace was strong from the start. Unfortunately, I’m still dealing with a virus of some sort and that caught up with me as the day went on. By the second moto, I just didn’t have anything left physically, which was frustrating because I knew the speed was there. It’s disappointing when your body won’t let you perform at the level you know you’re capable of, but that’s part of racing sometimes. Despite that, I’m really happy to come away with another podium. Now, the focus is on recovering properly, getting back to full strength, and coming back even stronger next weekend in Portugal.”

Adamo went 7-4 for fourth overall at his home Grand Prix, while Febvre’s 6-5 return placed him fifth overall and helped consolidate third in the MXGP championship.

Andrea Adamo (7-4 – 4th Overall)

“Definitely a good weekend I’m pretty happy with my consistency. I went a bit too quick for the start of the first moto but the others were good. We might have been able to think about the podium if the first moto hadn’t been wrecked. P4 overall is still solid though and that’s what we aim for. My home GP was amazing, even if the track was not the best. A crazy atmosphere. Now to Portugal where I have good memories of the 1-1-1 last year.”

Romain Febvre (6-5 – 5th Overall)

“We had to use the hard track tyre today and we just couldn’t get the starts. I came back really well through the pack but I’m a little frustrated because this is my type of track and I am sure I could have won the GP if I had started with the other guys. It’s always easier to pass at the end of the motos when the other guys drop the pace but I lost too much time at the beginning. We could change line in almost every turn in the first moto but with the rain during the interval the inside was muddy for race two so there were less lines to pass.”

Vlaanderen’s 4-10 gave Ducati sixth overall, the best Grand Prix result so far for the Desmo450 MX. Vialle returned from injury with 5-9 for seventh overall, while Gajser’s Race Two victory helped limit the damage from his Race One non-score, leaving him ninth overall but still fourth in the championship.

Tim Gajser (21-1 – 9th Overall)

“It’s a shame about the first moto because I was riding at my best all weekend. Both yesterday and today I felt really comfortable on the bike and my speed was good. But that’s motocross sometimes – there are some things you can control and things you can’t. Overall, I’m really happy with how I rode. In the second moto, I felt great out on track. I was able to settle into a good rhythm, manage the pressure from behind, and then build a gap and control the race from the front. It was a really positive feeling. The bike was working well, I felt strong physically, and there are a lot of positives to take away from the weekend. We’ll keep building on this momentum and focus on carrying it into the next round.”

Calvin Vlaanderen (4-10 – 6th Overall)

“It was a positive weekend, the best overall result that we have got this year so we can’t be disappointed with that. I’m very very happy with my race, in the first moto I showed myself that I’m back and I can still still run in the top five and still do it comfortably; it was nice to feel like I was riding easy and comfortably and still can keep up with the front guys so that was a big confidence boost for me. In the second race I struggled to find the flow at the beginning, but the guys in front got away from me and then I couldn’t couldn’t catch them towards the end, but all in all I’m happy with the weekend and yeah big thanks to the team; we’ve been working hard the last months and we made a nice change last week and it’s definitely making me feel more comfortable on the bike. I’m looking forward to the next GP.”

Herlings’ win reduced Lucas Coenen’s championship advantage, but only by six points. Coenen now leads Herlings by 56 points, with Febvre third, Gajser fourth and Renaux back up to fifth.

---

MX2

Sacha Coenen wins without winning

The MX2 class delivered an unusual result, with Triumph winning both motos but Sacha Coenen taking the Grand Prix overall.

Sacha Coenen

Mathis Valin had set the tone on Saturday by winning the qualifying race, but the first championship moto belonged to Guillem Farres. The Spaniard did not lead from the start, but steadily worked his way forward, hit the front by lap six and then managed the race from there.

Sacha Coenen was second in Race One after recovering from traffic and mistakes, while Simon Längenfelder completed the podium. Liam Everts was fourth after a strong late charge, with Valin fifth and Camden McLellan seventh after a difficult opening moto.

Rain before and during the early stages of Race Two changed the circuit again, making the low-grip hard-pack even more technical. McLellan responded superbly. After a tough first race, the South African put together a smart, controlled ride to take the moto win for Triumph.

Lucas Coenen

Coenen again finished second, this time only 1.910 seconds from victory, and that 2-2 scorecard was enough to secure his second Grand Prix win in succession and third of the season. Everts was third in the moto, ahead of Valin and Farres.

Sacha Coenen (2-2 – 1st Overall)

“A difficult weekend here and with this track. It actually changed quite a lot. We made the best out of it and I just tried to finish in the best and safest way. In the first moto I started good but made a stupid mistake in front of the pitlane. It meant I had to win back a lot of positions and had a good flow.”

Farres’ 1-5 result gave him second overall, while McLellan’s 7-1 score was enough for third. That also made it a double podium for Triumph Factory Racing and a major championship day for both riders, with Farres moving to second in the MX2 standings and McLellan climbing to third.

Guillem Farres (1-5 – 2nd Overall)

“It was a solid day overall here in Montevarchi. In the first moto, I got a decent start and was running around seventh early on. I made some good passes, found a good rhythm, and worked my way up to the lead, which is where I finished, and it was great to get another race win. Unfortunately, the second moto was much more difficult. I didn’t get a good start and then crashed on the opening lap, which made life a lot harder. From there, I had to come through the field from almost last place and could only recover to fifth by the finish. It’s a little frustrating because I feel like I missed a great opportunity to fight for the overall victory, but there are still a lot of positives to take away from the weekend. The speed was there, the riding was good, and I scored solid points for the championship. Now the focus is on keeping the momentum going into the next round.”

Camden McLellan (7-1 – 3rd Overall)

“It was a decent weekend overall in Italy. My feeling on the bike improved every time I went out on track, and the bike was working really well all weekend, so a big thank you to the team for all of their hard work. Sunday had its ups and downs. In the first moto, I made things difficult for myself with a poor start and a crash on the opening lap, which meant I had to come through the field to finish seventh. The second moto was much better. I got a solid start, rode a smart and calculated race, and gradually worked my way to the front. Once I got into the lead, I was able to control the race and take the win. I scored some good championship points this weekend, and now the goal is to keep building on that momentum heading into the next round.”

Vincent Bereni – Triumph Factory Racing Team Manager

“It was a positive weekend overall for the team here in Italy. Montevarchi is a very challenging, old-school circuit with extremely low traction, which makes bike setup particularly important. I genuinely believe we had one of the strongest bikes behind the gate this weekend. Despite the difficult conditions, our base setup worked very well from the beginning and both riders were able to build confidence quickly. That showed on Saturday with second and third in the Qualifying Race, which gave us a strong start to the weekend. On Sunday, each rider won a moto, which highlights the speed and performance of the TF 250-X. In some ways it’s a bittersweet feeling because I believe we had the pace to win the overall, but it’s all part of the learning process. The important thing is that both riders were competitive all weekend and they have now moved up to second and third in the championship standings. The team has done another excellent job. Everyone worked incredibly hard and paid great attention to the details, which allowed us to be competitive in these demanding conditions. We’re proving that we’re genuine contenders in the championship, and it’s rewarding to see all of that hard work paying off.”

Everts missed the overall podium by a single point after finishing 4-3, but his pace at Miravalle was another positive sign.

Liam Everts (4-3 – 4th Overall)

“It was a strong weekend overall, even if we just missed the podium. In the first race I had to work my way forward, but once I got into fourth I felt like my pace was good and I could close on the guys ahead. Race two was tricky with the rain and the track changing so much, but I felt smooth and managed to make the pass for third near the end. Fourth overall is solid, but of course I wanted that podium. We’ll keep pushing.”

Valin completed the top five overall, while Längenfelder’s day unravelled in the second moto, his 3-12 scorecard leaving him sixth overall and dropping him to fourth in the title race, just one point behind McLellan.

Mathis Valin (5-4 – 5th Overall)

“I was feeling better with every session and managed two good motos. I think I could have had three holeshots this weekend but I braked a little too early today. In the second moto I was pushing to try to pass in front but I always had someone pushing me from behind.”

Simon Laengenfelder (3-12 – 6th Overall)

“A tricky weekend. I came to Italy feeling good but the start crash in the Quali race set me back. Still, I could come back to 11th and the pick was not too bad for the Sunday races. The holeshots were the only positive because I needed another level to go with those guys. I made the wrong decisions. Not the best riding or feeling so hard to come out of it. I won’t stop fighting.”

Ferruccio Zanchi gave the Italian fans something to cheer in MX2. After a difficult qualifying race compromised his gate pick, the Ducati rider charged to 10th in Race One and 13th in Race Two, taking 12th overall and his best points haul of the season aboard the Desmo250 MX.

Valerio Lata was ninth overall for Honda at his home Grand Prix, while Janis Reisulis continued his steady rookie campaign with 10th overall for Yamaha.

Sacha Coenen now leads the MX2 championship on 431 points. Farres sits second on 390, McLellan third on 373 and Längenfelder fourth on 372, with Everts and Valin still very much in range.

---

EMX250

Garcia perfect as Aussie fortunes split

Francisco Garcia continued his command of the EMX250 Championship with another perfect weekend, going 1-1 at Montevarchi to take the overall and extend his points lead.

Francisco Garcia

The Spanish Kawasaki rider had to work for the second moto in particular, moving forward from outside the lead group before taking control, but once again he looked like the benchmark rider in the class.

Bernardo Tiburcio produced the best EMX250 result of his career, going 3-2 for second overall on the Yamaha. Alexis Fueri also claimed his first EMX250 podium, finishing third overall after 7-4 results on the Beta.

There was plenty of Australian interest, but the final numbers did not tell the whole story. Liam Owens was excellent in Race One, finishing second and setting the fastest lap of the moto. Race Two, however, ended almost immediately, leaving him 10th overall despite the speed he had shown on Saturday.

Jake Cannon

Jake Cannon also had to fight for his points. The Australian finished sixth in Race One and 11th in Race Two, placing seventh overall. More importantly, he remains second in the EMX250 Championship, although Garcia’s perfect weekend stretched the gap at the top to 78 points.

Jake Cannon (6-11 – 7th Overall)

“I did my best to make the most of the situations I put myself in, but it was more difficult to make passes this morning; the track is really tight and there was mostly only one line today after they watered the track. But on to Portugal next weekend.”

Simone Mancini gave Ducati a strong Saturday with fourth in the opening EMX250 moto, but could not repeat that pace on Sunday. He finished 14th in Race Two and eighth overall, his second-best result of the season.

Continue below for full moto by moto results and updated championship standings.

---

Next round

The MXGP World Championship continues next weekend at Agueda for the Grand Prix of Portugal, before the paddock heads to South Africa for round 11.

Lucas Coenen and Sacha Coenen will again carry the red plates into Portugal, but Montevarchi suggested that neither championship is settled. Herlings is back winning in MXGP, Farres and McLellan are now second and third in MX2, and the next two rounds will take the series to very different terrain as the 2026 season approaches its halfway point.

---

 MXGP Qualifying Race Results

MXGP Race One Results

MXGP Race Two Result

MXGP Round Points

MXGP Championship Standings

---

MX2

MX2 Qualifying Race Results

MX2 Race One Results

MX2 Race Two Results

MX2 Round

MX2 Championship Standings