Moto News Weekly Wrap | MX | Enduro | Juniors | SX | Hard Enduro

Moto News Weekly

April 14, 2026

What’s New:

• HEWC kicks off this weekend
• American Enduro
• Kapunda 24 Hour Trial
• Team Australia entries open for WJMX 2026
• Kosciuszko Killer AHEC
• NZ Junior MX
• Snowcross World Champs
• Ice Speedway World Champs
• Dungog AusEnduro
• EnduroGP season opener
• MXGP of Sardegna
• Nashville AMA Supercross
• 2026 Racing Calendars

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Hard Enduro World Championship starts this weekend

Manuel Lettenbichler heads to 24MX Alestrem chasing a fifth straight title, but Billy Bolt, Mitch Brightmore and a stacked field are ready to challenge, while Graham Jarvis brings extra intrigue on electric power. Full HEWC season preview here.

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Hunter Lawrence stepping up in 2026

With Jett sidelined, the Australian has taken his 450SX campaign to a new level, combining patience, composure and consistency to lead the championship after 13 rounds. Read the full feature here.

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American National Enduro Championship
Farm 14 – Centreville, Mississippi

The Baylor Brothers made their way back to the top steps of the podium as Grant Baylor rode his way to an overall victory for Round 3 of the AMA American National Enduro Championship, with older brother Steward Baylor finishing just behind in second overall.

For the third straight National Enduro this season, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Steward Baylor set the pace for the day, winning Test 1. However, his younger brother Grant Baylor would take over and dominate the rest of the day.

Grant Baylor set the pace for the field in Test 2 and used that momentum to win out the remaining tests on the day. The brothers then went into the Super Test, head-to-head in the first and second overall spots. It was Steward Baylor who came out on top, but not by a big enough gap to overcome Grant Baylor’s overall lead.

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2026 HARDI Kapunda 24 Hour Trial

Entries for the 2026 HARDI 24 Hour Trial in Kaunda, South Australia, have opened. Head over to https://www.24hrtrial.com to get yours in ASAP before all the slots are full.

When and where will it be held?

Kapunda, 10th–12th July 2026.

 

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Junior Motocross World Championship

Applications are now open for riders who’d like to compete for Team Australia at the 2026 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship (WJMX), which will be held in Jinlin, Czech Republic, from July 3-5. The championship will again be held over three classes: 65cc, 85cc and 125cc.

Get your entry in via the form here (link).

Age eligibility of riders

Based on FIM regulations, licenses for riders are issued for WJMX only when the minimum age has been attained as follows:

• 65cc class: 10 years
• 85cc class: 12 years
• 125cc class: 13 years

The minimum age limit starts on the rider’s birthday. The maximum age is the following:

• 65cc class: 12 years
• 85cc class: 14 years
• 125cc class: 17 years

The maximum age limit ends at the end of the calendar year in which the rider reaches 12 years (65cc class), 14 years (85cc class), and 17 years (125cc class).

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2026 Australian Hard Enduro kicks off with Kosciuszko Killer

The 2026 Australian Hard Enduro Championship (AHEC) kicked off over the weekend, at Towong Upper, near the Victorian and NSW border, with the Kosciuszko Killer.

Beta’s Ruben Chadwick delivered the standout performance, securing victory aboard his Beta RR 300 RACE 2T, ahead of Wade Ibrahim and Houston Walters.

Saturday’s prologue proved challenging, featuring a demanding uphill section that tested riders from the outset. Chadwick made a strong start, positioning himself third into the opening corner before progressing through the endurocross section to take the lead.

A bottleneck on the uphill section caused Chadwick to relinquish the top position; however, he maintained a consistent pace throughout the four-lap format.

In Sunday’s main race, Chadwick once again demonstrated his skills with a strong start, quickly moving into second position before making a pass to take the lead in the opening technical sections. From there, he steadily extended his lead, riding with confidence and precision across the event’s steep, technical terrain.

Chadwick was the only rider in the Gold class to complete three laps, ultimately claiming victory with a total time of 4:49:47.

Ruben Chadwick

“The track was technical, with plenty of steep sections and slippery rocks, but overall the conditions were excellent. I felt strong and confident all weekend, and I’m really happy with how the bike is performing. It’s a great way to start the championship, and I appreciate all the support from my sponsors.”

Ebony Nielsen took the win on both days in the Women’s class aboard her Beta RR 300 RACE 2T, ahead of Tyla Barton and Yasmin Hijazi.

Coby Harris took out the Junior class for the round, Mannix Banks second, and Maison Bloom third.

The Silver win went to Adam Ciuraskiewicz, ahead of Bailey Mowlam and Raymond Bell. Riley Bloom topped the Bronze class, ahead of Jaxon Perry and Harrison Barton.

Riders now look towards round two in Esk, Queensland, on 23-24 May.

Round 1 – Kosciuszko Killer – Gold Results

Round 1 – Kosciuszko Killer – Junior Results

Round 1 – Kosciuszko Killer – Women’s Results

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2026 NZ Junior Motocross Championships

The 2026 New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships were run at Leeston over the weekend, with the three-day event giving the nation’s emerging talent a chance to shine.

Among the standout performers was Jack Ellingham, who claimed the 14-16 years 250F crown after winning four of the five motos to finish on 122 points. Travis Taylor and Ryan Foster completed the podium, while Jack Hazelden and Ryder Solly rounded out the top five.

The 12-16 years Women’s 125cc/250F class produced one of the closest contests of the meeting, with Indie Allison edging Mikayla Griffiths by just two points, 116 to 114. Hannah Perris finished third, ahead of Ruby Leech and Baylee Morrison.

Nico Verhoeven completed a perfect weekend in the 11-12 years 85cc class with five wins from five starts, while Carson Carroll matched that feat in the 12-14 years 125cc category. Connor Feather was equally dominant in the 13-16 years 85cc division.

Elsewhere, Ethan Carleton topped the 15-16 years 125cc class, while Baylee Morrison led the way in the 12-16 years Women’s 85cc category.

In the support classes, Mason Williamson won the 11-12 years 85cc Support class, Case Wilson topped the 8-10 years 85cc division, Bella Solly was the sole entrant in the 8-11 years Women’s 85cc class, and Kobe Carroll took honours in the 8-11 years 65cc category.

The Junior Women’s 85cc classes did not carry championship status due to insufficient rider numbers.

2026 NZ Junior Motocross Championships Results

14-16 years 250F Overall

12-16 years Womens 125cc/250F Overall

11-12 years 85cc Overall

12-14 years 125cc Overall

13-16 years 85cc Overall

15-16 years 125cc Overall

8-10 years 85cc Overall

11-12 years 85cc Support Overall

12-16 years Womens 85cc Overall

8-11 years Womens 85cc Overall

8-11 years 65cc Overall

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2026 FIM EnduroGP Round One
EnduroGP of Italy

Full results here:
EnduroGP of Italy | Garcia leads Sicily opener as Freeman shines on Sunday

The 2026 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship burst into life in Custonaci, Sicily, with the rocky, dusty and technical Italian opener immediately delivering a tight outright fight and clear early championship storylines across the classes.

Josep Garcia won day one and left Italy leading EnduroGP and Enduro1, Brad Freeman struck back on Sunday, Andrea Verona completed a perfect Enduro2 weekend on home soil, and Steve Holcombe marked his Sherco return with immediate front-running pace, while Junior, Women, Youth and the Open categories all added depth to a busy and significant first round.

EnduroGP

The 2026 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship opener in Sicily delivered the kind of opening round the series would have hoped for, with the dry, dusty and rocky terrain around Custonaci quickly producing a fiercely contested outright fight.

Josep Garcia came in as the defending champion and backed that status up on Saturday, but the weekend was never one-sided. Friday’s Super Test had already put Garcia on the front foot, and he carried that pace into day one by topping the opening Extreme Test, yet Steve Holcombe was immediately in the picture on his Sherco debut, winning the first Enduro Test and establishing himself as Garcia’s main challenger. By the end of lap one, Garcia had opened a lead of almost eight seconds, but the gaps remained small enough that nobody inside the top group could relax.

As day one wore on, the overall battle tightened exactly as the terrain roughened. Verona was fastest on the Cross Test at the end of lap two, cutting Garcia’s margin over Holcombe to just two seconds, while Antoine Magain and Theo Espinasse also stayed right in touch.

The closing phase then became a straight Garcia-Holcombe duel. Holcombe won the penultimate Enduro Test and then beat Garcia again on the final Cross Test to keep the pressure on, but Garcia responded by winning the penultimate test of the day, and that proved decisive.

Holcombe was again quickest on the final Enduro Test, though not by enough to deny Garcia the opening-day victory. The Spaniard took the win, Holcombe finished runner-up first time out with Sherco, and Verona rounded out the podium after finally edging past Magain. Espinasse, only 0.11 seconds adrift of Magain, completed a tightly packed top five.

Freeman fights back on day two

Day two then flipped the script. Holcombe started strongly again and led after lap one, with Freeman, Morgan Lesiardo, Garcia and Verona all clustered just behind him. It was the Enduro Test that began deciding the order, and the critical moment came on the penultimate one when Holcombe crashed out of the lead.

That mistake opened the door for Brad Freeman, who had missed the entire 2025 season through injury and was clearly building into the weekend. Freeman set the fastest time there, jumped to the top of the leaderboard, and used his experience over the final two tests to secure victory by 4.92 seconds.

Verona took second, Garcia recovered late with the fastest time on the final two tests to claim third, and Magain and Holcombe followed close behind in fourth and fifth, with the top five split by only 12 seconds.

That combination of results leaves Garcia leading EnduroGP after round one on 35 points, with Verona second on 32 and Holcombe third on 28. It is a strong start for KTM, but just as importantly, the weekend confirmed Freeman’s return as a genuine outright factor and Holcombe’s immediate competitiveness with Sherco.

EnduroGP Standing/Round Results

 

Enduro1

Garcia may have had to work harder for the overall win than the raw results suggest, but in Enduro1 he still left Sicily unbeaten. On Saturday, Garcia topped the class while also taking EnduroGP honours, with Magain his closest rival and Morgan Lesiardo completing the podium in third. Lesiardo’s ride was one of the better home-soil performances of the weekend and gave Triumph a place inside the main E1 conversation without that class report needing to revolve around the brand.

Sunday was much tighter. Garcia actually trailed Magain by 0.4 seconds heading into the final test, so the second Enduro1 win of the weekend came down to one last push. He delivered, won the final test, and snatched victory from the Belgian by 2.34 seconds. Lesiardo again followed them home in third, which underlined his consistency across both days and kept the overall class picture clean and stable behind Garcia and Magain.

After the opener, Garcia leads Enduro1 on the maximum 40 points, Magain sits second on 34, and Lesiardo is third on 30.

Josep Garcia – P1

“The first race of the year is done and Saturday went perfectly. Today I was feeling really good, but I had a crash in the cross test where I twisted my ankle a little, and after that it was difficult to get back into my rhythm. Still, I’m happy to finish the day strong, take third overall, and secure another win in Enduro1. Leaving Italy with the overall lead is a great way to start the season, and I’m already looking forward to my home round in Spain.”

Jack Edmondson’s late call-up for Triumph also deserves a passing mention in the wider context, with the Brit opening eighth in the standings after a pair of eighth-place scores in difficult circumstances.

Enduro1 Standing/Round Results

Enduro2

If Garcia owned Enduro1, Verona did the same in Enduro2. Racing his home GP in Sicily, the KTM rider produced a near-ideal opening weekend by winning the class on both days and finishing the round with the full 40 points. Saturday’s result was the more controlled of the two. Verona steadily built a margin through the day and won the class by 15 seconds over Zach Pichon, with Nathan Watson third. That was already enough to mark him out as the Enduro2 benchmark for the round, and it also fed directly into his third-place EnduroGP finish.

Sunday was more competitive. Watson pushed him much harder, Pichon again stayed close enough to matter, and the class win only really swung Verona’s way over the final two tests. That late strength gave him the second Enduro2 victory of the weekend, with Watson taking second and Pichon only another couple of seconds back in third.

The standings reflect that neatly. Verona leaves the opener on 40 points, while Watson and Pichon are tied for second on 32. Max Ahlin is fourth on 26 and Hamish Macdonald fifth on 22. For Australian interest, Kyron Bacon scored a pair of seventh-place results to begin the season ninth in Enduro2 on 14 points. Verona’s advantage after one round is useful, but not yet decisive. More than anything, Sicily showed he has slotted into KTM immediately and looks comfortable carrying both home-round pressure and title expectations.

Andrea Verona

“We’ve completed the first weekend of the EnduroGP season, and it’s been really close from the first test to the last. Today I felt good on the bike and was able to improve compared to yesterday, making fewer mistakes and staying consistent throughout. The gaps were very tight, so I’m happy to come away with the Enduro2 win and second overall, just a few seconds from the victory. It’s a strong start to the season, and I’m looking forward to round two in Spain.”

Enduro2 Standing/Round Results

Enduro3

Enduro3 may have been the most satisfying class narrative of the weekend because it gave both Holcombe and Freeman a major result in a category that looks set to run deep all year. Holcombe’s Saturday success was especially notable. After losing 2025 to injury and arriving at round one with a new team around him, he was immediately quick enough to fight Garcia outright while also controlling his own class. He took the Enduro3 win over Espinasse, with Albin Norrbin third, and looked completely at home on the Sherco 300 SE. It was exactly the sort of opening statement he would have wanted.

Holcombe’s own account of the weekend strengthens that reading. He described day one as positive and said the runner-up EnduroGP finish felt like a solid base after such a long layoff.  On Sunday, Holcombe again started strongly and led early before the crash on the third Enduro Test cost him crucial time. Even so, he still recovered to finish second in class, which limited the damage and ensured the weekend remained highly productive.

Freeman, meanwhile, turned Sunday into his own moment of return. His outright EnduroGP victory naturally dominated the headlines, but it also secured the Enduro3 win over Holcombe and Espinasse. So, within one weekend, the category produced a Holcombe day and a Freeman day, which feels about right for a class carrying two riders of that calibre. Espinasse’s 2-3 weekend kept him firmly in the frame too, while Norrbin quietly put together a strong opener with 3-4 results.

The standings now show Holcombe leading Enduro3 on 37 points, Espinasse second on 32, and Freeman third on 31. Norrbin sits fourth on 28, with Matteo Cavallo fifth on 23. That five-point margin gives Holcombe the early edge, but Sicily also made it clear that this class is going to be one of the most volatile in the championship if Freeman and Holcombe both stay healthy and Espinasse keeps delivering.

Steve Holcombe – P1 in E3

“It’s really good to be back in the EnduroGP paddock and back racing again after a tough year away last season. Day one started well and I was right in the fight at the front, battling with Josep which was positive. In the end I was only a few seconds off, but it felt good to be in the mix again. Sunday began strongly too, but unfortunately, I had a crash on the third enduro test. I was lucky to get away with it, and the bike wasn’t in too bad of a shape, so I could carry on and try to recover the time. With how tight the margins are, it was always going to be tough to claw back time, but I kept pushing until the end. Overall, it’s been a solid opening round and a good base to build from.”

Enduro3 Standing/Round Results

Junior Enduro

Junior produced a more tactical battle, but the quality at the front was still evident from the start. Saturday initially belonged to Manuel Verzeroli, who led after the opening Cross Test, with Romain Dagna second and Alberto Elgari third. But Elgari steadily worked his way forward and by the third Extreme Test had moved into the lead. Dagna stayed close enough to threaten, while Maxime Clauzier and Kevin Cristino remained involved behind them. The class then turned on the penultimate Enduro Test, where Verzeroli lost over a minute and fell away from contention. Elgari took advantage, won two of the final three tests, and secured the day-one win by seven seconds over Dagna, with Clauzier third.

Sunday followed a similar script, only with the margins even tighter. Elgari and Dagna again emerged as the main protagonists, and by the second Enduro Test, the lead was down to less than half a second. Elgari then created a little breathing room by taking six seconds out of Dagna on the penultimate Enduro Test, which proved just enough when Dagna fought back late. Dagna won the final two tests, but Elgari still held on by four seconds to complete a perfect weekend in Junior. This time, Leo Joyon took third, giving him a deserved first overall Junior podium of the new season.

That Joyon podium matters because it confirms he is a real factor in the class, but the bigger shape of the weekend belonged to Elgari. He leaves Sicily on the full 40 points in Junior, with Dagna second on 34. Joyon and Thibault Giraudon are tied on 24, while Kevin Cristino sits fifth on 22. In Junior1, Elgari leads on 40 and Joyon is second on 34, while in Junior2 Dagna has established early control on 40.

Australian William Dennett has opened the season fifth in Junior2 on 20 points after a solid start to 2026.

Leo Joyon – P3

“Sunday here in Sicily was much better than yesterday. I felt a lot more comfortable on the bike and my speed improved a lot, so I’m really happy with that. To finish second in class and third overall in Junior today is a great result, especially for my first race with the team. We’re heading in a really positive direction and I’m feeling confident, so now I’m looking ahead to the next round to keep improving and push for the overall Junior victories.”

Junior Enduro Standing/Round Results

Women’s Enduro

The Women’s Enduro category produced one of the cleaner storylines of the weekend, with Justine Martel arriving in Sicily without a world championship race win and leaving with two. On Saturday, Martel worked her way into the lead by the end of lap one, then capitalised when Rachel Gutish was hit with a one-minute penalty during lap two. That reshaped the podium fight behind her, with Sara Traini moving into contention on home soil before Gutish recovered to second. Martel ultimately won by 48 seconds, Gutish took second, and Traini completed the overall podium while also securing Junior Women victory.

Sunday confirmed that Martel’s first win had been no fluke. She again moved clear after the opening Cross Test, again found Gutish as her nearest challenger, and again benefited when the American’s push was compromised by a late 30-second penalty. This time Marine Lemoine came through strongly for second, Gutish recovered to third with the fastest times on the final two tests, Brisebard was fourth, and Traini rounded out the top five while doubling up in Junior Women. Martel leaves Sicily with a perfect 40 points, Gutish has 32, and Traini sits third overall in Women’s Enduro on 26.

Women’s Enduro Standing/Round Results

Junior Women

Junior Women essentially belonged to Sara Traini from start to finish. On Saturday she not only won the class, but did it while finishing third overall in the Women’s category at her home round, edging into the outright podium as the second-fastest Junior Women rider before holding strong to the finish. Lorna Lafont was second in Junior Women on day one.

Traini backed that up on Sunday by again winning Junior Women, this time while finishing fifth overall in Women’s Enduro. That gives the Italian the maximum 40 points after round one, with Lafont second on 34 and Charlene Boudon third on 30. For a support category, it was an excellent opening statement from Traini and one of the stronger home-rider stories of the entire weekend.

Junior Women Standing/Round Results

Youth Enduro

Youth Enduro delivered a split weekend and a tight early championship picture. Saturday went to Pietro Scardina, who started only seventh, worked his way to fifth by the end of lap one, and then built from there to claim the opening win. Sunday swung the other way, with Riccardo Pasquato learning from day one, moving into the lead on the penultimate Extreme Test, and then winning the final two Enduro Tests to secure victory by 21 seconds over Simone Cagnoni. Valentin Mersin completed the podium on day two, while Scardina slipped back to fourth after leading earlier in the day.

The standings reflect how close the class already is. Pasquato leads Youth on 37 points, Scardina is second on 33, and Cagnoni is only one point further back on 32. That is one of the tightest championship tables anywhere in the paddock after Sicily, and it gives the class a strong angle heading into Spain.

Youth Enduro Standing/Round Results

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2026 MXGP Round Four – MXGP of Sardegna Wrap

See full results here:
MXGP of Sardegna | MXGP, MX2, EMX250 and EMX125 results, reports and standings

Riola Sardo delivered exactly the sort of attritional sand GP it is known for. Lucas Coenen turned Saturday recovery into a Sunday clean sweep in MXGP, going 1-1 to beat Jeffrey Herlings and claim his second overall win of the year, while Simon Längenfelder edged Sacha Coenen for the MX2 overall on countback after they tied on 47 points. Liam Everts completed the MX2 podium, Kay de Wolf broke through for his first MXGP podium, and the championship picture in both world classes tightened further before the quick shift to Trentino.

In the support classes, EMX250 saw Francisco Garcia’s winning streak checked, although the Spaniard still left Sardegna with the red plate and a 50-point championship lead after salvaging second overall, while rookie Aron Katona reached his first EMX250 podium. In EMX125, Max Ernecker strengthened his series position with the overall win, Emil Ziemer made it a KTM 1-2 on the day, and Sleny Goyer rebounded from a technical problem in race one to take a maiden race victory in race two.

MXGP

Jeffrey Herlings and Sacha Coenen topped Saturday’s qualifying races in the Sardinian sand, but Sunday belonged to Red Bull KTM’s Lucas Coenen and Simon Längenfelder as Riola Sardo again proved one of the toughest tests on the calendar. On a circuit famed for deep, shifting dunes and relentless punishment, Lucas Coenen turned Saturday frustration into Sunday perfection, going 1-1 to secure the MXGP overall at round four of the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship.

Coenen’s weekend had not been straightforward. He hit the ground in Saturday’s qualifying race and had to recover to fifth, but once the points-paying motos began, he was the benchmark. The Belgian worked forward from a top-five start to win the opening moto, then repeated the feat in race two, where only a late fall prevented a more comfortable margin. Even so, he held on for the second race win and his second perfect 1-1 result of the season, extending his championship lead in the process. Post-event standings put Coenen on 192 points, 14 clear of Herlings after four rounds.

Herlings was again the closest challenger. The Honda rider backed up his Saturday qualifying victory with 2-2 moto scores for second overall, and by the end of race two was closing rapidly enough to suggest Coenen had little margin left. It was Herlings’ strongest points haul of the year so far, and a sign the five-time world champion is continuing to build back toward full race-winning force and getting on better terms with the CRF450R. Behind the leading pair, Kay de Wolf produced one of the rides of the day. The Nestaan Husqvarna rider followed fourth in moto one with a charge from deep in the pack to third in moto two, securing his first MXGP podium at the top level.

That left Romain Febvre just off the box despite another solid weekend. The Kawasaki rider went 3-4 and missed the podium on the second-moto tie-break, but still moved to fourth in the championship and to within two points of third.

Tim Gajser and Maxime Renaux both endured difficult Sundays for Yamaha. Gajser crashed in both motos and was restricted to eighth overall after 9-8 results, while Renaux battled illness all weekend and fought through for ninth overall with 12-6 finishes.

Ruben Fernandez quietly put together one of his better sand weekends with a mistake-free 5-5 card for fifth overall, while Tom Vialle showed real pace, including a holeshot in moto one, only for small mistakes in both races to drop him to seventh on the day.

The Ducati camp had a mixed weekend. Calvin Vlaanderen salvaged 12th overall after charging from outside the top 20 in race one and then running near the top 10 in race two, while Andrea Bonacorsi showed early speed before an electrical problem in moto one and fading fitness in moto two limited him to 23rd in the second race. Jeremy Seewer, meanwhile, endured a scoreless weekend.

With Sardegna complete, the paddock now heads immediately to Trentino, where the hardpack of Pietramurata will ask very different questions of a field that has just come through one of the season’s most demanding sand races.

Lucas Coenen – P1 (50-points)

“I made a gap in the second moto but it grabs you so quick! I went on my ear, and it took a lot of energy out of me. I said to myself ‘I cannot lose this one…’. I’m so pumped and we worked so good with the team. I’m really happy with the double race win.”

Jeffrey Herlings – P2 (44-points)

“I came close in that second moto, and I felt like I had enough energy to go for another 10 minutes, I just need to improve my speed to really fight for the win. The first moto, I got a good start, in fact in both races I got good starts, so that’s a positive but I couldn’t keep Lucas behind me. I gave it everything and I’m happy that I was able to match his speed for a bit and really close up near the end but winning is the goal and I know the Honda HRC PETRONAS team are working really hard to make that happen so it’s down to me to get on the top step of the podium.”

Kay de Wolf – P3 (38-points)

“That one means a lot. Sardegna is one of the toughest tracks we go to and in that second moto it was very tough at the start. I think I was almost last, but in the sand you can always find different lines, and I just kept believing I could come back. Every lap I was passing guys and getting more into the flow. When I got into third, I just gave everything to bring it home. To take my first MXGP podium like that, in these conditions, is pretty special. I’ve always loved riding in the sand and this feels like a big step for me in this class.”

Romain Febvre – P4 (38-points)

“I was quite strong in the first race but I missed my flow on the track in the second moto. Today was not great but it was still good points for the championship. The starts were really positive all weekend and I hope we can carry those on to all types of track; we made some changes about the front fork and it was working really good in the deep sand. I crashed three laps from the end of the first moto; it didn’t lose me any positions but it cost me some energy which was missing in the second moto so I couldn’t find my flow. I try my best every time I race but today it was not quite enough for the podium.”

Rubén Fernández – P5 (32-points)

“Very happy with my riding today and I think I showed my improvement in the deep sand, after all my work this winter. With 14th gate-pick, I managed to get two good starts and just put myself in the right position in both races. Conditions were very tough out there and I’m riding against a lot of sand specialists, so the goal was to ride consistently and try to avoid any big mistakes. I think I did that well, so to go five-five is a good result and gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.”

Tom Vialle – P7 (26-points)

“A frustrating day because I felt I rode a lot better than my results show. My starts were good in both races – including a holeshot in race one – and my speed was good for the majority of both races, I moved into third midway through the second moto and I felt good, but overall I just made too many mistakes in this deep sand and that really costs you a lot of energy. It’s frustrating because I definitely could have got more points, but it was still good to see that my sand riding is still amongst the best in the world.”

Tim Gajser – P8 (25-points)

“It was a difficult Sunday for me. In the first moto I crashed twice and had to come back from the back of the field, so it was all about salvaging as many points as possible. In the second race I got a better start and felt strong early on, making some good passes and moving into third, but then I had a big high-side crash in a fast section and hit the ground pretty hard. It took me a couple of laps to recover and get back into a rhythm, but I kept pushing and managed to work my way back up to eighth. It’s not where we want to be, but I gave it everything and we’ll take the points and move forward.”

Maxime Renaux – P9 (24-points)

“It was a really tough weekend for me. I’ve been quite sick all week, coming into the race feeling far from my best, and that made things difficult from the start. We tried to manage it as best as possible, and although I felt a bit better on Sunday, I was still not at full physical capacity. In the first moto I had an unfortunate crash in the second corner, which meant I had to come back from the back of the pack. In the second moto I gave everything I had and managed to finish sixth. Considering the circumstances, it’s a solid result, but now the focus is on recovering properly and coming back stronger for Arco.”

MXGP Round Points

MXGP Championship Standings

MX2

MX2 delivered one of the tightest stories of the Sardinian weekend. Sacha Coenen set the tone on Saturday by taking yet another qualifying race win, then converted that speed into victory in Sunday’s first moto, but Simon Längenfelder turned consistency into the bigger prize. The German’s 2-1 scoreline gave him the Sardegna overall on countback from Coenen’s 1-2, with Liam Everts completing the podium in third after 3-4 finishes.

Coenen was electric at his best. He controlled the first moto from the front for his first moto win of the season, then grabbed another holeshot in race two before crashing while leading on the opening lap. Even after that setback, the young Belgian charged back to second, underlining both his speed and his growing maturity in the class. But Längenfelder once again proved to be the master of the bigger picture. He was second in race one, inherited the lead after Coenen’s fall in race two, and from there controlled the moto for his second straight GP victory and third overall win in four rounds. The result also kept intact a perfect 2026 podium record.

Everts was not quite able to match the front two for outright speed, but his composure again paid off. The Husqvarna rider took third in the opener, then worked forward from a compromised start in race two to finish fourth and secure a second consecutive overall podium. That moved him up to third in the championship and kept him firmly in the title picture.

Behind the podium trio, Camden McLellan narrowly missed out again. The Triumph rider had to fight back from trouble in both motos, coming through for 6-3 results and fourth overall, while Janis Reisulis rode to fifth overall for Yamaha after a strong fourth in race one and a recovery to ninth in race two.

There were solid rides deeper in the order as well. Kay Karssemakers claimed seventh overall for Kawasaki with 8-7 results, Karlis Reisulis took eighth overall after finishing fifth in the second moto, and Mathis Valin salvaged sixth in race two after an issue forced him out early in moto one.

Guillem Farres demonstrated podium speed, particularly in race two, where he shadowed Längenfelder near the front, but a late crash dropped him to 10th in that moto and ninth overall. Ferruccio Zanchi’s return for Ducati also showed promise, with the Italian running inside the top 10 in race one before a technical issue and then showing top-five pace early in race two before fading to 14th.

The championship picture after Sardegna now reads Längenfelder 205, Coenen 181 and Everts 166, with McLellan fourth on 162 and Farres fifth on 153.  Längenfelder has already established himself as the rider everyone else is chasing as the series heads to Trentino.

Simon Laengenfelder – P1 (47-points)

“I must say I’m really proud of what I could do today and the team also. We put in some serious hours to get my bike figured out for the sand and it seemed like it worked. I’m super-happy to win back-to-back. I could ride very freely. I was able to jump the bumps and the suspension worked really nicely. I had a lot of trust in the bike.”

Sacha Coenen – P2 (47-points)

“The weekend started good on a challenging track, and the first moto was good also. I don’t know what happened at the start of the second it was quite a high-speed crash so I was lucky not to hurt anything. I was pleased with how I could come back then…so, not such a bad weekend after all. I was having fun out there.”

Liam Everts – P3 (38-points)

“It was a really tough weekend physically, the sand here just drains you, so I’m happy to come away with another podium. The first race was good, I could ride my own pace and make the pass when it mattered. In the second one I didn’t get the best start, so I knew it was going to be a fight, but I stayed calm and just worked my way forward. At the end it was all about managing the pressure and bringing it home. Two podiums in a row and moving up to third in the championship is really positive, especially on a track like this.”

Camden McLellan – P4 (35-points)

“Sunday here in Riolo Sardo is done, and overall, it was an okay day, but I made things difficult for myself. I actually had two good starts but got caught up with another rider and ended up at the back both times. In the first race I also went down on the opening lap, so I had to fight through from last up to sixth and was close to fifth but couldn’t quite make the move. The second race was similar as I started far back again and wasn’t really able to make the impact I wanted. There are some positives, but also clear areas to improve. Now the focus is on a good week of rest and recovery before Arco, which is a special place for me as it’s where I took my first win last year. I’m looking forward to going back there and I’m aiming for a strong weekend.”

Janis Reisulis – P5 (30-points)

“Overall, it was quite a positive weekend for me. I felt really good on the bike from the start and had strong speed throughout, which showed with the pole position in Time Practice and a solid result in the Qualifying Race. Sunday was also positive. In the first moto I rode well and managed things as planned, but in the second race I pushed a bit too hard early on, had a crash, and it was difficult to come back from that. Even so, there are a lot of positives to take away, and we know where we need to improve. I really appreciate the work from the whole team, and I’m confident we’ll keep building from here.”

Karlis Reisulis – P8 (26-points)

“Overall, I think it was a positive weekend. The first moto wasn’t the easiest, as I was still dealing with a small injury from yesterday, but I did my best to fight through it. The second moto was much better though. The track was really tough with a lot of ruts and braking bumps, but I managed to work my way up to sixth and then into fifth in the final laps. To finish fifth in these conditions is something to build on, so I’m happy with the progress and I’m looking forward to the next round.”

Guillem Farres – P9 (25-points)

“It was a bit of a frustrating weekend here in Riolo Sardo. Saturday started well with a good feeling on the track and second in time practice, which gave me a strong gate pick for the qualifying race. But a bad start and a small crash in that one meant I had to come through the field, and I eventually finished 10th. Sunday was similar in many ways. Another poor start in the first moto and a crash on the opening lap left me at the back, but I fought through to seventh. In the second moto I finally got a good start and moved into second, pushing for the lead for most of the race, but a late crash with a lapper cost me a lot of time and I could only finish 10th. It’s frustrating because the speed is there, but I just need to put everything together across the whole weekend.”

MX2 Round

MX2 Championship Standings

EMX250

Skovbjerg breaks Garcia’s run as red-plate leader limits the damage in Sardegna

The EMX250 class produced one of the key subplots of the weekend, as Nicolai Skovbjerg became the first rider this season to deny Francisco Garcia a perfect weekend. Garcia had struck first by winning Saturday’s opening moto, but a first-lap fall in Sunday’s second outing changed the complexion of the round and opened the door for Skovbjerg to take both the race win and the overall at Riola Sardo.

Garcia’s recovery ride was still an important one for the championship. After that early fall, he fought back to fourth in race two, which was enough to secure second overall on the weekend and preserve the red plate. Skovbjerg’s overall victory was a breakthrough result, while Áron Katona rounded out the podium for KTM with his first top-three overall finish in the category. The official championship standings after Sardegna list Garcia on 143 points, Skovbjerg on 93 and Jake Cannon on 88, meaning the Spaniard still holds a commanding 50-point lead despite seeing his unbeaten start checked in the Sardinian sand.

Jake Cannon’s weekend was one of real frustration. The Kawasaki rider had shown his usual start speed and came into Sardegna sitting second in the series, but his hopes of a strong overall were undone when he was forced out of Sunday’s second moto on lap two. Even so, the Australian remains third in the standings and only five points off second, which keeps him firmly in the fight for the minor positions behind Garcia.

There were tough weekends elsewhere. Simone Mancini crashed in the opening stages of race one for Ducati and then suffered another heavy incident in race two after working back toward the top 15, while Yamaha’s Mano Faure showed strong sand speed and starts but paid for crashes in both motos and ended up 12th overall. Even so, Sardegna again showed how volatile EMX250 can be. Garcia still leads comfortably, but Skovbjerg’s breakthrough means the red-plate Spaniard no longer has the field entirely to himself heading toward Trentino.

Simone Mancini

“It was quite a difficult weekend; I hadn’t started badly in free practice, and in qualifying I set the 15th fastest time, which wasn’t what I wanted, but I was finding a good feeling with the the track and had established a good pace. In the first heat, I had a poor start and crashed on the second turn, but I managed to make up positions. In race two, I got a bad start, outside the top 20, but I quickly got back into the top 15, then a rider crashed in front of me, and I couldn’t avoid him. I was left breathless for a while, and they took me to the medical center for checks. Luckily, we came out of it unhurt, and we’ll definitely make up for it in Arco.”

EMX250 – Round Overall

EMX125

Ernecker extends red-plate lead as Goyer charges to maiden EMX125 race win

EMX125 delivered a split story in Sardegna. Moritz Ernecker did the championship business by taking the overall through consistency, while Sleny Goyer produced the outright ride of the weekend in Sunday’s second moto to secure his first race win in the class. Ernecker’s 1-2 weekend gave him the overall on 47 points, ahead of Emil Ziemer and Riccardo Pini, and strengthened his hold on the red plate after three rounds.

Saturday had been painful for Goyer. The French youngster was right in the fight for victory in race one and briefly led, but a technical problem ended his challenge and opened the way for Ernecker to take the win from Pini and Ziemer. That left Goyer needing something special on Sunday, and he delivered exactly that. After starting seventh in race two, he worked steadily through the field, took the lead in the closing stages and then broke clear to win by more than 16 seconds. It was a statement ride, even if the Saturday DNF meant he could finish only sixth overall for the round.

Ernecker, though, was again the rider who maximised the weekend. By finishing second to Goyer on Sunday, the Austrian left Sardegna with the overall win and an even stronger championship position. Official social and search snippets around the round indicate Ernecker now holds a 32-point lead over Ricardo Bauer in the championship, with Goyer another seven points behind, which places the Yamaha rider third in the standings despite his difficult first race.

So while the overall trophy went to KTM once again, Goyer’s second-moto win ensured Yamaha left Sardegna with momentum of its own. In a class where raw speed can quickly change the championship picture, that Sunday ride may yet prove a significant turning point once the series resumes on the mainland.

EMX125 – Round Overall

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2026 AMA SX Round 13 – Nashville Wrap

See the full results:
Hunter Lawrence takes control in Nashville as Cole Davies extends East lead

Hunter Lawrence tightened his grip on the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship in Nashville, winning the 450SX main event on a night that significantly altered the complexion of the title race, while Cole Davies delivered another authoritative 250SX East victory to further strengthen his own championship position.

After St. Louis, riders had described that track as one of the toughest they had faced, and there was a similar tone again in Nashville, albeit for different reasons. Nissan Stadium developed into a hard, baked, technical circuit, with deepening ruts, sharp edges, and brutal whoops that demanded precision as much as aggression. Cooper Webb called it “sketchy”, Nate Thrasher said it became “harder packed”, and Davies pointed to whoops that had turned steep and badly cupped by the main event.

450SX

Hunter Lawrence’s Nashville win came at exactly the right time. He arrived at Round 13 tied atop the 450SX standings with Eli Tomac, but left Tennessee with sole possession of the red plate after Tomac’s difficult main event.

Justin Hill was soon at the front ahead of Ken Roczen and Jorge Prado, while Lawrence settled into the top five, and Tomac was buried outside the top ten from the outset.

Roczen then moved to the front and, for a period, looked capable of controlling the race. Hunter Lawrence, however, worked his way into second and became the fastest rider on the track as the pair edged clear through the middle stages. Lawrence made the difference with some excellent line choices, and an inside line through the sand had allowed him to chase down Roczen.

With just over eight minutes remaining, Roczen lost traction before a triple, Lawrence then capitalised to take the lead, and from there the Honda rider steadily broke the race open.

Roczen then hit the deck, dropped behind Hill and Webb, but recovered well enough to salvage third.

Hunter Lawrence was more than 15 seconds clear in the closing stages, leaving the real fight to unfold behind him.

Cooper Webb, after another poor start, regrouped and eventually found a way past Hill for second, while Roczen recovered strongly enough to climb back onto the podium and finish just ahead of Chase Sexton.

Justin Hill was one of the clear standouts of the night, featuring in the front group for the first time in three years and repeatedly pulling off a quad through one rhythm section that no one else was consistently making, which kept him firmly in the podium fight before he eventually came home fifth.

Dylan Ferrandis also took a welcome step forward on the Ducati, taking sixth on corrected results ahead of Justin Cooper.

There was an added sting for KTM because, after a difficult previous round, Tomac looked the rider to beat earlier in the day. Tomac topped qualifying, won his heat race and appeared well placed to mount a serious challenge, but a bad start on the slick, technical Nashville surface immediately left him chasing. He only got as high as eighth before a late crash compounded the damage, leaving him 12th.

Jorge Prado also showed enough in the early laps to suggest a stronger finish was possible after running near the front, only for his race to unravel on the way to 13th.

The official standings now show Lawrence on 270 points, Roczen on 260 and Tomac on 255, meaning Lawrence carries a 10-point lead over Roczen and a 15-point margin over Tomac into Cleveland. Webb remains in the conversation on 242 with four rounds remaining.

The championship now heads to Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on April 18 for the sport’s first visit there in 30 years. Lawrence arrives with momentum and the red plate in 450SX, Roczen remains close enough to punish any mistake, and Tomac has precious little room left for another costly night.

450 Main Results

Hunter Lawrence – P1

“It feels great [to be back on top of the podium]. I’m so happy my wrist wasn’t holding me back today. That’s probably the coolest thing. Every Saturday, I want to go out and have no limitations holding me back from anything. It feels like a home race with my collaboration with Gibson [Guitars] and how welcoming everyone is and I always look forward to coming back.”

Cooper Webb – P2

“This race was hard. The track was sketchy and you wanted to push, but you couldn’t. I’m happy with [second] and we got through safe. I had another terrible start, which is not how you want to draw it up. We’ve got some work to do to catch that lead group, but I’ll take the podium after the past few weekends. It’s a good boost of confidence for me.”

Ken Roczen – P3

“I just felt a little bit off today compared to the past few weekends, but nonetheless we still have only four races to go, and anything goes in the Main Event. I was doing pretty good and once Hunter [Lawrence] got by me, I was going to settle for second and that felt like it was a win for me today. I ended up tossing it right before the finish line and luckily, I got the bike started and back going. I would have loved to finish second, but I’ll take a podium. That’s like a win for us. We’ve got a bunch of racing to go.”

Chase Sexton

“Nashville was a bit of a struggle all day, but we salvaged a good result. I was able to come from pretty far back in the main and work my way up to fourth, which was a positive, but we need to put ourselves in a better position earlier in the race. It begins with better starts and making it easier on myself. I love racing here in Nashville and I’m grateful to be out here, so we’ll keep building and come back stronger next weekend.”

450 Championship Points

250 East

Young Kiwi Cole Davies again proved the rider best able to read the race as it developed. Daxton Bennick grabbed the holeshot ahead of Nate Thrasher and Drew Adams, but Thrasher quickly moved to the front while Davies and Seth Hammaker began pressing forward from just behind the early leaders.

Davies used his speed through the whoops to make ground and moved into the lead less than five minutes into the race. Hammaker followed him through and briefly looked the rider most likely to challenge, only for a mistake near a tuff block to send him down and undo much of that work.

Once clear, Davies controlled the race, building a lead of more than five seconds by halfway before stretching it to 17.2 seconds at the flag.

Behind him, the podium fight became increasingly messy. Hammaker recovered strongly from his earlier mistake, passed Thrasher, then closed on Bennick for second late in the race. Bennick lost rear traction trying to defend the place; the pair came together, and both went down, allowing Thrasher through to inherit second.

Hammaker remounted in third and Bennick in fourth, but the story was still not over, with Devin Simonson getting by Bennick on the final lap and then being elevated to third in the final classification after Hammaker was docked two positions for a track-cut penalty. That left Davies first, Thrasher second, Simonson third, Bennick fourth and Hammaker fifth.

Romano finished eighth, Adams marked his return with 10th in his hometown round, and Luke Clout was 13th.

That penalty made Nashville one of the key turning points in the East title fight. The official standings now show Davies on 161 points, Hammaker on 142 and Bennick on 121, which means Davies takes a 19-point advantage over Hammaker and a 40-point margin over Bennick into Cleveland, with only three rounds remaining in 250SX East. Nashville did not seal the title, but it shifted the pressure decisively onto Hammaker to respond immediately next weekend.

250 Main Results

Cole Davies – P1

“The whoops were sketchy today. They were super steep and since [the track crew] left them all day the cups were really gnarly. I’m stoked, that was a good race. I didn’t get off to a good start, but I made it happen and I’m stoked with that.”

Nate Thrasher – P2

“Honestly, I did not ride good at all. I just didn’t have a flow. I was really great in practice and solid in the Heat Race. The track just kept getting harder packed and I started struggling a little bit. I got a little pumped up and did the best I could. I’m pumped to be on the podium, but we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Devin Simonson – P3
(Quote before Hammaker penalty promoted him to third)

“I was able to pick up on some lines battling with Henry [Miller] and made the pass on him quick [for fifth]. A bunch of carnage was happening out front, I honestly don’t know what, but I saw on the pit board I was battling for fourth, so I gave it everything I had and came out with this one.”

Daxton Bennick – P4

“All-in-all, Nashville was good. It’s obviously frustrating since I was in P2 until the last couple of laps… I had a good start to the Main Event, which I was pumped about, then me and [Seth] Hammaker got together, so that is what it is and is part of racing. I’d have liked to have fought a little harder at the end, but we’ll learn from this and be better next weekend.”

Seth Hammaker – P5
Originally third before penalty

“The day was okay. I qualified P1 and felt really solid, just gelling with the track right away. The heat race went well, too. I got off to a second-place start, made the pass for the lead, and felt like I was riding really well heading into the main. In the main event, I didn’t get the best start, but I worked my way around the inside and came out inside the top five, then made a couple of quick passes to get into second and start chasing the lead. I made a mistake on my own getting too close to the tuff blocks, clipped my foot, and went down, which put me back a bit. I was able to regroup, get back up to fifth, and charge back into podium position. Late in the race, I was pushing to make a move for second when [Daxton Bennick] made a mistake, and we came together, which was unfortunate. Even after that, I got going again with the bike pretty tore up and fought back to third. Overall, I felt good, just had one too many mistakes in the main. We’ll clean it up and come back stronger. I’m just glad to be healthy.”

250 East Championship Points

250 West Championship Points