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Moto News Weekly Wrap
May 26, 2026

What’s New:

• Desafío Ruta 40 — Sanders takes early control
• Tungate and Rew through to SGP Challenge
• Chadwick doubles up at Esk AHEC
• Sydney to join Australian Speedway calendar
• Matthew Phillips the new Beta Australia ambassador
• Coenen brothers set eyes on AMA MX Championship
• Västervik to host SoN in 2027, SGP in 2028-29
• World SidecarCross and Quadcross Round 11 in Heerde axed
• Australian ProMX Round Four – Toowoomba Wrap
• 2026 MXGP of France Wrap
• 2026 EnduroGP of Finland Wrap
• 2026 SGP of Czech Republic Wrap
• 2026 FIM Speedway of Nations SON2 – Prague Wrap
• 2026 Racing Calendars

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Desafío Ruta 40 — Sanders takes early control

Daniel Sanders has made a commanding start to Round 3 of the 2026 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, the Australian Red Bull KTM rider taking charge once the Desafío Ruta 40 moved from Sunday’s short prologue into the first proper special around San Juan.

Luciano Benavides had topped the 9.6 km prologue, with Honda’s Ricky Brabec and Tosha Schareina just one and two seconds away, while Sanders was sixth. But once the rally proper began, Sanders stamped his authority on the event, winning the 340 km opening special by 6m02s over Schareina and 7m29s over Brabec.

Honda still came away strongly represented in the RallyGP fight. Schareina sits second overall after recovering from a small crash in the dust, Brabec is third after a cold and slow start to the stage, while Skyler Howes holds fourth despite losing his road book for around 30 km due to a tablet issue. Adrien Van Beveren endured a tougher day in the dust and sits eighth overall.

Honda also locked out the Rally2 stage podium, with Bruno Crivilin becoming the first Brazilian rider to win a W2RC stage on debut, ahead of Martim Ventura and Preston Campbell. Murun Purevdorj continued his Rally3 momentum with another class victory.

Stage two takes the field from San Juan to San Rafael, with the rally now beginning its run south into Mendoza before returning to San Juan later in the week. The event continues through to Friday, May 29, with five stages plus the prologue making up the Argentine round. Sanders now has the early buffer, but with several long days still ahead, navigation, dust and starting position will remain central to the fight.

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Tungate and Rew through to SGP Challenge

Australians Rohan Tungate and Keynan Rew have both booked places in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship Challenge after safely negotiating the opening SGP Qualifying round at Abensberg in Germany.

American Luke Becker was the class of the field in Bavaria, going through the meeting unbeaten with five wins from five starts, but the Australian interest was significant, with Tungate and Rew both finishing inside the all-important top five to keep their 2027 Speedway Grand Prix hopes alive.

The Abensberg qualifier was the first of three SGP Qualifying rounds, with the top five riders earning passage to the Challenge at Terenzano in Italy on 25 July. That meeting will decide four places in the 2027 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship.

Tungate was right in the mix throughout the meeting. After being beaten by Sweden’s Kim Nilsson in his opening heat, the 35-year-old responded strongly, defeating fellow Australian Rew in his second ride before adding another heat win later in the programme. He also chased Becker home in the fourth block of heats before winning his final ride ahead of Latvia’s Francis Gusts.

That left Tungate tied with Nilsson for second overall, with Nilsson taking the run-off to claim runner-up honours behind Becker, leaving Tungate third on the day and safely through to Terenzano.

Rew also produced a composed qualifying performance. The 22-year-old started his afternoon by chasing Becker home, then picked up further points before an important heat win over Slovenian Matic Ivacic. When the final qualifying places came down to a run-off involving Rew, Dominik Kubera and Gusts, the Australian delivered under pressure, winning that race-off to secure fourth overall.

Kubera took the final transfer spot in fifth, while Gusts was the unlucky rider to miss the cut after being pushed back to sixth.

The remaining two SGP Qualifying rounds will be staged on 30 May, with meetings scheduled for Žarnovica in Slovakia and Glasgow in Great Britain.

2026 Speedway GP Abensberg Qualifier Results

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Chadwick doubles up at Esk AHEC

Ruben Chadwick continued his perfect start to the 2026 Australian Hard Enduro Championship with a clean sweep of Round Two, held at Esk in Queensland over the weekend.

The Murrumba Madness event ran across May 23-24, with riders facing the dry and dusty South East Queensland conditions that Chadwick, a Queensland local, knows well. The Beta rider came into the weekend off the back of his opening-round Kosciuszko Killer victory and again proved the benchmark.

Saturday’s prologue saw Chadwick recover from a slower start before pushing through the pack in the first corner, then taking control through the long dry creek section. He completed seven laps to take the prologue win, with official AHEC placings listing Chadwick ahead of Wade Ibrahim and Houston Walters in the Gold class.

Sunday’s main race brought a tougher and more decisive test. Chadwick launched well, led from the start and never relinquished the advantage as the course worked over both riders and machinery. The Esk loop featured steep, loose rock sections, a creek that became progressively more technical, and a steep dry waterfall to close each lap.

Chadwick stayed clear of the trouble that caught out others, riding the tops of the rocks and stretching his lead each lap. He was one of only two riders to complete three laps of the course and finished more than an hour clear.

Ruben Chadwick

“It was great to come away with the win on both days this weekend,” Chadwick said. “The body felt good and the bike performed great all weekend.”

The result also strengthened Chadwick’s early championship position. The official AHEC points table has Chadwick leading on 1475 points after two rounds, with Wade Ibrahim second on 1375.

2026 Australian Hard Enduro Round Two Results & Standings

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Sydney to join Australian Speedway calendar in 2027

Sydney returns to the Australian Speedway Championship in 2027, with Western Sydney Speedway to host the fourth and final round on January 9. The milestone will mark Sydney’s first taste of Australian championship action in 19 years as it joins three speedway staples on the 2027 calendar: Mildura (January 2), Gillman (January 4) and Wodonga (January 7).

Western Sydney Speedway – located south of Sydney Motorsport Park and adjacent to Sydney Dragway – was officially opened in 2022 and in late 2025 hosted its first solo motorcycle event won by Speedway Grand Prix star Jack Holder.

At 500 metres long, Western Sydney Speedway is the most expansive track on the 2027 calendar, which will allow Australia’s best riders to really stretch their legs in the high-stakes championship decider.

2027 Australian Speedway Championship Calendar

• Rd1, January 2: Olympic Park Speedway, Mildura, Vic
• Rd2, January 4, Gillman Speedway, SA
• Rd3, January 7: Diamond Park, Wodonga, Vic
• Rd4: January 9: Western Sydney Speedway, Eastern Creek, NSW

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Matthew Phillips the new Beta Australia ambassador

Beta Motorcycles Australia has announced that four-time Enduro World Champion and former Australian ISDE representative Matthew Phillips has joined the brand, swinging a leg over the MY26 Beta RR 300 RACE as he returns to riding and racing on home soil.

Tasmanian born and bred, Phillips built one of the most decorated careers in Australian enduro — collecting four world titles and multiple podiums across the EnduroGP World Championship, before stepping back from full-time competition to focus on family following his racing career.

Now married with two young children and nearing the completion of a dual trade, Phillips is back on the bike and excited about what’s ahead

Matthew Phillips

“I’d previously ridden under the Paul Feeny group, where I was given a great opportunity to race in the world championship at 19 years old. That’s where I first met Patrick Lowry. Fast forward to today, and Lowry Australia is the importer for Beta Motorcycles in Australia, so I reached out — I knew the product well from my time racing alongside Beta overseas. It was worth a shot to get back into some riding and racing on good equipment, and an opportunity to rub shoulders with people I respect.”

“I still have that competitive streak. I’m in awe of how fast the next generation of riders coming through are. I’d love to get out and watch them, and even race against them. But for the moment, I’m happy to turn up to the local races and enjoy some good days on the bike socially. I love it. I’m enjoying the local races, heading away with the family, weeknights in the shed working on the bike — all of the good stuff. I’d love to do the A4DE or some one-off events, more for the social side. I’d also love to try the RR 250 RACE and the RX 450 — two very popular machines.”

Matt recently joined the Kooweerup club for a four-day ride in the Victorian high country, with more adventures already in the planning stages. He’ll also be sharing setup tips and content from his garage across Beta Australia’s social channels.

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Coenen brothers set eyes on AMA MX Championship

MXGP and MX2 Grand Prix winners, Lucas and Sacha Coenen, are planning three race outings in the 2026 AMA Pro National Motocross championship with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Lucas Coenen currently leads the MXGP World Championship standings with the Red Bull KTM 450 SX-F and has two victories from the five rounds to-date.

Lucas Coenen

“It’s official: we’re aiming for three rounds of the AMA outdoor series. It’s a dream to be able to do this while still focusing on our season. Really looking forward to it, will try to enjoy it as much as possible and it’ll be a crazy experience. I’m also looking forward to meeting a lot of fans. Super-pumped.”

Sacha Coenen is 2nd in the MX2 category with the Red Bull KTM 250 SX-F, has led the most laps, has one win and three podiums, as well as a 100% record in Saturday Qualifying Heats.

Sacha Coenen

“I’m really excited to do some races in the U.S. this year. Since we were kids we were watching the races there so it will be awesome to go over and try the tracks. I’m really thankful to KTM and all the people that made it happen. See you there.”

Lucas and Sacha, together with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing crew led by Davide De Carli in Europe and the squad helmed by Ian Harrison in the USA, have identified the following opportunities: The Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colorado on June 13th (splitting Grands Prix in Latvia and Italy), the Southwick National in Massachusetts on July 11th (placed between Grands Prix in South Africa and Great Britain) and the Ironman National Finals on August 29th (dividing Dutch and Turkish dates).

These possible appointments constitute rounds three, five and eleven of the 11-race AMA calendar and depend on the trajectory of their 2026 motocross world championship bids.

The Coenens will enter the 450MX and 250MX classes relevant to their current competitions with the first ‘wildcard’ coming next month at Lakewood, a former Motocross of Nations venue.

Ian Harrison – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

“The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will be a little bigger this year at Thunder Valley, with Sacha and Lucas Coenen joining us for this event. With a short break in the MXGP calendar, they’re excited for the opportunity to race at altitude and in the USA. I had the chance to watch both of them compete at the Motocross of Nations last year, where they showed exceptional skill and speed. We’re looking forward to welcoming them and seeing them compete in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.”

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Västervik to host SoN in 2027, SGP in 2028-29

Swedish club Västervik has been revealed as host of the 2027 FIM Speedway of Nations Final and SON2, with Speedway GP action heading to the stunning coastal city in 2028 and 2029.

Following an agreement with FIM Speedway global promoter Mayfield Sports Events, senior world-championship action returns to Västerviks Arena for the first time since the city hosted 2017 FIM Speedway World Cup Semi-Final 2, won by Sweden.

Next year’s FIM SON Final – Västervik will feature the world’s top seven teams, including hosts Sweden, as they battle to become 2027 FIM Speedway world team champions.

The sport’s top eight junior sides, including Sweden, will also be in action in 2027 FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 – Västervik – an epic 28-heat showdown for the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

The following two years will then see the sport’s flagship series head to Västerviks Arena for the first time for the 2028 and 2029 FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Västervik.

Dates for the 2027 FIM SON events will be confirmed when the full calendar is released at the end of the current FIM Speedway season.

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World SidecarCross and Quadcross Round 11 in Heerde axed

The 11th and penultimate round of the Championship scheduled to run in Heerde over the weekend of September 12-13 has been cancelled by the M.S.V N.O.V. Heerde organisers.

Citing difficulties in finalising the organisational and financial details, the official statement acknowledges the enthusiasm within the club for the sport, the commitment of many volunteers and partners, whilst regretting having to arrive at their decision.

The date, and its place in the calendar, is therefore returned to WSC for re-allocation, should a new organiser can be found at relatively short notice.

Given we are still five months away from mid-September, the WSC promoters are already actively involved in discussions with suitable and willing replacement partners. The Netherlands still has several long-standing, famous motocross tracks, with Grand Prix tradition and experience in all classes going back decades.

WSC is optimistic that an agreement can be reached to fill the breach and keep the series to the full twelve rounds scheduled. As soon as there is news on the progress of the negotiations, we will advise accordingly.

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2026 Australian ProMX Round Four – Toowoomba Wrap

See the full class by class report and results here:
Beaton extends ProMX lead as Honda keeps MX2 streak alive

Round four of the 2026 Penrite ProMX Championship at Toowoomba’s Echo Valley circuit delivered a pivotal day in the title chase, particularly in Kawasaki MX1, where Jed Beaton turned another clean sweep into a 40-point championship lead.

The Queensland venue was sunny overhead, but the circuit itself was heavy, rutted and muddy in sections, placing a premium on starts, patience and precision. Yamaha riders won seven of the eight motos across the MX1, MX2, MX3 and MX85 programs, but Honda’s MX2 program again had plenty to celebrate, with the Factory Honda Racing Team taking its fourth consecutive MX2 overall victory for the season.

Beaton was the clear headline act in MX1, edging Kyle Webster by just 0.009 seconds in Superpole before winning both motos. The result was made more significant by a costly opening-race incident for Webster, Dean Ferris and Wilson Todd, which removed Webster from contention in Moto 1 and left Todd battling through injury for the remainder of the day.

In MX2, Alex Larwood and Noah Ferguson shared the moto wins, but Kayd Kingsford’s pair of second places delivered the overall. That was a particularly impressive outcome given Kingsford underwent collarbone surgery only three weeks earlier. Larwood still leaves Toowoomba with the red plate, but his championship lead over Kingsford is now only nine points.

Hayden Downie was dominant in MX3, taking both race wins, while Hayden Draper’s 2-2 scorecard strengthened his championship position. In the Fox Racing MX85 Cup, Blake Bohannon completed a perfect campaign, winning again at Toowoomba to finish the series unbeaten.

MX1 Championship Standings

MX2 Championship Standings

MX3 Championship Standings

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2026 MXGP of France Wrap

See the full report/results here:
Herlings wins brutal MXGP of France as Farrés makes Triumph history

The 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship fired back into action at Lacapelle-Marival over the weekend, with the MXGP of France marking the return of Grand Prix motocross after a lengthy mid-season pause.

The Circuit Georges Filhol delivered a demanding resumption. As temperatures pushed beyond 30 degrees, the hard-pack surface became rocky, rutted, and increasingly physical, and the compact layout made passing difficult across the main classes. Starts were critical, track position mattered, and riders who were forced to recover from early trouble paid a heavy physical price.

Jeffrey Herlings and Guillem Farrés were the headline Sunday winners. Herlings took the MXGP overall on a second-moto tie-break after finishing level on points with Lucas Coenen, while Farrés delivered a perfect 1-1 in MX2 to secure his first Grand Prix victory and a historic Triumph Factory Racing one-two alongside Camden McLellan.

Daniela Guillen opened the WMX season with the overall win and the red plate, while Ricardo Bauer turned the tables in EMX125 to claim the round ahead of Moritz Ernecker.

ANZAC watch

Jake Cannon made his MX2 Grand Prix debut with Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki and scored points in both motos, going 17-13 for 15th overall. After crashing on the opening lap of Race One, he put together a cleaner second moto and moved forward through the field.

Jake Cannon

“We have a break in our European championship schedule and this was a close one, just three hours drive from the team base, so it was nice to enjoy the experience of racing a GP and have fun. I felt comfortable out there; I did some front loops in the first race but it was nice to race with the factory guys in race two.”

Levi Townley made an impressive EMX125 return from injury with 7-5 for fifth overall, giving Yamaha’s MJC programme another strong result alongside Goyer’s podium.

Courtney Duncan’s WMX weekend improved sharply across the two races. The New Zealander was 12th in Race One but rebounded to fourth in Race Two, ending the season opener eighth overall and leaving France with better momentum than her Saturday result suggested.

MXGP Championship Standings – Top 10

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2026 EnduroGP of Finland Wrap

See the full results here:
KTM team-mates split EnduroGP wins as Dennett delivers Aussie podium

Andrea Verona and Josep Garcia shared the outright EnduroGP victories at round three of the 2026 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Finland, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing locking out the top two positions on both days at Vierumäki, Salpausselkä.

The Finnish round took riders into the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark, where sandy terrain, stones and rooted forest trails helped deliver a demanding weekend across a 59-kilometre course. Riders tackled the POLISPORT Extreme Test, GMOTO Enduro Test and EXPOTRADE Cross Test three times each day after Friday night’s AKRAPOVIC Super Test.

That Super Test provided the first surprise of the weekend. WP Eric Auge rider Alex Puey Monforte mastered the worsening rain to set the outright benchmark at 1m32.15s, beating the full EnduroGP field and taking the Junior category honours in the process. Zachary Pichon came closest among the senior contenders, while Verona and Garcia slotted into third and fourth in EnduroGP.

Once the full-length race days began, the weekend quickly became a KTM duel. Garcia started Saturday with intent, topping the opening three tests and building a handy lead at the end of lap one. Verona, however, worked his way into the day, found more rhythm in the middle phase, and then made his move late.

The final lap was the decisive part of Saturday’s contest. Verona closed Garcia’s lead to just 0.36 seconds after the final POLISPORT Extreme Test, trimmed it again in the GMOTO Enduro Test, and then landed the final blow in the last EXPOTRADE Cross Test. The Italian won the day by just 0.85 seconds, giving him his first EnduroGP victory of the season and his first outright win since joining KTM.

Garcia still dominated Enduro1 on Saturday, taking the class by more than two minutes, while Pichon completed the EnduroGP podium in third. Steve Holcombe was fourth outright and first in Enduro3, ahead of Hamish Macdonald in fifth. Australia’s Kyron Bacon finished fifth in Enduro2 and 12th outright on the MGR Enduro Kawasaki.

Sunday brought another close KTM fight, but this time Garcia had enough in hand. The Spaniard again started strongly, led from the opening test, and managed the day despite a hard crash in the second Enduro Test. Verona mounted another late attack, winning two of the final three tests, but Garcia held on by 1.31 seconds.

Holcombe backed up his Saturday Enduro3 class win with another strong ride on Sunday, finishing third outright behind the KTM pair and taking another E3 victory. Brad Freeman improved to fourth outright and second in E3, while Pichon completed the top five after a 30-second penalty pushed him back from what would otherwise have been a closer fight for the outright podium.

Garcia’s Sunday win also extended his unbeaten run in Enduro1 to six wins from six race days in 2026. Verona remained perfect enough in Enduro2 across the weekend to strengthen his position in that class, while Garcia left Finland with the overall EnduroGP points lead still intact.

Enduro1

Garcia was untouchable in Enduro1 across both days. On Saturday, the Spaniard won the class by 2m02.32s over Morgan Lesiardo, with Antoine Magain only 3.91 seconds further back in third. Samuele Bernardini and Finnish rider Roni Kytonen completed the top five.

Sunday was another Garcia masterclass, but the fight behind him was more notable for Triumph. Lesiardo again finished second in class, while Jeremy Sydow rebounded from his Saturday retirement to claim third in E1 and seventh outright. It was Sydow’s first Enduro1 podium for Triumph Factory Racing and a strong response after his injury-affected start to the season.

Enduro2

Verona swept Enduro2 in Finland. Saturday’s outright win gave him the E2 victory by 48.69 seconds over Pichon, with Macdonald third for Sherco. Max Ahlin was fourth, while Bacon was fifth in class and 12th outright.

Bacon’s Sunday was more difficult. The Australian was not listed among the classified finishers in the official Day Two E2 top 10, while Verona again took the class win. Pichon was second after his 30-second penalty, Macdonald third, Ahlin fourth and Nathan Watson fifth.

Enduro3

Holcombe produced the strongest Enduro3 weekend in Finland, winning both days for Sherco. On Saturday, the Brit beat Albin Norrbin by 34.68 seconds, with Freeman third ahead of Julien Roussaly and Matteo Cavallo.

Freeman closed the gap on Sunday, finishing 18.73 seconds behind Holcombe and moving up to fourth outright, but Holcombe still completed the E3 double. Norrbin was third in class, Roussaly fourth, and Jed Etchells fifth.

Junior

Romain Dagna won Saturday’s Junior contest, heading Kevin Cristino by 20.50 seconds, while Thibault Giraudon completed the outright Junior podium. Leo Joyon was fourth overall and first in Junior1 for Triumph, missing the overall Junior podium by only 0.21 seconds.

Sunday delivered the Australian highlight of the weekend. Cristino took his first Junior win of the season, but Johansson MPE Triumph rider Will Dennett charged to second overall and second in Junior2. The Australian finished 28.25 seconds behind Cristino and 6.23 seconds ahead of Alberto Elgari, who won Junior1 in third overall.

Joyon was seventh overall on Sunday after a 30-second penalty, but still finished second in Junior1, continuing his run of class podiums across the opening six race days of the season.

EnduroGP Championship Standings

Enduro1 Championship Standings

Enduro2 Championship Standings

Enduro3 Championship Standings

Junior Enduro Championship Standings

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2026 SGP of Czech Republic Wrap

See the full report here:
Madsen rebounds in Prague as Kurtz takes Speedway GP podium

Leon Madsen produced a major early-season turnaround in the beautiful Czechian city of Prague on Saturday night, storming to victory in round two of the 2026 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship.

The Danish racer arrived at Marketa Stadium with just one championship point to his name after the opening round in Landshut, Germany, but left the Czech capital with the full 20 after winning the FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic ahead of Australia’s Brady Kurtz and Poland’s Bartosz Zmarzlik.

On a night when Marketa Stadium celebrated a record-extending 30th straight season of Speedway GP action, Madsen bounced back from a difficult start to the year that had included injury, illness, bike issues and off-track challenges.

Madsen described the opening phase of his season as the “worst start of my career”, but the Prague round changed the tone dramatically. He built momentum through the heat races, then delivered when it counted most, winning the final in 65.866 seconds ahead of Kurtz, Zmarzlik and Michael Jepsen Jensen.

Kurtz was the leading Australian in Prague, taking second overall and 18 championship points. The result moved last year’s World Championship runner-up to third in the 2026 standings on 26 points after two rounds.

The Queenslander won heat two, then booked his place in the final by winning the first last-chance qualifier ahead of Jack Holder, Andzejs Lebedevs and Max Fricke. From there, Kurtz chased Madsen across the four-lap decider, but the Dane had enough pace to control the race and seal the victory.

Zmarzlik completed the Prague podium in third, a result that was enough to hand the Polish star the championship lead. The reigning benchmark of the class topped the heat score chart on 13 race points and progressed directly to the final without needing to contest the last-chance qualifiers.

Zmarzlik now leads the Speedway GP World Championship on 32 points, one clear of countryman Kacper Woryna, with Kurtz third on 26. Madsen and Jack Holder are tied next on 21 points apiece.

Aussies in Prague

Kurtz led the Australian charge with second overall, while Jack Holder continued his solid start to the season with fifth in Prague and 12 championship points.

Holder won heats five and 19, then finished second to Kurtz in the first last-chance qualifier. He now sits equal fourth in the championship standings with Madsen.

Jason Doyle finished ninth in Prague with eight points, leaving him seventh in the championship on 19 points.

Max Fricke was 10th overall after a night that included victory in heat 13 over Madsen, Jan Kvech and Dominik Kubera. Fricke now sits 14th in the standings on 10 points.

Czech president and motorsport enthusiast Petr Pavel was also trackside at Marketa Stadium, photographing the racing from the pits and infield during the evening.

2026 FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic
Prague results

2026 FIM Speedway of Nations SON2 – Prague Wrap

See full results here:
Poland wins SON2 Prague thriller as Aussies miss podium on countback

Poland returned to the top of the FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 podium in Prague on Friday night, winning a tense last-heat decider against Denmark to clinch the 2026 FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.

The Poles went into heat 28 on 38 points, with Denmark still very much in the title hunt on 35. With the gold medal on the line, Wiktor Przyjemski and Bartosz Bańbor delivered under maximum pressure, defeating Bastian Pedersen and Villads Nagel 7-2 to seal victory at Marketa Stadium.

That final race lifted Poland to 45 points, eight clear of Denmark, with Przyjemski finishing as Poland’s top scorer on 24 and Bańbor adding 21. It was Poland’s 18th FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship success, and a major bounce-back after Germany broke Poland’s long winning run in 2025.

For Przyjemski, the Prague result also marked a special personal farewell to SON2 competition. He turns 21 this weekend, making this his final appearance in the under-21 team world championship, and he now adds the 2026 Prague gold medal to SON2 titles won in Vojens in 2022, Riga in 2023 and Manchester in 2024.

The Polish skipper called the Prague victory his “sweetest” SON2 success, with the title only secured after the final heat of the night.

Bańbor also had to show plenty of nerve. He crashed out of Poland’s penultimate outing in heat 24 while battling Germany’s Mario Hausl, but recovered in time to partner Przyjemski in the decisive race. The pair then made the starts they needed and converted the last-heat decider into a gold-medal-clinching 7-2.

Denmark second again

Denmark had pushed Poland deep into the meeting and was still within three points heading into the final race. Villads Nagel led the Danish scorecard with 23 points, while Bastian Pedersen contributed 14.

But heat 28 proved decisive. Denmark needed to outscore Poland to keep the fight alive, while Poland needed only to protect its advantage. Instead, Przyjemski and Bańbor made it emphatic, racing clear to give Poland a commanding final margin.

It left Denmark with silver for the second straight season, another strong result but one that will still sting after going so close to the title.

Germany wins bronze on bonus points

The bronze-medal battle was even tighter, with Germany, Great Britain and Australia all finishing level on 33 points.

That tie was settled on bonus points, awarded when a nation’s riders finished first and second, or second and third, in a heat. Germany got the verdict with five bonus points, ahead of Great Britain on three and Australia on two.

Mario Hausl led Germany’s bronze-medal campaign with 17 points, while Janek Konzack added 13 and Hannah Grunwald contributed three. Grunwald also made history as the first female rider in SON2 history, scoring her three points with a second place in heat 24 as Germany beat Poland 5-4 in one of the most important races of the night.

Aussies miss podium on countback

Australia’s young team came agonisingly close to a SON2 medal, finishing level with Germany and Great Britain on 33 points but ultimately classified fifth after the bonus-point countback.

Mitchell McDiarmid led the Australian charge with 19 points, winning his opening ride and remaining a consistent threat throughout the 28-heat program.

Beau Bailey was also excellent, adding 14 points after being brought into the action, while Tate Zischke finished scoreless from his two rides.

The result means Australia matched the eventual bronze medallists on race points, but two bonus points were not enough to beat Germany’s five or Great Britain’s three in the tie-break.

Hosts Czech Republic finished sixth on 27 points, led by Adam Bubba Bednar with 23. Sweden was seventh on 23 points, while Ukraine finished eighth on 21, with Nazar Parnitskyi scoring all of his nation’s points.

2026 FIM Speedway of Nations
SON2 – Prague results

Rider scores are race points.
Bonus points were used only to separate teams tied on total points.

Bronze medal countback