Moto Wrap | Sexton splits, Dakar changes course, Hard Enduro crowns decided

Moto News Weekly Wrap
October 27, 2026

What’s New:

• Hard Enduro
  • Román wins Hixpania finale as Lettenbichler makes it five in a row
  • Bolt’s Hixpania double signals a return to form
  • Moore retains Junior title as Brightmore brothers impress
• Rally
  • Middle East conflict sends Dakar back towards its roots
  • Sanders heads Dakar build-up as KTM boasts three winners
  • New terrain and seaside marathon camp for Abu Dhabi finale
  • McInnes takes narrow Bajas World Cup lead into Qatar showdown
• AMA MX/SX
  • Chase Sexton and Kawasaki part ways
  • Townley brothers head Stateside with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
  • Casey Cochran joins stacked Star Yamaha 250 line-up for 2027
  • Michael Mosiman joins Quad Lock Honda for 2027
  • Nate Thrasher joins five-rider Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad
  • Roczen headlines Paris Supercross as Coenen brothers prepare for SX debuts
• NZ – Purvis dominates MX Fest as van Dusschoten stakes his MX2 claim
• GNCC
  • Kailub Russell returns to the top at Ironman GNCC
  • Riordan and McDonald take GNCC title fights to final round
• FIM Flat Track – Tim Neave crowned Flat Track World Champion
• Sand Racing – Genot wins Bibione as Fredriksen extends Sand Races lead
• SuperMoto – SuperMoto expands to two World Championship classes for 2027
• 2026 & 2027 Racing Calendars

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Hard Enduro

Román wins Hixpania finale as Lettenbichler makes it five in a row

Manuel Lettenbichler secured his fifth consecutive FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at the season-ending Hixpania in Spain, but it was home favourite Mario Román who took victory in Sunday’s demanding Lost Road finale.

Lettenbichler actually clinched the title on Friday without scoring a point. The KTM rider finished fifth in the SuperEncierro, while his only remaining championship challenger, Mitch Brightmore, was fourth. Neither scored, leaving the German’s 32-point advantage intact with only 30 points still available.

That left the riders free to concentrate on the remaining race victories. Billy Bolt won both Friday’s SuperEncierro and Saturday’s Campoo Xtreme, but Román saved his best for Sunday’s main event.

After finishing eighth and seventh in the opening two races, the Spaniard defeated Lettenbichler by 1m00.82s over the nine-lap Lost Road contest, with Bolt completing the podium more than five minutes behind the winner.

Lettenbichler finished the eight-round championship on 223 points, 40 clear of Mitch Brightmore, with Teodor Kabakchiev third on 149.

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Bolt’s Hixpania double signals a return to form

Billy Bolt’s return to the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship proved particularly encouraging, with the Husqvarna rider winning two of Hixpania’s three races before battling through Sunday’s physically demanding finale to secure another podium.

After missing three rounds during an injury-interrupted campaign, Bolt won Friday’s SuperEncierro by 5.56 seconds from Ashton Brightmore, then held off newly crowned world champion Manuel Lettenbichler in Saturday’s Campoo Xtreme.

That Saturday contest was remarkably close. Bolt completed more than 74 minutes of racing just 3.5 seconds ahead of Lettenbichler, with Ashton Brightmore only another 6.2 seconds behind in third.

Sunday was a tougher proposition. Bolt admitted he had little energy during the opening half of The Lost Road, but recovered sufficiently to work his way forward and take third place with a final-lap pass.

Despite missing three rounds, Bolt finished seventh in the championship on 104 points. His attention now turns to the 2027 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, which begins in December.

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Moore retains Junior title as Brightmore brothers impress

James Moore successfully defended his FIM Junior Hard Enduro World Championship at Hixpania, overcoming a determined challenge from Ashton Brightmore in a title battle that remained open until Sunday’s final race.

The South African arrived in Spain just three points ahead of the younger Brightmore brother. Ashton made the stronger start, finishing second in Friday’s SuperEncierro and third outright on Saturday, ahead of Moore on both occasions.

However, Moore responded when the event reached its longest and most demanding race, finishing fifth outright in The Lost Road, one position ahead of Ashton. That performance was enough to retain the Junior crown under the championship’s best-six-rounds scoring system.

It completed another impressive campaign for the young Beta rider, while the Brightmore brothers continued to demonstrate their growing presence at the sharp end of the sport.

Mitch Brightmore secured second in the outright world championship standings with 183 points, behind Manuel Lettenbichler on 223. Teodor Kabakchiev was third on 149, with Ashton Brightmore fourth on 143 and Moore fifth on 138.

With two Brightmore brothers in the top four and Moore collecting consecutive Junior championships, the next generation looks increasingly capable of challenging the established names.

Full Hixpania race report, results and final championship standings

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Rally

Middle East conflict sends Dakar back towards its roots

Dakar 2027 will go ahead outside Saudi Arabia after organisers confirmed a one-off relocation following the escalating Middle East conflict. Saudi Arabia has hosted the rally since 2020 and is scheduled to welcome it back for its 50th edition in 2028.

Reports point towards a prologue in Spain or Portugal before a ferry crossing and the main competition in Morocco. A January 9–22 schedule, prologue and 12 stages are envisaged, although ASO’s detailed replacement route and official itinerary are still awaited.

A European departure and African crossing would reconnect Dakar with the journey that began in December 1978, before Cyril Neveu won the inaugural event on a Yamaha XT500 in January 1979. There is a historical irony, too: security concerns caused the cancellation of the 2008 rally and its subsequent departure from Africa. The reported 2027 plan does not yet include a return to Senegal itself.

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Sanders heads Dakar build-up as KTM boasts three winners

Daniel Sanders remains the strongest season-long reference heading towards Dakar 2027, leading the World Rally-Raid Championship on 87 points, 13 ahead of Luciano Benavides and Tosha Schareina.

KTM has won all four rounds contested so far, through Benavides at Dakar, Sanders in Portugal and Argentina, and Edgar Canet in Morocco. Canet’s maiden RallyGP victory came by just 1m02s over Sanders, giving the Austrian squad three riders with recent overall wins.

Honda remains firmly in the contest. Ricky Brabec won the opening and closing full stages in Morocco and finished third overall, while his two-second Dakar defeat to Benavides in January provides plenty of motivation. Schareina also recovered speed over Morocco’s closing stages after a difficult start.

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New terrain and seaside marathon camp for Abu Dhabi finale

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will host the World Rally-Raid Championship finale for the first time when its 35th edition runs from November 22–27.

Al Ain will serve as both the start and finish, with riders facing 1,931 kilometres, including 1,326 kilometres against the clock, across a motorcycle prologue and five stages.

The revised route stretches west through Madinat Zayed to Al Sila, where a seaside marathon camp adds a different backdrop to the championship’s final round.

Organisers expect navigation to play a greater role, particularly on the second and third stages between Madinat Zayed and Al Sila. Faster tracks, multiple possible routes and unfamiliar rocky terrain will broaden the challenge beyond the event’s famous dunes.

Dunes account for 23 per cent of the announced route, although the fourth stage retains a substantial sand test through Liwa towards the Rub Al Khali. The final stage returns riders to Al Ain via the Al Quaa dunes.

The motorcycle prologue takes place on November 22, followed by five consecutive days of racing.

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McInnes takes narrow Bajas World Cup lead into Qatar showdown

The FIM Bajas World Cup heads to Qatar this week with a closely contested championship fight and a significantly expanded route awaiting the 45 motorcycle competitors entered for the Qatar International Baja.

British KTM rider Alex McInnes leads the overall World Cup standings on 58 points, just two ahead of Abdulhalim Al Mogeera on 56, while Mohammed Al Balooshi remains firmly in contention on 50 points.

Junior contender Ethan Lane sits fourth on 38 points, ensuring there is plenty still to play for as the championship approaches its closing stages.

One of the principal threats to the championship contenders will be Konrad Dabrowski. The Duust KTM rider is a three-time winner of the Qatar International Baja and, although no longer in contention for the overall World Cup, remains a serious prospect for outright honours.

Organisers have increased the length of this year’s event by 18.4 per cent, with competitors facing 552.36 kilometres of timed competition across a total route of 860.05 kilometres.

Following technical checks and testing at Lusail on Wednesday, October 28, an 11.12-kilometre Prologue on Thursday will establish the starting order.

Friday promises to be the most demanding day, featuring 336.45 kilometres of timed special stages through the deserts of northern and central Qatar.

Saturday’s concluding 204.79-kilometre special heads south towards the challenging dunes of the Sealine region before the competitors return to Lusail.

Joanna Modrzewska leads the Women’s category standings with 90 points aboard her Triumph and will be among those tackling the demanding Qatari terrain.

The Qatar event is the fifth round of the 2026 FIM Bajas World Cup, with the Dubai International Baja following on November 5-8.

For more background on the championship, see our report on Lorenzo Santolino’s Baja Aragón victory.

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AMA MX/SX

Chase Sexton and Kawasaki part ways

Chase Sexton has become the second major signing in successive seasons to leave Monster Energy Kawasaki after just one year, following Jorge Prado’s departure from Team Green at the end of 2025.

Kawasaki confirmed that its separation from Sexton took effect on October 23, describing the decision as a mutual agreement. The manufacturer highlighted his two 450 Supercross victories at Anaheim and Salt Lake City during their 2026 season together.

Those victories demonstrated the combination’s winning potential, but finding a setup that consistently suited Sexton proved difficult.

There are echoes of Prado’s troubled 2025 campaign. The Spaniard arrived as the reigning MXGP World Champion but struggled to find confidence aboard the Kawasaki, finished sixth in Pro Motocross and ultimately secured an early release from his contract.

Prado’s fortunes have since changed dramatically. Back with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, he finished fourth in the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship, won the Ironman finale and then claimed the 450SMX World Championship, beating Haiden Deegan by seven points.

Sexton’s departure therefore raises a broader question for Kawasaki. Two riders with championship-winning credentials have now spent a single season in its American factory program without developing the lasting partnership both sides would have envisaged.

Prado’s difficulties, followed by Sexton’s search for a more comfortable package, suggest that getting rider and motorcycle to gel has been a recurring challenge for Team Green. Prado’s success since returning to KTM gives Sexton an example of how quickly fortunes can change after a fresh start.

Kawasaki’s brief announcement did not explain Sexton’s departure, name his replacement, or say where the American will race in 2027.

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Townley brothers head Stateside with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

New Zealand motocross prospects Levi and Jaggar Townley are heading to America after signing multi-year deals with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s amateur development programme.

The sons of former world motocross star Ben Townley will both make their American racing debuts with the championship-winning organisation, joining fellow new recruit Easton Graves and existing team member Carson Wood.

At 16, Levi Townley already boasts an impressive international record, including the 2024 FIM 85cc Junior Motocross World Championship and four New Zealand motocross titles.

Following two seasons racing in Europe, including the EMX125 Championship, Levi will step up to the YZ250F in 2027, contesting the 250A and Open Pro Sport amateur categories as well as SMX Next.

Younger brother Jaggar, 14, will campaign the YZ125 in the 125 B/C and Schoolboy 1 classes.

Jaggar finished third in the 2025 EMX85 Championship and was runner-up at the 2026 YZ125 BLU CRU SuperFinale at Ernée, where he finished behind Frenchman Arno Cazet during the Motocross of Nations weekend.

American recruit Easton Graves also arrives with substantial credentials, including the 2026 Supermini 2 national title at Loretta Lynn’s. He steps up to the 250B ranks aboard the YZ250F.

The signings further strengthen Yamaha’s American development pipeline, while presenting the Townley brothers with an opportunity to establish themselves in the highly competitive US amateur scene before progressing towards professional Supercross and Motocross.

The team’s first major outing will be the 54th annual Mini O’s at Gatorback Cycle Park in Florida, November 21-28.

We previously covered Jaggar Townley’s performance at the 2026 YZ125 BLU CRU SuperFinale in Moto Wrap.

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Casey Cochran joins stacked Star Yamaha 250 line-up for 2027

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing has completed its six-rider professional 250 line-up for the 2027 SuperMotocross season with the signing of Casey Cochran on a multi-year agreement.

The 20-year-old American joins a formidable roster featuring reigning 250SX East and 250MX Champion Cole Davies, Australian Kayden Minear, Caden Dudney, Landen Gordon and Pierce Brown.

Cochran brings considerable amateur credentials to the programme, having claimed six Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross titles before winning the 2023 250SX Futures Championship and being named AMA Youth Rider of the Year.

He made his professional debut at Budds Creek in 2023, although injuries have disrupted his progress over the past two seasons and prevented him from consistently demonstrating the speed that made him such a highly regarded amateur prospect.

Star Racing 250 Team Manager Jensen Hendler believes the combination of Cochran’s natural ability, work ethic and Yamaha’s established development programme provides the ingredients for a successful partnership.

Cochran will race the number 49 aboard Yamaha’s latest YZ250F, with his first opportunity to line up for his new team coming when the 2027 AMA Supercross season opens at Anaheim on January 9.

With Davies already established as a championship winner and Minear continuing his progression through the American ranks, Star Yamaha certainly won’t be lacking depth in its 250 programme next season.

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Michael Mosiman joins Quad Lock Honda for 2027

Michael Mosiman has signed with Yarrive Konsky’s Quad Lock Honda squad to contest the 250 class across AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross and the SMX Playoffs in 2027.

The American brings proven winning speed, having claimed a 250SX West main event victory and finished third in the 2022 championship with five podiums. Injuries have interrupted his progress, but Mosiman believes the team’s growing resources and Kevin Windham’s involvement can help him build a more consistent championship challenge.

“Kevin Windham’s involvement was a big part of that decision, and I’m excited about what we can accomplish together,” Mosiman said.

Windham will contribute to rider development, testing and performance, while increased support from American Honda strengthens the team’s ambitions in the quarter-litre category.

Konsky pointed to Mosiman’s two podiums and numerous top-five finishes during 2026 as evidence of his potential, with the focus now on converting that speed into regular results.

For Mosiman, the move offers an opportunity to rebuild momentum within a program openly targeting race wins and championships.

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Nate Thrasher joins five-rider Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki has confirmed a five-rider 250 line-up for the 2027 AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross and SMX season, with Nate Thrasher joining Levi Kitchen, Seth Hammaker, Drew Adams and Nick Romano.

Thrasher arrives with seven 250SX victories, the latest coming at Cleveland in 2026, and will train in Florida alongside Kitchen and Romano.

“I look forward to getting the bike dialled in, and my goal is to win a championship this year,” Thrasher said.

Kitchen returns as the reigning 250SMX World Champion after also finishing runner-up in 250SX West and third in Pro Motocross. His SMX success delivered Pro Circuit its 32nd championship.

Hammaker enters his seventh season with the squad following victories at Daytona and Fox Raceway, although a shoulder injury at High Point brought his outdoor campaign to an early end.

Romano has converted his 2026 fill-in opportunity into a full-time seat after claiming his first national overall podium at Thunder Valley. Adams completes the line-up, looking to translate his qualifying speed into more consistent results at the front.

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Roczen headlines Paris Supercross as Coenen brothers prepare for SX debuts

The 43rd running of the Paris Supercross promises an intriguing mix of established American Supercross stars, emerging European talent and Australian competitors when the event returns to the Plenitude Arena at Paris La Défense on November 21-22.

Reigning AMA 450SX Champion Ken Roczen headlines the international field, returning to Europe after securing another American Supercross crown in 2026.

Roczen will face an interesting group of challengers, including Aaron Plessinger, who is scheduled to make his first official appearance aboard a Triumph following his move to the British manufacturer for 2027.

Jo Shimoda will also have plenty of attention on him as he makes his first Supercross appearance aboard a 450. The Japanese rider won the Prince of Paris title in 2023 and will be keen to demonstrate his abilities on the larger-capacity machine.

Jordon Smith has been added to the field following Malcolm Stewart’s withdrawal. Stewart’s new team commitments have prevented him from competing, although the organisers say he is already looking towards a return in 2027.

French favourite Tom Vialle returns with substantially more 450 experience than when he first raced the premier category at Paris last year.

Two of the most intriguing entries, however, will be Belgian twins Lucas and Sacha Coenen, who are both preparing for their first competitive Supercross appearances.

Lucas, one of the standout performers in the 2026 MXGP World Championship and a member of Belgium’s victorious Motocross of Nations team, will tackle SX1 ahead of his anticipated move into American competition.

Brother Sacha will make his Supercross debut in SX2. The KTM youngster has demonstrated extraordinary raw speed and aggression in motocross, but adapting that pace to the technical demands and rhythm sections of Supercross will be a fascinating test.

There is Australian interest in both classes. Hayden Mellross is listed for SX1 with Yamaha VHR, while Reid Taylor has been invited by GSM-Yamaha to contest SX2.

French veteran Cédric Soubeyras, a familiar figure to Australian Supercross audiences, will also be back. The 2026 event marks his twentieth Paris appearance after extending his participation record to 19 last year.

The SX2 programme also features Michael Hicks aboard the electric Stark, while the French SX2 and Junior championships will conclude during the weekend.

Each evening will feature three scoring races in SX1 and SX2, with the longer final carrying double points. The traditional Superpole and freestyle programme will again form part of the spectacle, with Julien Vanstippen and José Canosa among the leading FMX performers confirmed.

With several riders making important manufacturer or category debuts, Paris should provide an early indication of how some of the 2027 Supercross combinations might perform before the American championship begins in January.

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NZ

Purvis dominates MX Fest as van Dusschoten stakes his MX2 claim

New Zealand’s leading motocross competitors gathered at Taupō’s Digger McEwen MX Park over Labour Weekend for the annual Huka Honda MX Fest, providing an early indication of the form heading into the 2027 New Zealand Motocross Championship.

Reigning MX1 Champion Maximus Purvis picked up where he left off last season, dominating the premier class with a clean sweep of victories, including the Huka Honda Eliminator feature race.

The Monster Energy JCR Yamaha rider completed the weekend with a maximum 100 points, comfortably ahead of Honda-mounted Josiah Natzke on 88, with Australian Jet Alsop completing the podium on 76.

Purvis has become the benchmark in New Zealand MX1, having secured back-to-back national titles and won all four rounds of the 2026 championship. Natzke was his closest challenger last season, finishing runner-up, and the Taupō results suggest that rivalry could continue into the summer.

Perhaps the most significant result of the weekend, however, came in MX2, where Phoenix van Dusschoten upset the established order to take overall honours with 89 points.

The Levin youngster won the 2026 New Zealand MX125 Championship before gaining further experience in Australia’s ProMX MX2 competition, where he contested the closing rounds of the season.

At Taupō, van Dusschoten demonstrated that he is ready to challenge the established 250cc front-runners, defeating reigning MX2 Champion Hayden Draper by six points, with former MX2 national champion James Scott third on 66.

Draper had returned from several weeks of Supercross testing in Australia and was getting reacquainted with motocross aboard the new 2027 Yamaha YZ250F. He opened strongly with victory in the first moto before recording second and fourth in the following races, eventually settling for the overall runner-up position.

Scott’s third place was also encouraging considering he is still recovering from a wrist injury sustained during a trail ride over winter. The injury involved damage to the ligament stabilising his scaphoid, leaving him short of preparation ahead of the new season.

In the 125cc two-stroke competition, Ethan Carleton claimed overall victory with 76 points, ahead of Kurt Olding on 67 and Kase Shuttleworth on 58.

Reigning New Zealand Women’s Motocross Champion Karaitiana Horne was another dominant performer, taking a clean sweep aboard her Kawasaki to finish with 75 points. Milla Dahlenburg finished second on 62, with Mikayla Griffiths third on 58.

Horne, who has also been competing in Australia’s ProMX Women’s Championship, will be looking to defend her New Zealand crown after securing her second consecutive national title earlier this year.

Among the junior competitors, Nixon Coppins, son of former world championship contender Josh Coppins, finished runner-up in the 12-14 years 125cc category aboard his Yamaha YZ125.

Hot and dry conditions made for a demanding weekend at Taupō, with organisers working to keep the circuit watered as the surface became increasingly rough and dusty.

The focus now shifts to the four-round 2027 New Zealand Motocross Championship, which opens at Tokoroa on November 14 before moving to Patetonga on November 28. The series resumes at New Plymouth on February 20 and concludes at Rotorua on February 27.

Purvis and Horne have already demonstrated their intentions of defending their respective titles, while van Dusschoten’s breakthrough MX2 performance suggests the established contenders may have an additional challenger to contend with this summer.

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GNCC

Kailub Russell returns to the top at Ironman GNCC

Eight-time GNCC Champion Kailub Russell reminded everyone of his enduring class with victory at the Yamaha Racing Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Indiana, marking his first overall win of 2026.

The AmPro Yamaha veteran led home team-mate Liam Draper to complete a Yamaha one-two, with Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski completing the outright podium.

Russell’s return to winning form adds another chapter to a remarkable career. After dominating the GNCC series between 2013 and 2020 before retiring from full-time competition, the American returned to racing and has demonstrated that he remains capable of beating a new generation of front-runners.

Jhak Walker impressed aboard the Liqui Moly Factory Beta, winning the XC2 250 Pro category and finishing fourth outright, ahead of Craig DeLong, Jordan Ashburn and Steward Baylor.

With one championship round remaining, Ashburn retains the overall championship lead on 202 points, but Baylor is just nine points behind on 193, with New Zealander Liam Draper also in contention on 191.

That leaves only 11 points covering the leading three riders heading into the Buckwheat 100 finale at Newburg, West Virginia, on November 7-8.

Russell’s victory might have attracted the headlines at Ironman, but the championship fight is still very much alive.

Riordan and McDonald take GNCC title fights to final round

Two Australians remain firmly in contention for GNCC national championships heading into the final round of the American cross-country racing season.

Angus Riordan finished fifth in XC2 250 Pro at the Ironman GNCC, while championship rival Jhak Walker claimed another victory aboard his Beta. That result leaves the pair tied on 251 points at the top of the XC2 championship standings, with Jason Tino third on 237.

Riordan has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the American championship, claiming multiple XC2 victories and regularly challenging the larger-capacity XC1 machinery outright. His fifth-place class result at Ironman leaves him tenth in the combined overall national standings on 119 points, level with Walker.

Fellow Australian Lyndon Snodgrass finished sixth in XC2 at Ironman.

In the Women’s WXC division, Parkes youngster Danielle McDonald kept her championship hopes alive with second place behind Brandy Richards, while Korie Steede completed the podium.

Richards now leads the WXC championship on 265 points, with Steede and McDonald tied for second on 249 points, just 16 behind.

Former GNCC WXC Champion Tayla Jones also featured prominently at Ironman, finishing fourth. The Yass rider currently sits eighth in the championship on 113 points.

With both Riordan and McDonald still in championship contention, there will be plenty of Australian interest when the Buckwheat 100 brings the 2026 GNCC season to a close on November 8.

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FIM Flat Track

Tim Neave crowned Flat Track World Champion as Argentina delivers dramatic finale

Britain’s Tim Neave has been crowned the 2026 FIM Flat Track World Champion following a dramatic season-ending double-header in Argentina, becoming the first British rider to win the title and delivering a landmark championship success for the Ducati-backed VRX Power Maxed Dirt Store team.

The championship’s first-ever visit outside Europe provided a spectacular conclusion to the longest season in the competition’s 16-year history, with local riders claiming victory on both days at Totoras.

Neave arrived in Argentina holding a 19-point championship advantage over Ducati team-mate Ashton Boughen. However, an injury prevented the 19-year-old British challenger from competing, leaving Triumph rider Jack Bell as Neave’s principal remaining title threat.

Saturday’s penultimate round was contested on a technical TT circuit incorporating sections of the oval and a twisting infield layout.

Argentinian Matias Lorenzato proved unstoppable aboard his Beta, leading the 12-lap Final from start to finish to claim an emotional home victory.

Neave chased him throughout but had to settle for second, with Bell third. Lorenzato also claimed the bonus point for fastest lap, narrowly delaying Neave’s championship celebrations until the following day.

With a 26-point advantage heading into Sunday’s concluding round, Neave required just a single championship point to guarantee the title.

He duly secured that point by winning his third Heat, ensuring he would finish among the top twenty and putting the world championship beyond Bell’s reach.

The final day’s racing moved onto the conventional oval, where the Argentinian competitors again demonstrated their speed.

Lorenzato looked set to complete a remarkable home double when he led the Final into its closing stages, but a fall while running comfortably clear on lap nine dramatically changed the outcome.

Countryman Juan José Coduri inherited the lead and held on to claim victory aboard his KTM, ahead of fellow Argentinians Maximiliano Varas and national champion Juan Martín Viganoni.

Bell finished sixth to secure the championship silver medal, while Spain’s Gerard Bailo claimed bronze despite finishing eighth in the Final.

Neave endured a difficult race and finished twelfth, his worst result of the season, but by then the championship was already his.

The British rider had built his advantage through consistent performances across Europe, including victories in Germany and Croatia, while team-mate Boughen won in the Netherlands, Italy and Hungary.

Bell also contributed two British victories aboard the Triumph before Czech rider Ondřej Svědík interrupted the run with an emotional home win at Pardubice.

For Neave, the title caps a breakthrough campaign. For Ducati, it represents another notable achievement for its expanding off-road racing presence.

For the championship, the Argentine double-header showed the potential to take FIM Flat Track beyond its traditional European heartland, with passionate local support and homegrown riders more than capable of challenging the established world championship regulars.

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Sand Racing

Genot wins Bibione as Fredriksen extends Sand Races lead

Cyril Genot claimed the Bibione Sand Storm overall with 2-1 finishes in Italy, while Håkon Fredriksen extended his championship lead with second overall at round two of the FIM Sand Races World Championship.

Fredriksen led Saturday’s 90-minute race from start to finish, absorbing sustained pressure from Genot before a late fluid leak slowed the Belgian. The Yamaha rider won by just over 50 seconds, with Damien Knuiman third.

Sunday brought another close contest between Fredriksen and Genot, who traded the lead before the Norwegian fell on lap 12. Genot took advantage to win by almost 38 seconds and secure the overall on his Honda.

Knuiman’s 3-4 finishes earned third overall ahead of defending champion Todd Kellett, who went 6-3. Already chasing after an electrical problem in Morocco, Kellett fell on Saturday’s second lap and recovered from outside the top 20. A slow refuelling stop then complicated his Sunday race, leaving the three-time series winner with more ground to recover.

Mathilde Martinez took the Moto Women overall with 2-1 finishes. Six-time Women’s Motocross World Champion Kiara Fontanesi beat her by just over seven seconds on Saturday, then retired from Sunday’s race with a suspected mechanical problem. Martinez, already a French sand champion and the leading woman at this year’s Enduropale, is contesting her first world championship campaign.

Randy Naveaux kept his Quad season unbeaten with another double. Saturday’s win came by less than a second after a race-long battle with Harry Walker. Walker retired on Sunday, when Naveaux finished almost two-and-a-half minutes clear of Oliver Vandendijck.

Ben Almagor took the Moto Junior overall, Daniel Drooghaag won Moto Veteran, and Pablo Henouille and Dirk Schelfhout maintained their unbeaten runs in Moto Vintage and Quad Veteran respectively.

The championship continues with the Ronde des Sables – Loon Plage in northern France on November 7-8.

Bibione Sand Storm – Moto Overall

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