Portugal’s Agueda circuit hosted another pivotal round of the 2026 MXGP World Championship, as the title battles continued to take shape heading into the second half of the season. Hear more from the leading riders of each division in this Reaction feature.

MXGP

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P1 | Jeffrey Herlings (Honda HRC Petronas):
It was a good weekend, winning GP number 117. I think myself and Lucas [Coenen] were about the same speed throughout the weekend, just the small margins in timed practice and the qualifying race and then these two motos. I got stuck a bit behind some guys in race one and couldn’t close the gap, but in race two I was able to get into second place after one lap so I could push and challenge for the win. I knew I needed to find the right spot to make the pass and it was as safe as I could make it, making sure Lucas couldn’t get me back. I just want to keep this going and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in South Africa.

P2 | Lucas Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
Consistency was key. I knew I’d won the Quali race and the first moto so the weekend was already good. I have to say that I’m a clean rider but I will also take any opportunities that are there. Overall, not bad. We’ll take the positives today and look on to South Africa next week.

P3 | Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team):
Finally I could put two good motos together again and when I do that I know I can be on the box. The first moto I got a good start and was up there all race, but I really had to work for it in the second moto. I could see Gajser ahead of me and I knew I needed him for the podium so I pushed hard to catch him and pressured him into making a mistake. And I wasn’t that far from the leaders; it’s hard not to be racing them but I’m getting there and I was closer than in the first race. It was nice to have a track with good grip and I was really enjoying my riding. It will be interesting to go to South Africa next week; it’s the first time we have been there but it’s the same altitude as Mexico so we know what we have to do.

P4 | Tim Gajser (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was a difficult weekend overall, but there were still some positives to take away. My speed in the motos wasn’t too bad, and I felt like I was getting more comfortable as the races went on. It’s a shame about the second race because I was just starting to find my rhythm and close the gap to the riders ahead. Unfortunately, I made a mistake by choosing an inside line where it was a little muddy, and that cost me a lot of time and positions. Missing out on the podium is disappointing because that was my goal coming into the weekend, but that’s racing. We’ll take what we’ve learned, keep working, and come back ready to fight again next weekend.

P5 | Ruben Fernandez (Honda HRC Petronas):
I think 5-5 for fifth is a fair reflection on my speed for this weekend, although it is frustrating to not be able to battle for those podium spots at my home GP. Those guys are riding to a very high standard and I tried my best to stick with them as long as possible. Still, I had a great time with all the fans here and it was very cool hearing them cheer me on around the track. I said beforehand that this is my favourite GP and meeting everyone and just enjoying the occasion confirms what I thought. Thanks to everyone who came out!

P6 | Pauls Jonass (Kawasaki Racing Team):
Another positive weekend with good speed and riding. I was happy with my pace in the first moto and consistent lap times. My start in moto two was really good but I was riding a little tight and made a few bad line-choices on the first lap to let a couple of guys past. But all of the hard work is finally paying off and I’m getting closer step-by-step to the front guys.

P7 | Andrea Adamo (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
I wanted more from this weekend but on Saturday morning I didn’t have the best feeling on the track. Nothing came easy and I was not riding like normal. It took a lot of energy to ride and hard to be smooth. It can happen! We always keep learning and the results were not too bad. We brought some points home. Our goal is to stay in the top five or a close as possible. Now we move on, South Africa next.

P8 | Maxime Renaux (Monster Energy Yamaha):
I’m dealing with a virus at the moment and it’s really not ideal. We’re doing everything we can to manage it, and we’ve tried a few different things this week to help me feel a little better, but right now it’s really just about getting through each race as best as I can. The focus for next week is continuing the treatment, then hopefully I’ll be feeling much better for South Africa next weekend.

MX2

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P1 | Guillem Farres (Triumph Factory Racing):
It was an amazing weekend here in Portugal. To come away with a perfect 1-1-1 score is exactly what we were aiming for, so I’m really happy with how everything came together. I got two good starts on Sunday, which made a big difference, and from there I was able to manage both races, control my pace, and make smart decisions. The bike was working really well and I felt comfortable all weekend. A huge thank you to the team for all of their hard work. The goal now is to keep this momentum going and fight for results like this at every round.

P2 | Janis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was a really good day and I’m incredibly happy with my result. To claim my first Grand Prix podium in the MX2 class is a really special moment. I really enjoyed riding today. The pace was good, I felt comfortable on the bike, and being able to battle with the front-runners throughout the races gave me a lot of confidence. A huge thank you to the whole team, all of our sponsors, and everyone who has supported me. This is an important milestone, and now the goal is to keep working hard and build on this result.

P3 | Sacha Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
A mistake in the first moto that messed up my weekend but… I took some good points. I know what happened – I went double-double and came up short. A stupid mistake and we’ll try to avoid another in South Africa.

P4 | Liam Everts (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing):
Overall it was a solid weekend and I feel like we’re continuing to make progress. We were close to the podium and only missed it by one point, which is frustrating, but there are still plenty of positives to take away. The pace was there, especially in the second moto, and I’m happy to come away with another good result for the team. Now the focus is on carrying this momentum into South Africa next weekend.

P5 | Simon Langenfelder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
We made some changes this week and tried to go back to my old set-up. It gave me some confidence and 3-3 with the Quali race and the first moto was not too bad. I wanted a bit more intensity and I missed some fire in that second race. I tried to push myself but it was really hard to get going and keep fighting. I was struggling to take risks on track. But, yes, we’ll keep on working.

P6 | Camden McLellan (Triumph Factory Racing):
It was a pretty tough Sunday, to be honest. I never really found a good feeling with the track all weekend and just didn’t quite feel like myself out there. On the positive side, I came away healthy, and a 4-5 score for sixth overall isn’t too bad for the championship. There are still some good points to take from the weekend. Now the focus is on next weekend and my home Grand Prix. Hopefully we can rebound there, get back to where we know we can be, and start the second half of the season on a strong note.

P7 | Julius Mikula (Osicka MX Team):
Another positive weekend, and my first-ever holeshot! Riding could’ve been better, but step by step we’re getting closer. P7 and P9 for P7 overall. Thanks to the team!

P8 | Karlis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was a difficult start to the day because I just didn’t feel like myself. It wasn’t a bike issue, I simply wasn’t feeling good, and that affected my riding in the first moto. I was off the pace and couldn’t really find my rhythm. The second moto was much better. Even though I didn’t get the best start, I felt my pace had improved and I was much more comfortable on the track. I also managed to avoid arm pump, which was a big positive. Together with our suspension technician, we made some good changes to the bike, so a big thanks to him for helping me feel more confident. Overall, I’m happy with the way the weekend ended. The track was really enjoyable to ride, we found some positive improvements, and now we can build on that heading into the next round.