In the first European-based MXGP round of season 2026, there was another mixture of riders up-front in both the 450 and MX2 classes at Almonte. Hear more from the leading riders of each category in this Reaction feature.

MXGP

Image: Supplied.

P1 | Lucas Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
My first red plate! I am so pumped at the moment but we all know the season is still so long. The team worked really hard for me after the GP in Argentina and we bounced back pretty good. Fast starts and I passed people quickly here. I then managed the storm. Three wins this weekend: I can’t do better. We’ll try to keep it like that and look to the next round.

P2 | Jeffrey Herlings (Honda HRC Petronas):
The goal is to get podiums, and I’ve done that in Argentina and now here so I have to be happy with that. I need to improve my Saturday performances because I have dropped a lot of points there, but I’m in a good position and we still have 51 races to go, so there is plenty of racing left and in Argentina I was the best, and today I was second best. I was a little bit sore after the crash yesterday but no excuses, I rode as well as I could and I’m still in a good position so I want to keep it rolling.

P3 | Tim Gajser (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was another weekend of fighting for us, but the work we put in really paid off and the result was even better than last time. Overnight we made some changes and kept working from the first session through to the races. I feel like we’re moving in the right direction. There’s still room to improve, but the progress is clear. I want to say a big thank you to the whole team, because in the challenging moments it’s important to stay united, and that’s exactly what we did. To be back on the podium after two rounds is a great feeling, and hopefully we can keep building from here.

P4 | Maximum Renaux (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was a solid day here at the Spanish GP. Of course, I’m a bit disappointed to miss out on the podium, but we scored good points in the Qualifying Race, which is important for the championship. I feel like I still have more to give in the upcoming races. The goal now is to keep improving quickly and move in the right direction, because I believe I have what it takes to fight at the front.

P5 | Andrea Adamo (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
A really tough GP, tough track and many bumps but I did my best. 5th overall and I’m really happy with a solid weekend, which is what we need: good start and running near the front to learn as much as possible. Argentina was a big learning experience but also here this weekend. I have the feeling that I still need a bit more physical strength but that will be a matter of time. The speed is really good and I’m pleased about that.

P6 | Tom Vialle (Honda HRC Petronas):
I’m not totally happy with the end result, but there were definitely some good points and at the end of this GP, I sit third in the championship which is still positive and overall I’m in a good place. This was a tough track and while my speed was good, and I got some good starts over the weekend, I know there is still a lot to work on. The GP weekend is something I still have to get used to a bit, but after two GPs, to have held the red-plate, won a qualifier, and been battling up front in the motos I have to be pleased with the start to the season.

P7 | Kay de Wolf (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing):
Honestly, I’m really happy to be back racing. It’s been a tough few weeks with the injury, so just lining up again and finishing both motos feels good. I’m not at 100 percent yet, but I could feel it getting better every time I was on the bike. The speed is there, I just need a bit more time and race rhythm. Overall it’s a solid start to my MXGP journey, and we’ll keep building from here.

P8 | Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team):
First, I’m okay after my crash in second moto – I’m happy to walk away after this one! First moto, I was feeling very good and pace was quite good, finished third and it was a good ride. Second race, start was okay, managed to turn really good at the first turn, third place going into the second turn, but someone hit me on my back just before the turn two [and I] lost some places there. Had a strong pace, came back third again after 15 minutes and I crashed heavily on my stomach, no breath anymore and my stomach was hurting quite bad! Took me some time to feel better. Disappointed, of course, especially that I did not do a major mistake… I don’t know what happened exactly, just put my front wheel on the wrong spot, I believe! Anyway it is how it is. I tried my best and happy to did not get any injury, so time to rest and be ready for next weekend in Switzerland.

MX2

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P1 | Camden McLellan (Triumph Factory Racing):
It’s been an incredible GP here in Spain with my first ever overall win, and also a first overall victory for Triumph, which is a really special feeling. I felt solid throughout the whole week and carried that into the weekend, so it all came together when it mattered. I can’t thank the team enough! We’ve got a great bike and a fantastic group of people around us, and this result is a reflection of everyone’s hard work. I’m really happy to now have the red plate and I’m excited for the rest of the season.

P2 | Simon Laengenfelder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
I was feeling good but not perfect and to beat Camden? There was no chance today. I didn’t take any risks and got into my rhythm. Not too bad, and some decent championship points and each one counts. This is not an easy class. I always try to give my best but sometimes you have to accept the position.

P3 | Sacha Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
I had a lot of arm-pump in the first moto and didn’t feel that good. I made a mistake and then couldn’t get a good flow. A good start in the second moto and then I rode my own race. It was tough to keep smooth and I couldn’t push. Anyway, 2nd place, and quite positive in a weekend where I was not at my best.

P4 | Mathis Valin (Kawasaki Racing Team):
The first moto was quite good. I had a pretty good start, found my flow and had a good end to the moto as I was pushing Längenfelder. The second moto was a bit more difficult. I stayed a little too long behind Everts; I couldn’t pass him and that cost me a lot of energy to attack him for so many laps. Then I had a small crash on the last lap which cost me one position. I could push hard both motos and I showed I have the speed but I have to work on the passes; MX2 is very competitive so it’s not easy to pass anywhere; I need to pass more quickly in future.

P5 | Janis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was another really positive weekend for me. I was able to keep my flow right through to the end of the races, which is something I’ve been working on, and I think that comes down to having a stronger mindset both before and during the race. That allowed me to keep fighting with the front group and I made some good passes on experienced riders. Overall, it was a very encouraging weekend, and we’ll keep building from here.

P6 | Valerio Lata (Honda HRC Petronas):
After yesterday, I knew I had to step up and perform at a higher level and just start to show the speed I am capable of. Already the first moto was an improvement, with a good start and staying inside the top 10, but I still felt I could do better and the second moto was much more of what I hope and expect. I got another good start and made a couple of passes around the first three corners to move into second, which is where I stayed for the majority of the race. I dropped a couple of spots at the end, but there is still a lot of positives and I’m glad to be heading to Switzerland with much more confidence.

P7 | Liam Everts (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing):
It was a tough weekend with the conditions, the track was really demanding physically. I hurt my ankle quite badly in timed practice, so Sunday was about managing that and getting through the races. I think both motos were quite solid – I stayed consistent and didn’t make big mistakes, which was important here. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy to come away with 29 points – I would have signed for that this morning. Of course I would like a bit more, but we’re close and the base is good, so we keep building.

P8 | Karlis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
I feel like it could have been better, as I know I have more in me. My main struggle at the moment is finding that consistent race rhythm. Once I get a bit of arm pump it becomes harder to stay relaxed and ride the way I want to. That’s something I need to keep working on – staying calm and managing it better. The second moto was an improvement for me; even if the result wasn’t much different, the feeling on the bike was better, which is a positive to take away.