The 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship took place on the Spanish sands of Circuito di Motocross di Almonte for round two. This was the first European race of the season. Two new winners emerged, as Lucas Coenen dominated the weekend with 1-1-1 finishes in MXGP, while Camden McLellan took his first Grand Prix victory in MX2.
It took just two rounds for Coenen to find his form in 2026. Coenen, now in his second year in the MXGP division, swept all three races throughout the weekend and set the pace in the sandy conditions. After taking the qualifying win on Saturday, the KTM rider quickly moved to the lead in moto one and sprinted away before anyone could challenge. He crossed the line 20 seconds clear of Honda’s Jeffrey Herlings.
Race two saw a similar outcome as Coenen blitzed the field with another dominant performance. A 1-1 sweep of the day earned him the championship lead by eight points over Herlings, with Tom Vialle another five further back.
“Overall, the track suited me this weekend,” Coenen said. “I found some good lines and had a good flow, and the starts helped a lot, I was up front every time. Once I got into the lead, I could just do my own thing and manage the races. Even with the pain in the second race [blisters], I just kept going, it’s worth it for the win. And having the red plate for the first time since I started is an amazing feeling.”
Herlings landed on the podium again with a pair of second-place finishes. After crashing in the qualifying race, the Honda HRC Petronas rider found himself up front in Sunday’s race one. He got stuck behind his teammate Vialle in race one as Coenen passed the red duo and made a break for it. Herlings settled for a lonely second. Race two saw more fight from “The Bullet,” but once again Coenen’s pace proved too much to overcome.
“I had a crash at the start and hurt my back and neck quite badly, so I was pretty sore all weekend,” Herlings said. “That cost me some points again, like in Argentina. But on Sunday, I felt better, got a good start, and was there fighting near the front. Lucas was the best this weekend, no excuses, he was faster. I think even without the crash, it would have been difficult to beat him.”
Tim Gajser finished third overall for his first podium aboard the new Yamaha.
“It feels good to be on the podium,” Gajser said. “We are still testing things and making changes, especially with the suspension, but I felt much better as the weekend went on. The starts didn’t help, I was outside the top ten both races, but in the second race I could push more, make passes and ride more aggressively.”
Maxine Renaux and Andrea Adamo rounded out the top five in the overall classification.
MX2
The MX2 division saw the crowd come alive as Spanish native Guillem Farres battled to the victory in moto one. The local favorite went back and forth with his Triumph Factory Racing teammate Camden McLellan as the two battled late into the race. Eventually, the pair finished a close 1-2 with defending champion Simon Laengenfelder taking third.
Heartbreak struck for Farres in race two as a mechanical issue halted his chance at an overall victory. He was forced to pull in early and did not finish the race. McLellan took full advantage of the situation and put on a charge from third. He passed his way around Valerio Lata and Sacha Coenen to steal the lead, and eventually the race win. With 2-1 finishes, McLellan took his first-ever Grand Prix overall victory as well as a first for the Triumph team. Even better for him, the South African jumped to first in the overall points standings.
“It’s a special weekend for me,” McLellan said. “Since my last race win in Trentino, a long time coming that makes it even more sweet. The red plate is a nice bonus as well.”
Laengenfelder’s consistency paid off as a pair of thirds earned him second on the day. He didn’t challenge for the lead in either race but played it safe to take a podium position and still sits second in the championship.
“I felt good, but not perfect,” Laengenfelder said. “Today Camden [McLellan] was just stronger and faster, so I didn’t take any risks. I focused on my rhythm and did my own race: 3-3 is not too bad for the championship. Every point counts, especially in such a competitive class, so consistency is really important.”
Third overall was Sacha Coenen, who started up front in both races, but a crash while leading race one hindered his overall ranking. He remounted but only salvaged seventh in the first moto. The Belgian rider fired back and led again in race two but eventually lost the spot to a hard-charging McLellan.
Mathis Valin and Janis Reisulis completed the top five overall.
2026 FIM MXGP Round 2 Results
MXGP (Top 5)
1. Lucas Coenen (KTM) 1-1
2. Jeffrey Herlings (Hon) 3-2
3. Tim Gajser (Yam) 6-3
4. Maxime Renaux (Yam) 4-6
5. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 7-4
MX2 (Top 5)
1. Camden McLellan (Tri) 2-1
2. Simon Laengenfelder (KTM) 3-3
3. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 7-2
4. Mathis Valin (Kaw) 4-6
5. Janis Reisulis (Yam) 5-5
