The VRX Dirt Store Ducati Race Team has made history with its sensational debut in the FIM Flat Track World Championship with first and third in the season opener.
Series newcomer Ashton Boughen (VRX Dirt Store Ducati) turned the 2026 FIM Flat Track World Championship on its head, storming to a stunning victory at the opening round at Roden in the Netherlands on May 9.
Boughen’s teammate, Tim Neave, was also on the podium in third place, completing a remarkable start for the first-ever Ducati entry in the series.
Defending champion Ervin Krajcovic (KTM) could only claim a tentative fourth in the opening eight-lap heat as Britain’s Jack Bell (Triumph) took victory ahead of Ondrej Svedik (KTM) and Neave.
Following a restart, the second heat saw a tapes-to-flag victory for 18-year-old Boughen, who wasted no time in throwing the gauntlet down to his rivals, although he was forced to fight hard as Spain’s Gerard Bailo Pelegrin—champion in 2022—poured on the pressure before the British rookie pulled clear with faster, wider lines along the straights.
Local hero Maikel Dijkstra then took a popular victory ahead of Italy’s Daniele Tonelli (TM) and William Bonnici (Suzuki) from France to complete the first block of racing.
Recently, Zaeta rider Bailo has struggled to replicate his title-contending form, but the Spaniard looked back to his best when he swept by Tonelli during the early stages of the fourth heat to record an impressive win, with the Ukraine’s Stanislav Ohorodnik taking third from Svedik.
Krajcovic then claimed his first heat victory ahead of Bell and Dutch racer Menno van Meer (Honda) as Boughen slipped to fourth before Britain’s Neave led home his compatriot and another series newcomer, Gary Birtwhistle, who was representing Royal Enfield, which was also making its FIM Flat Track Championship debut.
Sharing the lead with Bell at the halfway mark, Bailo’s second victory of the afternoon—this time at the expense of Svedik and van Meer—moved him into a clear lead, as Tonelli won from Bell and Boughen and Krajcovic led home Dijkstra and Bonnici.
With the top 10 riders following the heats transferring directly to the Grand Final and the next 10 contesting the Last Chance Heat, tensions were running high as Svedik led home van Meer and Krajcovic. Neave then picked up his second win of the afternoon, this time ahead of Bell, who also booked his place in the Grand Final along with Tonelli and Bonnici, before Boughen led home Bailo for a second time, with Dijkstra’s third ensuring he also progressed.
After finishing one-two in the Last Chance Heat, Ohorodnik and Dutch racer Stef Hamstra (KTM) took their places alongside the automatic qualifiers for the 12-lap Grand Final.
Gate selections for the Grand Final saw the Ducati pair lining up side by side on the outside of the front row of the 12-rider field, with Boughen in gate five and Neave in gate six.
Boughen launched into the lead around the opening turn, chased by Tonelli, Neave and Bailo.
Tonelli moved to the front at the end of lap one, but on the third lap, he was passed by Boughen, who had little time to relax as he immediately faced a fresh challenge from Bailo, with Neave clearing Tonelli midway through the 12-lap race.
Remaining fully committed to the outside line, Boughen repeatedly held his nerve as Bailo looked to make an inside move stick, and when Neave caught the front pair on lap eight, the battle was firmly joined.
The ninth lap saw Boughen move decisively ahead of Bailo, who found himself under threat from Neave looking to follow through on the same line, and their battle enabled Svedik to close in and make it a three-way scrap for second place. However, the Czech rider Svedik exceeded track limits at the start of the last lap as he went too wide, and briefly Neave held second place before Bailo retook the position—before the Spaniard’s late bid to catch Boughen saw him fall short by just over a tenth of a second.
That meant it was celebrations for Boughen and the Ducati camp, with Bailo second and Neave third.
“I don’t really know how it feels!” Boughen said. “It’s only my fourth go on flat track and I’m just having fun; that’s what I came here to do, and the results are what they are. I’m really happy, and I just want to keep improving, keep riding my bike, and keep having fun.”
Svedik was disqualified for his track-limits transgression, which elevated Bell to fourth place while Krajcovic salvaged fifth ahead of Tonelli.
Hamstra, van Meer, Bonnici and Dijkstra completed the top 10.
After a three-week break, the series heads to Terenzano in Italy on May 30 for round two.CN
2026 FIM Flat Track World Championship Round 1 Results
FINAL (Top 10)
- Ashton Boughen (Duc)
- Gerard Bailo Pelegrin (Zae)
- Tim Neave (Duc)
- Jack Bell (Tri)
- Ervin Krajcovic (KTM)
- Daniele Tonelli (TM)
- Stef Hamstra (KTM)
- Menno van Meer (Hon)
- William Bonnici (Suz)
- Maikel Dijkstra (KTM)
