Gajser extends points lead at MXGP of Europe as Ducati’s Guadagnini just misses podium TechTricks365

2025 FIM Motocross World Championship

Round Three – MXGP of Europe
Saint Jean d’Angely – Circuit du Puy de Poursay

The Circuit de Puy Poursay near the village of Saint Jean d’Angely saw a sizeable crowd braving mixed weather conditions for the MXGP of Europe, marking the third round of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championships.

The MXGP Qualifying Race saw a first career win on a 450 for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rookie Lucas Coenen, seeing off a late charge from Championship leader Tim Gajser. Ruben Fernandez took third.

The local French fans made plenty of noise during the MX2 Qualifying Race as Thibault Benistant took his Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 machine to a loudly-hailed second Qualifying victory in a row. That was after an eventful race that saw issues for reigning World Champion Kay de Wolf. Liam Everts took over the red plate in MX2 with third place behind Simon Laengenfelder.

Australia’s Jake Cannon also showed excellent speed without the deserved reward; the Australian teenager swept to an impressive holeshot in the first moto and maintained a top-three ranking for three laps before falling as a rival tagged his front wheel. He went back to eighth in the incident but responded well to regain fifth before he was eliminated in the closing stages of the race with bike problems. The youngster proved his strength and tenacity in race two as he pushed for the entire race from outside the top-twenty to finish ninth. He is now eleventh in the series points standings.

2025 MXGP of Europe Highlights

MXGP

The opening MXGP race saw 28-year-old Tim Gajser dominate on his Honda, with only Kawasaki’s Romain Febvre proving competition, the duo finishing 1-2, with Lucas Coenen rounding out the podium over 30-seconds off the lead.

Mattia Guadagnini was another 45-seconds off in fourth for Ducati, with Ruben Fernandez making it another Honda in the top-five in fifth.

Pauls Jonass and Valentin Guillod finished sixth and seventh respectively, Calvin Vlaanderen, Kevin Horgmo and Maxime Renaux rounding out the top-10.

The second race was a carbon-copy of race one when it came to the podium, Gajser again taking the win from Febvre and L.Coenen, although this time Gajser was untouchable, with Febvre almost 20-seconds off across the finish line, having almost gone over the handlebars at the start, and finding himself fighting his way back from 18th.

Glenn Coldenhoff put a Fantic in the top five however, narrowly holding off Renaux for fourth, both almost three-seconds off the final podium step.

Jonass, Guadagnini, Horgmo, Gifting and Seewer rounded out the top-10, marking two Ducati’s in the top-10.

Gajser took out the round with 50-points, Febvre second with 44 and L.Coenen third on 40. As a result Gajser already holds just shy of a 30-point lead in the standings from Febvre, with Renaux a further 17-points in arrears.

L.Coenen and Coldenhoff round out the top five, tied on 107-points, followed by Jonass, Guadagnini as top Ducati in seventh, followed by Horgmom Fernandez and Bonacorsi.

Tim Gajser – P1

“It was a really good weekend, on what was a sketchy track. The rain made things difficult but I kept things steady, and I got good starts, especially in race one when I was leading from almost the beginning. It wasn’t easy out there, but I’m very happy with how it went and I’m excited to go to Riola Sardo and the first sand race of the year. We have been working hard in the sand and I’m excited to show off what we’ve done.”

Romain Febvre – P2

“It was nice to bounce back after last week. Yesterday the track was like a highway but today it was more challenging so I could make the difference even though I didn’t get the best starts. The first moto I was really charging and came quite close to Tim at the end, but in race two I got hit from behind by someone at the first turn and almost went over the bars; I was eighteenth going up the hill so I am happy with second at the finish. But I need better starts to fight with Tim because he is getting away a little in the points.”

Lucas Coenen – P3

“What can I say? Speechless! That’s the first podium out the way. We had some difficult times lately but we’ve finally kicked off: 3-3 for 3. I wanted to make another pass in the second moto but it started raining and I just said “stay there and get the first podium. We now have two weeks off to rest and we’ll see what we can do in Sardinia. Thanks to the team and my physio, they worked so hard with me these last few weeks. I cannot thank them enough. We’re now looking forward to building confidence and see where we end up.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P4

“I’m really satisfied with this Sunday in France! We needed a good result and a solid points haul to move on from last Sunday’s race. In the first heat, I got off to a strong start and managed to pull away early. However, I struggled with arm pump throughout the race, and it was painful to finish, but I tried to avoid making too many mistakes. In the second moto, the track was much better, and I started well, but I went wide at the first corner and lost several positions. In spite of this, I had a great feeling with the bike and the track. I was aggressive and made several overtakes in the early laps, climbing up to fifth. In the final stages, I made a few mistakes, but I managed to finish fourth overall. I’m really happy with how I feel on the bike – this is the most important thing – and I’m confident we’ll get more quality results.”

Pauls Jonass – P5

“It was a very positive weekend. P5 overall was not bad; it was just a little unfortunate about the collision with Mattia in the first race. Perhaps I tried to rush it too much for P4 and it was difficult to ride after I lost the front fender. But we are progressing in every way with bike set-up, physically and mentally; we know what we still have to work on and we are getting there step-by-step.”

Maxime Renaux – P7

“It’s been a tough weekend here in France. Bad starts in both races and I just didn’t put myself in good positions. I couldn’t get into a good rhythm in Race One and crashed, so that wasn’t great. Race Two was better, but while in fifth I got stuck in a really deep rut, so I lost a lot of time. I battled back quite well though and got back to fifth so that wasn’t so bad. We have a weekend off now, and then it’s on to the sand of Riola Sardo.”

Jeremy Seewer – P10

“Another tough one. These crazy conditions just seem to follow us. This weekend was better than last, but it still wasn’t a normal race. We’re clearly struggling in these conditions, and we know it. But we have to learn the hard way, and that’s character-building. We did make improvements in moto two. We know what we need to work on. We’ve already made a lot of progress; we just need more time. But with racing week after week, there’s no time. Still, we know the issue, and we’re working on it while staying focused on the future.”

Ruben Fernandez – P12

“Unfortunately, not a good ending, for what was looking like a promising weekend. Third in the qualification race, then fifth in race one and I was looking to challenge for the podium in race two. In the end, having to pull off the track after a lap isn’t how I wanted to end my day but that’s motocross and now I need to just make sure I’m all good before preparing for Riola Sardo in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Jago Geerts – P24

“It’s been a really difficult weekend. In the first race, I couldn’t get into a good rhythm and then had a small crash. In Race Two, I got held up when a few guys crashed in the first turn, but then I pulled through quite well to 14th before I had a big crash that ended my race. Fortunately, I’m ok, but it’s a shame as I was coming through the pack really well in Race Two.”

MXGP Race One Results

MXGP Race Two Results

MXGP Round Overall

MXGP Championship Points

MX2

MX2 was a tighter fought affair, with Simon Laegenfelder taking out the opening race, with teammate Andrea Adamo making it a KTM 1-2, followed by Husqvarna’s Liam Everts in a much more distant third.

Sacha Coenen made another KTM in the top five, but Thibault Benistant as top Yamaha come home in fifth, holding off Kay de Wolf by half a second.

Vario Lata, Quentin Prugnieres and Triumph’s Cameron McLellan rounded out the top-10, with five KTM’s in that top-10.

Adamo turned it around in race two, claiming the win from Benistant by 0.568s, with teammate Laegenfelder having to settle for a more distant third.

Husqvarna teammates de Wolf and Everts rounded out the top five, followed by Cas Valk.

Zanchi was the top Honda in seventh, Valin the top Kawasaki in eighth and McLellan improved to ninth on the Triumph, with Braceras rounding out the top-10, just ahead of TM’s Mikula, who narrowly missed a top-10 result.

Adamo took home 47-points to Laegenfelder’s 45, closing in on the leaders. Benistant collected 38-points, Everts 36 and de Wolf 33.

Heading to round four, Everts retains his lead on 135-points, three ahead of Laegenfelder, who holds a two-point advantage over de Wolf. Adamo sits on 124 in fourth, Benistant fifth on 111.

Andrea Adamo – P1

“Amazing! It’s been a long time. I don’t know how many days or months. I’m happy to be back and to feel that fire and be competitive. That last lap was insane. It was not easy at all with these ruts because you can miss the corners. I’m really happy and I want to keep this momentum.”

Simon Laengenfelder – P2

“In the second race I struggled a bit at the beginning to find all the good ruts, it was not that easy, but the riding was not too bad. It was very satisfying to win the first moto and to be on the podium again. I really like the track in Sardinia, so I’m looking forward to it already.”

Thibault Benistant – P3

“Today was a little bit up and down but it ended really good. My start in Race One was good but I dropped back a little before repassing those guys. Then I had another decent start in Race Two and felt good, my speed was high and the fans were amazing. I tangled with a lapped rider at one point but still managed to battle for the win right to the end. Overall, there are plenty of positives to take away from today, and this season so far, so now it’s onto Riola for the next GP.”

Liam Everts – P4

“I’m really happy with how the weekend turned out. The track was super sketchy in parts with all the rain, so staying consistent and making smart decisions was important. The first moto went well – I got into the lead early and tried to control the race, but the conditions changed fast, and I had to settle for third. In the second moto, I had another good start and pushed hard, but I faded a bit towards the end and ended up fifth. It wasn’t perfect, but overall I’m proud of the effort, and to come away with the Red Plate feels amazing. Now the focus is on keeping this momentum going when we go to Sardinia in two weeks.”

Kay de Wolf – P5

“It was definitely a tough weekend, and not the way I wanted things to go. The technical issue in qualifying put us on the back foot straight away, and starting from the outside in the first moto made it even harder. But I gave it everything I had – pushed through the pack, stayed focused, and did what I could in the conditions. The second moto was better, and I felt strong, but a small mistake near the end cost me a chance at third place. Losing the Red Plate is tough, but it’s a long season. I’m more motivated than ever to come back stronger at the next round in Sardinia.”

Sacha Coenen – P7

“Not such a good weekend. I had a good flow in the quali moto but then had that crash coming down the hill. I felt fast in the first moto but just couldn’t pass. 4th was not so bad. I did the hard part in the second moto and had the holeshot but I don’t know what happened on the first downhill. I went over the bars and it was difficult to come back. Everybody was very fast. I did the best I could and we took some points.”

Camden McLellan – P8

“It’s been an up and down weekend. I’m very happy with my feeling on the bike and the steps we made this weekend. We’re definitely on the right track, the speed and fitness are there, but I just need to eliminate the small mistakes. And with some better starts we’ll be good. I’m excited to get training in the sand now, especially as I landed on the podium in Riola last year. It’s a really good track for me so I’m excited for the next GP for sure”

Mathis Valin – P9

“I had a good start and I was really fast in race one until another rider crashed in front of me. I had pain in my wrist after that and I just concentrated on staying on two wheels. I had another good start in race two but after a few laps I started to feel quite a lot of pain again. I wanted more from this weekend but 13-8 motos for a guy who wasn’t even sure to come here on Wednesday that was not bad. Anyway, we will keep working and it’s good that we now have a weekend off for me to heal up.”

Ferruccio Zanchi – P10

“My speed was better than my results show, but I know that starts are very important in these races, and I need to improve in that area. Still, we are making progress around the rest of the track and I’m happy with my riding, so I don’t want to be too critical of myself. The podium in Spain definitely raised my expectations, so that is the goal now and that starts again in Sardinia next time out.”

Valerio Lata – P11

“I had a really good race one, pursuing the world champion around the track, and finishing in seventh place. I felt comfortable and I was excited for race two. Unfortunately I couldn’t put it together and got involved in some battles that didn’t make things easy and I could only finish 15th. It’s not how I wanted to end the race, but I now have a weekend off to prepare for Riola and the deep sand, so it should be a good challenge and I’m looking forward to it.”

Rick Elzinga – P13

“We’re getting there step by step. I struggled on this track but as the weekend went on, I felt better and better. My results are improving slowly and we’ll soon be back to where I should be inside the top 10 and pushing for the top five. We’re making progress and to be in the fight up front I need better starts and a little more speed. But we’re getting there.”

Karlis Reisulis – P15

“My first race wasn’t so bad. I holeshot that one so that was really good but I struggled to find my rhythm. I had another good start in the second moto but crashed on the first lap. I was riding well but then crashed again and my bike hit me, so it wasn’t a good end to the weekend. For the next GP I’ll aim to bounce back and run up front like I know I can.”

MX2 Race One Results

MX2 Race Two Results

MX2 Round Overall

MX2 Championship Standings

EMX250

After overnight rain, the track was just beginning to dry as the gate dropped for EMX250 Race 1. Salvador Perez looked to have nailed the start but ran wide in the first corner, opening the door for Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Jake Cannon to take the early lead.

But the early story was short-lived, Janis Reisulis, showing remarkable composure and aggression, quickly powered past Cannon and assumed control of the race. From there, the Latvian rookie never looked back—executing clean laps and stretching his advantage with every sector.

Further behind, Cannon’s challenge ended in frustration. A crash followed by a technical issue forced him out. Meanwhile, Simone Mancini and Perez fought for the final podium spot while Adrien Petit quietly worked his way through the chaos. It wasn’t the best start for Noel Zanocz as he turned the first lap in 17th.

Petit’s patient approach paid off. As mistakes took their toll on rivals, he climbed to second and held the position to the flag, staying close but unable to truly challenge Reisulis. Perez crossed in third, a much-needed result after an underwhelming Cozar.

In Race 2, Reisulis once again stormed into the lead, leveraging his now-signature lightning-fast starts. He was followed closely by Leon Rudolph, Mads Fredsoe, and Noel Zanocz, while red plate holder Petit settled into sixth.

Rudolph’s mistake on the hill before pitlane opened the door for Zanocz, who slipped into third, then shortly after into second. Petit continued his quiet progression, capitalising on another Rudolph error on lap 4 out of 15 to go third. Rudolph faded to eighth.

Doensen and Mancini ran sixth and seventh at that point, but it was Petit who stole the spotlight. By lap 5, he caught Zanocz and overtook him to move into second. Still, Reisulis was 14 seconds ahead. Petit charged hard, shaving the gap to just 2 seconds by lap 14—but the Latvian held firm to take a wire-to-wire win and sweep the weekend.

Meanwhile, Garcia stormed through the field from 13th to 4th in a sensational comeback, passing Fredsoe and Doensen along the way. The Spaniard, who scored zero points in Race 1, proved he belongs among the front runners.

Fredsoe finished fifth, Doensen sixth, and Lyonel Reichl took seventh. Rispoli, Cannon, and Nicolai Skovbjerg rounded out the top 10 while Mancini’s day ended early.

Janis Reisulis proved at the round of Europe that he’s no longer a newcomer—he’s a genuine title threat. But Adrien Petit’s resilience and consistent podiums show why he still holds the red plate. Meanwhile, riders like Zanocz, Garcia, and Fredsoe are finding their form, and the championship is now anyone’s to win.

EMX250 Race One Results

EMX250 Race Two Results

EMX250 Round Overall

EMX250 Championship Standings

EMX125

The opening race was nothing short of intense. Just before the gate dropped, a heavy downpour soaked the circuit, creating a slick, unforgiving surface that immediately caught several riders off guard in the first corner. Niccolò Mannini—second in the championship heading into the weekend—snatched the holeshot. But it was Mano Faure who quickly made his presence known by overtaking Mannini early and setting the pace at the front.

Faure built a commanding 8.5-second lead, but a crash at the top of the hill nearly unravelled his race. Meanwhile, Filippo Mantovani and Mannini took full advantage, slipping past into the top spots as Faure remounted and rejoined in third. Undeterred, Faure clawed his way back, eventually reclaiming the lead with two laps to go in a high-stakes exchange that kept the home crowd on the edge of their seats.

Mannini and Mantovani completed the podium after capitalising on Faure’s mistake. Gennaro Utech and Francesco Bellei rounded out the top five with impressive rides in the mud.

At the checkered flag, Faure crossed the line first securing the win by 6.6 seconds over Mantovani, with Mannini taking third. The victory also delivered a massive confidence boost for Faure in the title chase, adding 25 points to his tally.

New Zealand’s Levi Townley completed race one in 18th.

On Sunday, under drier conditions, Race 2 saw Áron Katona take centre stage. While Faure once again nailed the start and led early, a mistake mid-race saw the Frenchman lose ground. Katona, calm and clinical, seized the lead and never looked back—riding with the poise of a seasoned contender to take his first career EMX125 victory.

Joining him at the top was teammate Nicolò Alvisi, whose second-place finish marked a breakthrough for the Italian. Mannini, ever consistent, again took third to strengthen his overall points haul.

Dani Heitink, also riding for Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC, rounded out the top five following a tough first race. Faure regrouped for a hard-fought fourth, securing the overall victory for the weekend with 43 points (1-4).

Levi Townley collected three points overall for the weekend, all from race one, dropping to 19th in the overall.

EMX125 Race One Results

EMX125 Race Two Results

EMX125 Round Overall

EMX125 Championship Standings