News 2026 MXoN in Ernée: Belgium on Top, Spain Makes History, Disappointment for France

In front of a raucous crowd of more than 105,000 spectators gathered at the Raymond Demy circuit in Ernée (Mayenne), the 79th edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) delivered a spectacular show, marked by unbearable suspense and dramatic twists and turns. On home soil, the French team endured a nightmare Sunday, clearing the way for a very young Belgian squad to claim the Chamberlain Trophy, 13 years after its last victory.

Overall Summary: Belgium’s Comeback, Spain’s Historic Performance

At the end of the three mixed heats (MXGP/MX2, MX2/Open, MXGP/Open), consistency paid off for the Belgian team, despite being one of the youngest in the field. Led by brothers Lucas and Sacha Coenen, along with Liam Everts—50 years after his grandfather Harry Everts’ first victory—the Belgians lifted the Chamberlain Trophy for the 16th time in their history.

Behind Belgium, Team Spain delivered a historic performance by securing its very first podium finish at the Motocross of Nations with a brilliant second-place finish. Rounding out the podium was the Netherlands, led by an imperious Jeffrey Herlings, who claimed a one-two finish in the individual standings.

Overall Team Standings (Top 10)

1. Belgium
2. Spain
3. Netherlands
4. Latvia
5. United States
6. Italy
7. Great Britain
8. Switzerland
9. Australia
10. France

Zoom French Team: A Cold Shower at Home

After a perfect Saturday of qualifying, Sunday turned into a nightmare for the French team. Plagued by serious crashes, the French riders were unable to live up to the expectations of the crowd in Ernée.

Race 1 (MXGP + MX2): The Valin Collision

Right from the first turn, Romain Febvre had a minor, unintentional collision with Isak Gifting as they battled for the lead. Back in the hunt behind Jorge Prado, Febvre pushed hard. But a few positions back, Mathis Valin got tangled up on the main downhill section, lost control, and suffered a very hard crash. The Kawasaki was too damaged: he had to retire. Meanwhile, Romain Febvre took the lead on the 6th lap following a mistake by Prado and won in front of a frenzied crowd. It was a bittersweet victory for his final outing on the factory Kawasaki.

Race 2 (MX2 + Open): Tom Vialle’s Crash

Tom Vialle, who took the holeshot, electrified the crowd. But on the very first lap, as he landed a jump, Tom’s foot caught on the footpeg: the takeoff was spectacular, and the crash was incredibly violent. Miraculously unharmed, the French rider was forced to retire, as his bike was totaled. France’s hopes for an overall victory were dashed once and for all.

Race 3 (MXGP + Open): Febvre Makes a Mistake

Determined to salvage some pride, Romain Febvre took the holeshot in the final race. But under pressure and hampered by mistakes on the first lap, he was overtaken. On the sixth lap, having fought his way back up to second place, he ran wide on the long climb and crashed violently into a signpost. Having dropped back to 5th place, he managed to claw his way back to 3rd place in the race, but it wasn’t enough to boost the team’s position in the overall standings (finishing in 10th place).

Editor’s Note: The atmosphere in the Ernée basin remained incredible despite the retirements, but the disappointment was immense for the French crowd, who had been hoping for another victory on home soil.

Spotlight on Team Spain: A Day Etched in History

For the first time in its history, Spain made it onto the MXoN podium—and straight to second place! A monumental team effort led by its two world-class riders.

• Jorge Prado (MXGP): Very solid throughout the weekend, the Spanish champion finished 2nd in Race 1 after leading the early laps, and again 2nd in Race 3 after an epic duel with Jeffrey Herlings. He won the MXGP class in the individual standings.
• Guillem Farrés (MX2): In his very last race on a 250cc bike under the Triumph Racing colors, the recent MX2 World Champion delivered two masterful races (4th in Race 1, 5th in Race 2), establishing himself as the best rider in the MX2 class at the 2026 MXoN.
• Francisco García (Open): Riding an unfamiliar 450cc bike for BUD Racing Kawasaki, the young European champion fought like a lion. Despite a crash at the very end of Race 3 as he went all out to snatch the team victory, his passion was praised by the entire Spanish contingent.

Editor’s Note: This is the benchmark result for the Spanish public. The combination of Prado (MXGP winner) and Farrés (MX2 winner) confirms Spain’s dominance in world motocross this season.

A recap of the three MXoN rounds

Heat 1 (MXGP + MX2): Febvre Wins in a Hard-Fought Battle

Romain Febvre’s experience made all the difference. After overtaking Isak Gifting and capitalizing on a minor mistake by Jorge Prado, the Frenchman secured the win. Lucas Coenen put Belgium on the right track (3rd), while Guillem Farrés (4th) put Spain at the top of the provisional nations’ standings.

Top 10, Round 1:

1. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki)
2. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM)
3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM)
4. Guillem Farrés (ESP, Triumph)
5. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM)
6. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic)
7. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph)
8. Jorgen-Mathias Talviku (EST, Fantic)
9. Roan van de Moosdijk (NED, KTM)
10. Julien Beaumer (USA, KTM)

Round 2 (MX2 + Open): Herlings Unstoppable, Belgium Takes the Lead

After Tom Vialle’s frightening crash while in the lead, Jeffrey Herlings took the lead and opened up a massive gap of more than 35 seconds over Andrea Adamo. Behind him, Liam Everts staged a sharp comeback to finish 4th, passing Farrés (5th). Combined with Sacha Coenen’s 7th-place finish, this result propels Belgium to the top of the provisional standings.

Top 10, Race 2:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda)
2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM)
3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki)
4. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna)
5. Guillem Farrés (ESP, Triumph)
6. Cooper Webb (USA, Husqvarna)
7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM)
8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph)
9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha)
10. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph)

Round 3 (MXGP + Open): Herlings’ Masterclass, Belgium’s Breakthrough

Febvre took the holeshot but was quickly pressured by Prado and Everts. Jeffrey Herlings made a small mistake on the first lap and dropped to 8th, before launching a spectacular comeback. "The Bullet" passed Coenen, Webb, Everts, and then Prado one by one on the 11th lap to secure a masterful one-two finish. Liam Everts (4th) and Lucas Coenen (5th) secured the necessary points: Belgium is crowned Nations World Champion!

Top 10, Round 3:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda)
2. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM)
3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki)
4. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna)
5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM)
6. Cooper Webb (USA, Husqvarna)
7. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM)
8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki)
9. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph)
10. Jed Beaton (AUS, Yamaha)

Quotes from the riders (Press Conference)

Belgium Team (1st)

Liam Everts: I knew I was fast as soon as I got on the 450. It was a technical track that suited me perfectly. The guys trusted me with the grid selection for Race 3, and I paid them back in full. I had no idea we were in a position to win as I crossed the checkered flag! It wasn’t until I saw the staff in the pit lane that I realized it. It’s surreal.

Lucas Coenen: Last Sunday, I could barely ride for 10 minutes—I was completely wiped out. My coach, Joël Roelants, took me to a Belgian physical therapist… and he managed to get me back on my feet. The three of us pulled off this feat—Belgium is back on top. We’re going to celebrate!

Sacha Coenen: It’s an incredible feeling to be here with my brother and Liam. We’re so young. My first race wasn’t ideal, but the second one was very good. A great day for us.

Team Spain (2nd)

Jorge Prado: Together with the whole team, we’ve made history. Spain had never made it onto the MXoN podium before. To bring Spain to second place is fantastic. Guillem, the recent MX2 World Champion, and Fran, the European Champion, put on an incredible performance today.

Guillem Farrés: A great weekend. My races were very solid for my final appearance on the 250cc bike. It’s a wonderful way to wrap up this magnificent season, making history for my country.

Francisco García: The conditions weren’t ideal for me on this bike, but I gave it my all. In the final race, I saw the sign-holder telling me, “If you pass, we win.” I pushed hard, I crashed, but I have no regrets. This is historic for Spain.

Netherlands Team (3rd)

Jeffrey Herlings: In the second race, I was so eager to pass Liam quickly that I crashed and restarted in 8th or 10th place. I told myself it was going to be tough, but I kept my head down and fought my way back up. I’m really happy with my weekend—I dominated every session. We’re on the podium as a team—thanks to everyone.

How the MXoN Works: What’s the Deal?

Considered the “Olympics of motocross,” the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) pits the best national teams against each other every year, with each team consisting of three riders competing in three distinct classes: MXGP (450cc), MX2 (250cc), and Open (choice of 250cc or 450cc). On Sunday, the schedule features three mixed heats where two categories compete simultaneously:

1. Heat 1: MXGP + MX2
2. Heat 2: MX2 + Open
3. Heat 3: MXGP + Open

Each rider thus competes in two races per day. The points system is the reverse of that used in the traditional championship: the finishing position determines the number of points awarded (1 point for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd, 10 points for 10th, etc.). At the end of the three rounds, each nation accumulates six individual results. To determine the champion team, the rule is simple: each nation’s worst result out of the six is discarded (the so-called “joker”), and the nation with the lowest total points wins the Peter Chamberlain Trophy. This scoring system makes absolute consistency essential, as even the slightest mistake, mechanical failure, or a teammate’s withdrawal can immediately tip the balance in the overall standings.

YZ BLU CRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinal: France’s Arno Cazet Crowned Champion in the YZ125 Class!

Kicking off the senior races, the next generation of world motocross riders competed in the YZ BLU CRU Yamaha SuperFinal. The French crowd had reason to celebrate thanks to Arno Cazet’s dominant performance in the premier YZ125 class.

YZ125: The Marseillaise Rings Out Thanks to Cazet

After securing pole position on Saturday, Arno Cazet delivered a flawless performance on Sunday. After passing Jagger Townley on the first lap, the young French rider opened up a lead of more than 12 seconds over the New Zealander to claim victory in front of tens of thousands of raucous fans. Switzerland’s Luis Santeusanio rounded out the podium.

Arno Cazet (YZ125 Winner): I’m so happy to win in my home country. A big thank you to my parents and my sponsors—it’s the best feeling in the world to win here in Ernée in front of this crowd.

YZ85: Victory for American Jaydin Smart

Starting outside the Top 8, young American Jaydin Smart staged an impressive comeback to get the better of Colombia’s Martín Ospina and Croatia’s Roko Ivandič, before sealing the win with three laps to go.

YZ65: A One-Two Finish for Poland’s Tymon Andrzejewski

Already a winner in Sweden in 2025, Poland’s Tymon Andrzejewski retained his YZ65 title by winning with a lead of more than 30 seconds over Britain’s Tommy Wood and American Ezra Armbruster at the end of an eventful race.