2025 FIM Motocross World Championship
Round Four – MXGP of Sardegna
Crossodromo Comunale “Le Dune”
Crossodromo Communicale “Le Dune” played host to the MXGP of Sardegna over the weekend, marking round four of the FIM World Motocross Championships. The shifting sands delivered cooler race conditions and close racing.
The MXGP class saw a combination of youth and experience at the top of the field, with rookie Lucas Coenen winning race one. It was the veterans who prevailed in the end, however, with Romain Febvre clinching his first Grand Prix victory since August 2023. Glenn Coldenhoff second overall for Fantic ahead of Tim Gajser.
The MX2 class was another mighty tussle with many twists and painful turns, although the result was the expected one as reigning World Champion Kay de Wolf took his second win of the campaign with a perfect 1-1 Sunday to reclaim the Championship Leader’s red plate.
Monster Energy Triumph Racing took their first trophy of the season with Camden McLellan finishing second overall ahead of Andrea Adamo, who scored his first podium in Sardegna for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
MXGP of Sardegna Highlights Video
MXGP Race One
Febvre and Maxime Renaux both lost ten points to Gajser in Saturday’s Qualifying Race, but they quickly jumped to the top of the morning Warm Up timesheets, the Kawasaki man fastest.
Race one commended under gloomy skies, Jeremy Seewer the first rider to score his second Fox Holeshot Award of the season, just clear of Kevin Horgmo, with Lucas Coenen on pace. Gajser and Febvre were on the fringes of the top ten, Renaux dropping his bike in turn one.
Lucas fired around the outside of Seewer to lead at the start of the first full lap, the Swiss rider making a mistake that dropped him down the order. At the end of the first lap, four of the first five were first- or second-year MXGP riders, as Isak Gifting held third behind Coenen and Horgmo, with Coldenhoff and Andrea Bonacorsi giving chase.
Gajser, Febvre, and Ruben Fernandez were running from sixth to eighth, and unable to move forward for several laps, while Coenen stretched out an amazing nine second lead over the first two circuits.
By lap five the two Fantic men had moved past Gifting, who still held Gajser at bay until lap seven. Then it was the turn of Horgmo to yield to first Coldenhoff, then Bonacorsi for second and third, as the younger rider pit pressure on his veteran Dutch teammate.
It took until the 15-minute mark for Gajser and Febvre to break into fourth and fifth, with the Frenchman working past the Slovenian in the dunes to peg back two precious points. Horgmo dropped to seventh behind Fernandez at the finish, while Ben Watson put in his best ride of the season to put his Beta in eighth.
Gifting had fallen out of the top ten, as Valentin Guillod claimed tenth on his private Yamaha, behind the sand specialist Roan van de Moosdijk. Seewer dropped to 15th position, still two better than Renaux, while the final point went to the returning Jeffrey Herlings, still on his fightback from injury.
Coenen had stretched out a considerable lead and was cruising, while Bonacorsi got close but couldn’t shake Coldenhoff from second. The pair suddenly had hopes of a 1-2, however, when Coenen dropped his bike in a tight left-hand corner, distracted by a yellow flag for another fallen rider.
Picking the bike up still in front, the teenage Belgian got back on the gas fast enough to take his first ever full-length race win in the MXGP class. Fantic Factory Racing were very happy with another 2-3 race result.
MXGP Race One Results
MXGP Race Two
Bonacorsi’s and Coenen’s hopes were dealt a blow in the first corner of race two, as they both had to pick their bikes up from the floor. The Fox Holeshot Award once again taken by Seewer, with young guns Gifting and Horgmo right on the tail of the Ducati.
Far from being at his best, the old competitive instincts of Jeffrey Herlings drove him forward from an early fourth to dive up the inside of Seewer to take the lead halfway around the opening lap.
After Herlings had led his first three laps of the 2025 season, the adrenaline started to ebb, and Gifting took his chance to cut across the front wheel of the KTM and take the lead for three laps of his own. Febvre and Gajser were soon working their way forward, ripping past Herlings along the same wave section on lap five, before attacking Gifting in similar fashion two laps later.
By this time, Coenen had mounted an amazing recovery to run inside the top ten, before he launched just that little bit too quickly into the rear wheel of Seewer over a jump at the bottom of the circuit, suffering a massive crash as a result. He did remount, but a further crash around the same lap finally put him out of the GP entirely.
Working impressively through from the very back of the pack at the end of the first lap, Watson got up to an eventual 12th, putting his Beta into the top ten, ahead of Jago Geerts, who put together his best weekend of the season so far. His teammate Calvin Vlaanderen, who crashed out of race one, could console himself with an impressive charge to fourth in race two.
Gifting was passed in the closing stages by Bonacorsi, putting the Swede into a solid eighth overall behind Lucas Coenen. Ruben Fernandez claimed sixth overall behind Horgmo’s consistent 7-8 finishes, but Bonacorsi’s recovery from his first corner mishap, all the way to fifth at the finish, put the tall Italian fourth overall and up to eighth in the series – an impressive start to his first full MXGP campaign.
Herlings was able to hold on for seventh in race two, but at the front his fellow World Champions were starting to trade blows.
Febvre could not shake the attentions of Gajser, and nearly suffered a huge crash in the wave section. Coldenhoff worked his way into third and held on to the end.
A pass from Gajser would have put the Fantic man into first overall, but the Slovenian could never pull the trigger, so it was Febvre who took the chequered flag for his 50th individual race win, and 22nd career Grand Prix victory.
Coldenhoff’s second overall, and the fact that Renaux was unable to start race two for reasons yet to be announced, puts the Dutchman into third in the points standings.
Gajser will continue to hold the red plate, taking a 34-point advantage to the closest thing he has to a home Grand Prix, the Monster Energy MXGP of Trentino, next weekend.
Romain Febvre – P1
“This was a very emotional win. We had an issue yesterday in Qualifying but today I regrouped. I was fast and could make the difference. I was so happy at the way I could secure this victory from P20 at the gate. I made good starts from there but my first lap was not so good in moto one; I got passed by a couple of guys and by the time I got to fourth the first three were quite far. I knew I couldn’t make the same mistakes in race two so I pushed the first two laps to third and then settled into my rhythm with no risks and a good flow. I took my time to pass Gifting and once I had taken the lead I avoided mistakes; I knew Tim was not far behind but I was riding comfortably. This is one of the two toughest tracks of the year so my victory shows that we are working in a good way.”
Glenn Coldenhoff – P2
“Two podiums in four GPs — it’s my best start to a season. We made a small suspension change that worked great, and I had a strong pace in the first race. Bona (Bonacorsi) was right behind me pushing hard, but I managed to hold second. I wasn’t 100% in the second race after being sick, so I’m just happy to be up here. The team is working great, the bike does exactly what I want, and as Tim always says, a happy rider is a fast rider. We’ve got a great group and we’re building something strong at Fantic.”
Tim Gajser – P3
“It was a solid weekend overall. We made some setup changes in race one that didn’t work, and I had to settle for fifth. In race two, I got caught up avoiding Lucas (Coenen) when he crashed, but I came back strong and stayed close to Romain the whole way. He didn’t make any mistakes, so credit to him. Now we go to Trentino — kind of my home GP with all the Slovenian fans coming to support the Slovenian riders. The atmosphere is always amazing there, and I’m really looking forward to it — especially with the red plate again.”
Ruben Fernandez – P6
“I think it was really close to being a good weekend here, but this track is very difficult to race without making any mistakes and unfortunately I made one in the second moto and I had to fight back from 20th all the way to 11th. Still, to go three-six-eleven across the three races is a good step and I think I proved to people that I have speed in the sand, and I’m proud of my efforts. I know there is more to come, and I think we’re going to be racing at some tracks I like soon, so I’m excited to progress even further in the coming weeks.”
Lucas Coenen – P7
“I felt good in Timed Practice and almost won the qualifying race but things went even better in the first moto on Sunday. I made the start I wanted and then just controlled the gap. I don’t know what happened at the start of the second moto: I think somebody hit me into the first turn. I came back to 8th or 9th until I found another rider in mid-air and then crashed. The weekend was done. Good and bad. More luck next weekend I hope.”
Jago Geerts – P10
“Good progress for me this weekend and I felt good on the bike from the moment I headed out for Free Practice. I then posted the fourth fastest time in Time Practice so it shows my speed is coming back. For the races I need to find a little more pace though but overall, I’m happy with my riding this weekend.”
Calvin Vlaanderen – P13
“It was tough to start the day with a DNF but I picked myself up for Race Two and bounced back with a good result in fourth. From here, my aim is to start some momentum from this race result through the upcoming races and put some good points on the board.”
Jeremy Seewer – P14
“We’re here to work and develop, and there are many positive things to take away from this race. First of all, the two holeshots and leading the first lap for Ducati but the most important is that we made great progress this weekend, even though Riola is one of the toughest tracks of the season. In the first moto, we had a small issue, and I had to stop to fix it. But in the second moto, we turned it around and finished P9, finding good feelings. Overall, we had good speed, made big improvements and took a significant step forward and I think it will also work well on hard pack. I can’t wait for Arco di Trento, and I’m really excited to race alongside Tony.”
Jeffrey Herlings – P15
“We decided at the last minute to come to this race and use it as the best practice. Yes, a P20 can hurt but…I think it was just my sixth day on the bike after six months. So, for the circumstances I think it was quite good today. It was the first time I’d done a 35-minute moto! We got some points and finishing 7th in the second moto was quite good. Now just to build and get better every single week. Step-by-step now.”
MXGP Race Two Results
MXGP Round Overall
MXGP Championship Points
MX2 Race One
Sacha Coenen topped timesheets in the morning Warm-Up for MX2, as he had in every session across the weekend, with Cas Valk showing his sand skills in second.
The diminutive Belgian fired his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine into the lead for his third Fox Holeshot Award of the year, with De Wolf and a rapid McLellan giving chase, as the South African swept past Adamo on the opening lap.
Rick Elzinga started well, gaining momentum in his recovery from a pre-season elbow injury. However, Liam Everts moved past the Dutchman on the third lap, swiftly followed by Saturday’s Qualifying Race winner Simon Laengenfelder.
The German pushing forward impressively, determined to stay in touch with Everts and De Wolf in the Championship chase.
Further down the pack, David Braceras showed his training at Lommel to come home in tenth position, as Karlis Reisulis took ninth, Valk holding steady in eighth. Elzinga settled for an eventual seventh behind Everts.
It took until lap thirteen for a patient De Wolf to make a decisive move on Coenen through the difficult wave section, launching into them with a massive leap and keeping his momentum to the jump.
The Belgian did try to retaliate, but landed awkwardly from a big jump and got spat over the bars. He bounced to his feet, and salvaged fifth position behind Adamo in fourth and a determined Laengenfelder in third.
McLellan, loving the venue where he took his first career podium last year, now took his career best race finish of second, even catching De Wolf to make the Champ push on the final lap, winning with a margin of just 1.809 seconds at the finish line.
The leading four in the series were still mighty close going into race two, just 13 points separating them all, but it was Laengenfelder who led by two points from De Wolf, who was one ahead of Everts, who was ten ahead of Adamo.
MX2 Race One Results
MX2 Race Two
The Italian raised a roar from the spectators by responding with a clear Holeshot, helped by the fact that Coenen and Laengenfelder clashed handlebars down the start straight to immediately put themselves on the back foot.
Valk was second ahead of Quentin Prugnieres, although De Wolf and Everts moved around the Frenchman heading into turn four.
McLellan had messed up the first turn and was towards the back, but already on the charge. De Wolf moved quickly past his fellow Dutchman Valk to take second, and took his time to catch up to Adamo.
He took the lead from the 2023 Champion on lap four with a brilliant move around the outside, and his way looked clear. Everts had moved up to third, but the charge from McLellan and a rapid Coenen caught up to the previous Championship leader, forcing him back to fifth, where he would stay til the finish. He was at least able to gain a point on Laengenfelder, who could only get back up to sixth.
Prugnieres dropped to eighth to claim tenth overall, just ahead of Ferruccio Zanchi who took tenth in race two. Valk, in ill health, ended the day ninth overall with 8-11 finishes, while Reisulis got ninth twice to claim eighth overall.
Elzinga was seventh, twice in that position and the top Japanese bike on the day. Thibault Benistant suffered a terrible day in the sand, finishing 15th overall with 14-17 results.
Suddenly, De Wolf fell by Pit lane, and Adamo held an eight second lead at the end of lap ten. With McLellan and Coenen powering to third and fourth in the race, De Wolf set about his own amazing pace to reel in Adamo.
The Italian resisted with true grit on a surface which is not his favourite, but with a determined effort De Wolf roared up the inside to retake the lead with less than half a lap remaining.
The move dropped Adamo to third overall behind McLellan, who celebrated his and Triumph’s best ever overall GP result, but De Wolf’s tenth career GP victory sticks him back into the Championship lead by eight points from Laengenfelder.
With Everts just two behind, and Adamo a further four back, the hard pack experts have some friendly tracks on the horizon, so this Championship fight is still wide open, especially as the likes of Coenen, Benistant, and McLellan can get involved at any moment.
The stage moves to the beautiful setting of northern Italy for the MXGP of Trentino in just seven days’ time.
Kay de Wolf – P1
“To end the weekend here in Sardinia like this is amazing, and to do it for my tenth GP win is pretty special – especially in such tough conditions in the sand. I had a big crash in timed practice, and at that point, I wasn’t sure if I was going to race. The second moto was really fun, to be honest. Adamo pulled quite a big gap on me, but I knew I could push and be strong at the end of the race. I just tried to ride smart and do my own thing – but it wasn’t easy! This is one I’ll remember forever.”
Camden McLellan – P2
“That’s round four wrapped up here in Sardinia and it’s been an amazing weekend. To be back on the podium is awesome and I can’t thank the team enough for what they do. I felt strong on the bike from free practice through to the last lap of race two and everything just went right for me this weekend. I do need to improve my starts but besides that, it’s been a great weekend and to be running up front again has given me a lot of confidence.”
Andrea Adamo – P3
“Super-weekend. I was consistent. I led a little bit in the second moto – it is not easy to beat Sacha for the holeshot! – and I was following Kay then he made a mistake and I could breathe a little. I knew he would come back though! It’s a bummer. I wanted that win. But, anyway, I’m super-happy with the race, my fitness and my speed and being on the podium again. Compared to last year this is a step ahead. Let’s go to the next one.”
Simon Laengenfelder – P4
“The weekend was just OK. A good qualifying win on Saturday but I had to come from outside the top ten in the first moto and got back to 3rd: that was good. I felt fast on the bike and could push. Second race I got cut-off at the start and struggled to push back due to some stomach pain. 6th was not ideal but it was a half-positive weekend and we have stuff to work on for the next rounds.”
Sacha Coenen – P5
“Today went quite well. I led almost the whole first moto but just made a mistake on a jump when I was with Kay. So that meant 5th. I was a bit disappointed and then my reaction was not the best at the start of the second race. I was also hit by someone else’s handlebar. At that point I just said, “give it everything” and rode really well. I had a little contact with [Camden] McLellan and then decided to take P4 and collect the points. A better weekend than the last one.”
Liam Everts – P6
“It was a tough weekend overall. I didn’t feel completely at one with the track in either moto, and I expected more from myself after qualifying. Race one wasn’t where I wanted to be, but I tried to reset and give it everything in race two. Even though I wasn’t really gelling with the track, I’m happy to take some good points and stay upright. I know I’ve got more in me, and I’ll take the lessons from this weekend and come back stronger in Trentino. It’s a long season, and we’re still right in the fight.”
Rick Elzinga – P7
“Step by step we’re edging closer to the front. It’s been a solid weekend and I felt good on the bike. I was fast in Time Practice but in the races, I didn’t quite have the same pace due to a little bit of arm pump. I’m really happy with the second moto as I was able to push forward and make passes. Overall, I’m happy with the improvements we’ve been making and it’s been a good weekend for me.”
Karlis Reisulis – P8
“Today was ok. It’s a tough track here in Sardinia and I had a small bike problem in the first race, but it was a good moto. Then in the second one, I started ninth and stayed there the whole race. So, eighth overall on the day, and now it’s onto Trentino.”
Ferruccio Zanchi – P11
“I had a good start in race one, but then crashed in the first turn so I had to come through the pack. I started off well, picking off some riders but I couldn’t keep the momentum and in the end I only came 12th. Then in race two I got a horrible start and was once again last so I had to do the same thing. It went a bit better as I finished 10th but I’m not really happy with how this weekend went and it gives me a to work on for the future sand rounds because that isn’t the level I want to be at.”
Valerio Lata – P12
“I hoped that my first race in the sand with the team would go better, but unfortunately I never really felt a good rhythm on this track and here in Riola, that is really important. The only good thing is that I’m fit and healthy and got through both races without any major mistakes, however my speed wasn’t good enough and that’s what I definitely need to work on.”
Thibault Benistant – P15
“Over the winter I didn’t ride too much in the sand, so I started the weekend a little bit tight. But by the Qualifying Race I was up to speed and finished fifth, so that was a good result. In Race One today I crashed in the first turn and then crashed again while coming through the pack so that was a difficult race. Then in Race Two I had a bike issue and couldn’t finish. But I’m remaining positive and I’m forward to being back on the hardpack next weekend.”
MX2 Race Two Results
MX2 Round Overall
MX2 Championship Standings
EMX125 Race One
Katona became the first rider this season to secure back-to-back race wins following his triumph at the last Round of Europe. The race kicked off with Ryan Oppliger taking the holeshot, while Niccolò Mannini slotted into the front group. Chaos erupted in the opening corner, however, with Seth Priem, Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC Yamaha’s Levi Townley, and others getting caught up in a first-turn incident.
As the field scrambled to recover, Nicolò Alvisi charged forward to take third from Mannini. At the front, Mano Faure and Oppliger fought for the lead — until Katona entered the mix, slicing through the pack with precision. A crash for Alvisi while leading handed control to Katona, who took full advantage, grabbing the lead on lap 6 and never looking back.
Behind him, Alvisi regrouped to take second, while Faure dropped to third after pressure from Dani Heitink.
Despite a crash that knocked him outside the top 10, Cole McCullough recovered brilliantly to finish fifth. Mannini faded dramatically in the latter stages, ultimately crossing the line 15th — a result that opened the door for Katona to launch a serious bid for the red plate.
Levi Townley never recovered from that opening crash.
EMX125 Race Two
The momentum intensified in Race 2, and as the gate dropped, Townley stormed into the lead with a perfect holeshot, chased closely by Riccardo Pini and Jekabs Kubulins. McCullough also started strong in fourth, while Katona — buried outside the top 10 — began another relentless comeback.
By lap two, Katona was already into the top 10, clearly the fastest man on track. Mannini, meanwhile, continued to struggle in the Sardinian sand, eventually slipping to 19th. Up front, a fierce battle ensued between Townley and Kubulins, with both riders swapping positions in a tense showdown. Behind them, McCullough overtook Pini to claim third, setting his sights on the leaders.
Katona charged past Francesco Bellei and Pini by lap five and soon dispatched McCullough with a precise outside-in move. With just under two laps to go, he launched a decisive attack over the finish jump to pass Kubulins and instantly pulled a gap, cruising to a commanding third straight race win. Townley crashed on lap eight while fighting with Katona for third and had to finish the race in 19th place despite his great start.
Kubulins held strong for second, while McCullough’s third earned him his first podium of the season. Late-race drama saw Faure falling out of podium contention, allowing Bellei and Alvisi to secure top five finishes. Alvisi’s consistency over both motos was enough to seal second overall on the day, while McCullough’s comeback rewarded him with the final step of the podium.
In one of the most electrifying rounds so far, Katona delivered a perfect 1-1 scorecard in Sardegna, showcasing his prowess in the sand and extending his winning streak to three. With 50 points secured in Riola and 115 overall in the standings, the Hungarian now holds the red plate heading into the next round — and looks like the man to beat in this year’s EMX125 championship.
Aron Katona
“It was pretty hard and again not the best start so I will definitely work on it. But I kept the flow and my speed. I had so much fun and it’s such a beautiful track. Thanks to everybody supporting me especially my team! What a feeling it is to be the leader of the Championship!”
EMX125 Race One Results
EMX125 Race Two Results
EMX125 Round Overall
EMX125 Championship Standings
