The 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship reached its halfway mark with a spectacular weekend at the iconic Crossdromo Internacional de Águeda in Portugal. Packed grandstands, passionate fans and the famous orange dirt created the perfect backdrop for another thrilling round of MXGP and MX2 action.
Jeffrey Herlings delivered another masterclass in the premier class, securing a record sixth overall victory at Águeda and the 117th Grand Prix win of his remarkable career. Meanwhile, Guillem Farres completed a flawless weekend in MX2 by winning every race, closing the gap in the championship with an outstanding performance.
Herlings Keeps Championship Fight Alive
Jeffrey Herlings and Lucas Coenen once again proved why they are the riders to beat in MXGP.
Race one belonged to Coenen after the Red Bull KTM rider overtook Tom Vialle early before resisting late pressure from Herlings to claim victory. The Honda HRC Petronas star had to fight through traffic after a difficult opening lap but eventually finished second, while Romain Febvre completed the podium.
Race two delivered one of the season’s best battles. Coenen led early, but Herlings relentlessly hunted down the championship leader before producing a decisive pass midway through the race. Once in front, the Dutch legend pulled away to secure victory and claim the overall Grand Prix on countback after both riders finished level on 47 points.
The result reduced Coenen’s championship advantage to 57 points heading into the next round.
Febvre maintained his impressive consistency with another third-place overall finish, while Tim Gajser and Ruben Fernandez completed the top five.
Farres Delivers a Perfect Weekend
MX2 belonged entirely to Guillem Farres.
The Triumph Racing Factory Team rider controlled both races after already winning Saturday’s Qualifying Race, completing a perfect 1-1-1 weekend that firmly established him as Sacha Coenen‘s biggest title challenger.
Farres dominated the opening moto after Sacha Coenen crashed heavily while running near the front. The Belgian fought back brilliantly from outside the top twenty to finish sixth and limit the championship damage.
In race two, Farres once again grabbed the holeshot and never looked back. Although Coenen recovered to finish second after another determined ride, the Spaniard comfortably sealed the overall victory.
Latvia’s Janis Reisulis celebrated the first Grand Prix podium of his career with second overall after an outstanding display of consistency, while Coenen completed the podium despite his race-one setback.
Championship Battles Heat Up
The Portuguese Grand Prix tightened both championship contests.
In MXGP, Lucas Coenen remains in control but Herlings continues to chip away at the lead after another dominant display on hard-packed terrain.
In MX2, Farres’ perfect weekend slashed Coenen’s championship advantage to just 32 points, while Camden McLellan remains firmly in the title fight despite difficult starts throughout the weekend.
With momentum building across both classes, the championship now heads into its second half with the highly anticipated MXGP of South Africa next on the calendar.
A Thrilling Second Half Awaits
The battles between Herlings and Lucas Coenen in MXGP, and Sacha Coenen and Guillem Farres in MX2, continue to produce some of the most exciting racing of the 2026 season.
As the championship prepares for its first-ever visit to South Africa this year, both title fights remain wide open, promising even more spectacular racing in the rounds ahead.
