MXGP Dutch dominance by Herlings as Red Bull KTM go 1-2 at Arnhem

The Grand Prix of The Netherlands closed the western European chapter of 2025 MXGP. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing departed the rough sand in Arnhem with more acclaim thanks to Jeffrey Herlings sweeping the board with his KTM 450 SX-F as teammate Lucas Coenen finish 2nd overall. Andrea Adamo and Sacha Coenen classified 2nd and 3rd with the KTM 250 SX-F in MX2. The team have won in either the MXGP or the MX2 class in 13 of the 17 rounds of the season to-date.

  • Jeffrey Herlings rules every session and moto at Arnhem for his third MXGP victory and fourth podium of 2025. The Dutchman now has 110 career GP wins and 16 on home sand
  • Lucas Coenen recovers 10 points on his main title rival with his twelfth rostrum appearance of 2025 in his rookie term in the premier class. He now trails the red plate in MXGP by 31
  • Andrea Adamo goes 3-3 for his eleventh set of MX2 silverware of the season (the second highest tally) and remains in the championship chase. Sacha Coenen finishes 3rd overall for his eighth podium
  • Simon Laengenfelder recovers from adversity to take 6th overall and still leads the MX2 series by 15 points
  • MXGP now moves further afield. A triple header of Grands Prix in Turkey, China and Australia will bring a quick end to the calendar, and the stint begins with the trip to Afyon in two weeks

For the second time in three Grands Prix, MXGP moved into the sand. The second consecutive weekend of action drew the paddock from the hardpack of Sweden to the compact and shifting surface of the Motorportpark Gelderland Midden. The venue first staged MXGP in 2023 and was won by Jeffrey Herlings in 2024. The meeting occurred under bright but cloduy skies both days as the course churned and evolved into tough bumps.

Saturday’s MXGP qualification heat belonged comprehensively to Jeffrey Herlings, who set off from P1 in the gate and was unchallenged. Coenen rode to 4th. In MX2 Andrea Adamo escaped to win ahead of teammate Sacha Coenen while Simon Laengenfelder had to pit after a first turn pile-up and qualified with 15th place.

On Sunday Herlings extended his run across the motos with bright starts and forceful early moves. The Dutchman led both 30 minute and 2 lap races from gate to flag. Coenen, in contrast, could not be as prolific off the line. He crashed on the inside of Turn 1 in the first moto and was mired in mid-pack in the second. On both occasions the young Belgian had to charge up the order and carve through the field to regain points. He arrived to P2 both times and was even drawing up to Herlings’ rear wheel in the second moto. The effort was rewarded with his eleventh overall top three from the last twelve Grands Prix.

Sacha Coenen holeshotted the first MX2 moto and finished 2nd to Kay De Wolf with Adamo taking a steady P3. Laengenfelder was outside of the top ten at the start but started to make his way back to th front until a late crash halted his progress and he ranked P8. In the second race Adamo kept his pace in another P3 slot ahead of Coenen in 4th and Laengenfelder in 5th. The trio therefore filled 2nd, 3rd and 8th on the day.

A maximum of 240 points remain in both MXGP and MX2 this year. Coenen is 31 adrift and Herlings could still make the top four in the MXGP standings. MX2 is closer. Laengenfelder’s advantage is a slender 15 over De Wolf and 38 from Adamo with Sacha Coenen in 4th.

The Netherlands hosted the penultimate round of the EMX250 European Championship. Gabriel SS24 KTM team missed Gyan Doensen as the Dutch youngster needed surgery to fix a broken lower left leg. Max Werner rode his KTM 250 SX-F to 23rd overall.

The flat hardpack of Afyon awaits MXGP in Turkey and then the long trek to Shanghai and Darwin for Chinese and Australian Grands Prix on successive weekends. Round 18 will take place on September 6-7.

Jeffrey Herlings, 1st and 1st for 1st overall in MXGP: “I’m happy I could save energy in the first moto because I needed it later! I remember when I was 18, and racing in the sand didn’t get tired at all! I was really pushing hard in that second moto: Lucas had unbelievable speed, but my pace was fast too. I’m very happy with my weekend and very pleased with a 1-1-1. Already looking forward to Turkey in two weeks!”

Lucas Coenen, 2nd and 2nd for 2nd overall in MXGP: “The starts were really bad today. I crashed and came from last, and in the second moto the same. It was really tough for me and I pushed so hard. I gave everything I had and I was close to passing him [Herlings] at the end. Overall, I cannot afford those mistakes. I need those points, so we need to figure out the starts in the week-off and then we’ll be back at the front.”

Andrea Adamo, 3rd and 3rd for 2nd overall in MX2: “It was a solid weekend. I got the rhythm in the qualifying race and for today I think I could have done a bit better in both motos, maybe 2-2, but it is pretty difficult to challenge Kay in the sand. Still, I’m pretty happy to have made the best lap in the second race and we also gained good points in the championship. It’s not over until it’s over!”

Sacha Coenen, 2nd and 4th for 3rd overall in MX2: “I had a really good start in the first moto and made a little gap until a big mistake: I didn’t have a good flow so just finished the race. The start was worse in the second one so I had work my way back. I’m feeling quite good and the confidence is there. We have been working hard and it’s paying off.”

Simon Laengenfelder, 8th and 5th for 6th overall in MX2: “Not too many positives this weekend and a lot of bad luck. Starting from last wasn’t the plan and we know at this track that gate positions are quite important: coming from 15th didn’t make it easy. Too many mistakes in the first moto and then coming through to 5th in the second. I was feeling OK in the sand…but just didn’t put it together today.”

 

Results MXGP The Netherlands 2025

 

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 1-1

2. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-2

3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 4-4

4. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 6-3

5. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 3-8

 

Standings MXGP 2025 after 17 of 20 rounds

 

1. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 835 points

2. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 804

3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 617

4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 532

5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED), Yamaha, 497

6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 466

 

Results MX2 The Netherlands 2025

 

1. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 1-1

2. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-3

3. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-4

4. Camden McLellan (RSA) Triumph, 5-2

5. Liam Everts (BEL) Husqvarna, 4-6

6. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 8-5

 

Standings MX2 2025 after 17 of 20 rounds

 

1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 783 points

2. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 768

3. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 745

4. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 648

5. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 575

7. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna 538

KTM NEWS

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING SIGNS RYDER DIFRANCESCO AND DAXTON BENNICK

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has signed Ryder DiFrancesco and Daxton Bennick ahead of the 2027 SMX World Championship season, joining an expanded four-rider 250 program alongside Julien Beaumer and Sacha Coenen. The new-look roster will compete aboard KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION machinery across the AMA Supercross Championship, Pro Motocross Championship, and SMX Finals post-season, further strengthening KTM's READY TO RACE commitment to the next generation of 250 class talent. DiFrancesco, 21, joins Red Bull KTM Factory Racing following a breakout 2026 season, finishing runner-up in the 250SMX World Championship, fifth in 250MX, and fourth in the 250SX Western Division standings. The Californian earned his first-career 250SX podium at Anaheim 1 and carried that momentum into the outdoors and playoffs with a collection of podium results, firmly establishing himself as a title challenger into the future. Ryder DiFrancesco: "I'm super-excited to be joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. It's been one of the top-tier teams in the paddock since I can remember, so it's going to be a cool feeling being on the orange bike in 2027 – it only grows the confidence in myself and the team. The next thing to do now is to go out there and win. I'm excited, and the season can't come soon enough." Bennick, 20, is another exciting addition to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing effort after a strong 2026 campaign that saw him claim third in the 250SX East standings and secure his first 250SMX podium at SMX Playoff 1 in Columbus. The North Carolina native has continued to progress through the professional ranks since his highly-successful amateur career as part of the KTM Orange Brigade and will enter 2027 targeting title success. Daxton Bennick: "I'm so excited to be on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team next year. It's always been a dream of mine, so it's a super-cool and surreal moment for me. There are a lot of familiar faces on the team and also some new ones, and I think we're going to make a really good combination and go after the championships – I'm ready to get to work." The arrival of DiFrancesco and Bennick coincides with a significant expansion of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's 250 program, which will also feature Beaumer and incoming Belgian standout Coenen. Beaumer, 20, will return for his fourth season with the team after recently extending his contract through 2027 and beyond, while 19-year-old Coenen arrives from the MX2 World Championship following a Grand Prix campaign that saw him finish third in the 2026 standings. Nathan Ramsey, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 250 Team Manager: "What an incredible opportunity to be a part of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2027 and beyond. I will be managing the 250 race team, alongside of Ian and his crew on the 450 side. I believe this expansion and structure for the complete Red Bull KTM program is very strong and I look forward to having an unbelievable season. I couldn’t be happier to add Dax and Ryder to the team! They both had very strong seasons in 2026 and should absolutely be in the championship conversation in 2027. Dax and Ryder alongside Juju and Sacha make up a very young and extremely strong Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 250 effort for 2027! I am honored to be a part of this group moving forward and can’t wait to see what the future holds." Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 Team Manager: "We are incredibly excited to introduce our strengthened Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 250 program, which will debut in 2027 with a four-rider lineup equipped with KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION machinery. KTM has enjoyed significant success in the category for many years, and this next step further underlines the brand’s READY TO RACE commitment into the future." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s expanded 250 program will make its competitive debut at the opening round of the 2027 AMA Supercross Championship in Anaheim, California, on January 9, marking an exciting renewed chapter for the Austrian manufacturer's presence in U.S. competition alongside its factory 450 team of reigning SMX World Champion Jorge Prado and new recruit Lucas Coenen.

Victory for Team Belgium & the Coenen brothers at packed MXoN in France

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The 79th FIM Motocross of Nations drew a huge record crowd of 105,000 to the ‘amphitheater’ setting of the Ernee circuit in northern France where Red Bull KTM’s Lucas and Sacha Coenen contributed to Team Belgium first victory in the annual contest since 2013. Red Bull KTM also had SMX champion Jorge Prado inspiring Team Spain to 2nd place and their first ever podium result.