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Spanish points haul for Red Bull KTM through Castilla-La Mancha MXGP mudfest

Top five results for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team as MXGP reconvened for the first of three 2025 Grand Prix dates on the Iberian Peninsula. Simon Laengenfelder was highest placed with 4th in MX2 at Cozar in central Spain as heavy rainfall created rough, slow, slick and difficult racing conditions.

  • Rain affects play in Castilla-La Mancha for the second appointment of MXGP and a sparse crowd surrounds the redesigned hardpacked layout as Red Bull KTM pick up more silverware
  • Lucas Coenen logs more race mileage with the KTM 450 SX-F in just his second appearance in the premier class. The 18-year-old Belgian rides to 9th overall
  • Simon Laengenfelder and Andrea Adamo secure 4th and 5th in MX2 with the KTM 250 SX-F while Sacha Coenen earns the red plate for the first time after his Saturday Quali Race result but is 13th on Sunday
  • The FIM Motocross World Championship will have only a few days to clean-up, reset and refocus before moving north for round three in France next weekend

MXGP was back in Castilla-La Mancha only a few months after the Cozar circuit debuted in the FIM World Championship as the final appointment of the 2024 season. This time, the Spanish venue hosted round two of the current campaign and the first European date for the series. The climate was ‘unspanish’ over the weekend with showers and cloudy skies creating a soft, soaking and deeply rutted terrain for the reworked course.

Red Bull KTM travelled to the site in central Spain with four fit runners in their roster. Lucas Coenen, Andrea Adamo, Sacha Coenen and Simon Laengenfelder had their goals for MXGP and MX2 fixed while Jeffrey Herlings was back in the saddle of his KTM 450 SX-F for his first training and practice laps of the year and anticipating a return to MXGP action in a matter of weeks. Marc-Antoine Rossi was also absent and will have shoulder surgery on Monday 17 March.

On Saturday Lucas Coenen ran to 6th place in the MXGP Qualifying Race after recovering from a crash and with the track in its driest and roughest state, compared to the ‘mudder’ of the morning. In MX2 Sacha Coenen and Andrea Adamo went P2 and P4 respectively.

Lucas, fitter and stronger compared to his MXGP debut in Argentina, was luckless at the start of the first moto and in more treacherously mud after rain overnight and through the morning. Sunday’s motos had a ‘lottery’ feel to proceedings. The Belgian had to pick-up from the carnage of the first corner and rode excellently to come back from last to 9th. In the second race he flew into the lead by the second corner but a slip dropped him to P4. He completed the gnarly contest with 9th as the rain fell again.

Laengenfelder fought from a slow-speed tumble to a top finish 5th in the first MX2 outing. The German was then consistent and cautious in the afternoon for P4 and only just missed the podium. He holds 3rd place in the championship standings. Adamo went down on the start straight of the first moto but returned to P9. The Italian’s technique helped to a decent 3rd place later on and he ranked 5th on the day. Sacha Coenen also had to retaliate from a difficult first lap of Moto1 and was P11. The Belgian then had a tough second moto and classified 15th.

MXGP marches on to France and the St Jean D’Angely circuit near La Rochelle for round three and the Grand Prix of Europe next week.

Lucas Coenen, 9th and 8th for 9th overall in MXGP: “I had the speed on Saturday but got a little tight and 6th was OK from the heat. We had a lot of rain for Sunday. I crashed in the start and had to come back from last to 9th in the first moto but the start was a lot better in the second race. It was a shame to have that little tip-over. The rest was history. P8: finito! Onto the next one.”

Simon Laengenfelder, 5th and 4th for 4th overall in MX2: “A difficult weekend in Spain but we worked well. I couldn’t get any points on Saturday: too many crashes and a bad start, but on Sunday better starts! Still some mistakes but I think this is normal in these conditions. 4th overall; not too bad and if I could have passed Andrea at the end then it would have been the podium. It’s still early in the season and already looking forward to the next races.”

Andrea Adamo, 9th and 3rd for 5th overall in MX2: “A special weekend. The track was quite dry but with many ruts on Saturday and then we had so much rain in the night and Sunday morning. We knew the races would be like a nightmare. You needed to be a bit lucky out there. The goal was to have two good starts and bring the bike to the finish. Unfortunately, I had contact with Sacha in the first race and filled myself and the bike full of mud! I gave everything I had to come back to P9, which was decent. The start was better in the second moto and I worked my way up to P3. Not bad. It’s only the second GP but I feel good, fast and fit. We will give 100% to be on the podium as much as possible in the next GPs.”

Sacha Coenen, 11th and 15th for 13th overall in MX2: “On Saturday I had a good feeling with the bike and the track but it was flooded on Sunday. I made a good start in the first moto but then slid-out and had to restart. I found my way up to 7th and then had a tip-over on the last lap, which was a shame. The start for the second moto wasn’t good and I crashed too much. I’m just happy to finish the weekend and leave this GP healthy.”

Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Two GPs into the season and we’ve been dealing with some injuries, but, looking at the positives I’m happy to be working with Jeffrey again now that he is back on the bike. We’ve all been waiting for his return. Marc-Antoine will need more time and will have surgery tomorrow. We can then start planning his comeback. Andrea has shown a lot of positive things meanwhile and I don’t think we have taken all the championship points that he deserved. From the first qualifying moto in Argentina he has shown good speed and he did it again this weekend in conditions that are maybe not his favorite: that reveals how ready he is. He’s a player for the championship and we’re looking forward to the next races.”

 

Results MXGP Castilla-La Mancha 2025

 

1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 1-1

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

3. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA), Fantic, 8-2

4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 2-12

5. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 7-5

9. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 9-8

 

Standings MXGP 2025 after 2 of 20 rounds

 

1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 108

2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 88

3. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 87

4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 79

5. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 57

 

Results MX2 Castilla-La Mancha 2025

 

1. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna, 2-1

2. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 3-2

3. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA), Honda, 1-10

4. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 5-4

5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 9-3

13. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 11-15

 

Standings MX2 2025 after 2 of 20 rounds

 

1. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 97 points

2. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna 91

3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 78

4. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 71

5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 71

KTM NEWS

TOM VIALLE AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING FINISH SECOND IN 250SMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Tom Vialle has finished runner-up in the 250SMX Class of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) following the final round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Vialle qualified fifth on the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION and put himself in good position during Moto 1, taking the checkered flag in third position. The two-time MX2 World Champion and this year's AMA Supercross 250SX East Champion was challenging for the lead in the final encounter when he went down, managing to remount for a P8 result. Those finishes positioned the Frenchman fifth overall for the round, which in turn saw him captured second in the 250SMX World Championship for season 2024. Tom Vialle: "I'm pretty happy, the result was good this year, and we were strong across each series. I had a bad start in the first moto and then the second one was better, but I was really frustrated after the second moto because I was feeling really good before the crash. It was a little bit up and down this season, so now I look forward to the Nations and that will be a lot of fun next." Las Vegas started strongly for rookie teammate Julien Beaumer in qualifying second on the combined timesheets, but he was affected by poor track position across the two motos. After completing Lap 1 on 17th, he climbed to 11th in Moto 1, and then finished Moto 2 in ninth for P9 overall. He was seventh in the final 250SMX standings. Julien Beaumer: "Tough night! My riding was really good, I just didn't execute the starts, and on a track like this you need that track position early because it's hard to pass. It's been a good year, we made some big steps as a rookie, and the plan is to be up front next year." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Aaron Plessinger was a picture of consistency tonight in the 450SMX class. After qualifying his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in P9, The Cowboy went 4-4 for fourth overall in Las Vegas, which also placed him P4 in the SuperMotocross World Championship for 2024. Aaron Plessinger: "Vegas was a really good. I was comfortable on the bike from the start and I had a really good start in the first one, ended up getting fourth in that, so I was pumped. Second moto, I rode really good again, and went fourth again, so after the last two weeks I will take that, for sure. We also moved to fourth in the points, so it was a good way to end the season like that." After entering the SMX Final in contention for the 450SMX title, reigning AMA Pro Motocross 450MX Champion Chase Sexton's chances unfortunately ended prematurely on the opening lap of Moto 1 tonight. The Red Bull KTM rider came together with another rider and injured his right hand, which ruled him out for the remainder of the evening. After finishing third in the AMA Supercross 450SX Championship and dominating the outdoors, Chase was placed seventh in the final SMX standings. An update on the extent of his injury will be made available after he undergoes further medical evaluations. Results 450SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda 2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda 3. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha 4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 8. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS 22. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Husqvarna 23. Christian Craig (USA), Husqvarna 24. Chase Sexton (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 3 of 3 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 156 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 156 3. Eli Tomac, 129 4. Aaron Plessinger, 116 7. Chase Sexton, 89 9. Justin Barcia, 75 17. Malcolm Stewart, 48 20. Christian Craig, 34 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS 2. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha 3. Jordon Smith (USA), Yamaha 5. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 9. Julien Beaumer (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 11. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 3 of 3 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan, 166 points 2. Tom Vialle, 132 3. Pierce Brown, 131 7. Julien Beaumer, 108 11. Ryder DiFrancesco, 72 16. RJ Hampshire, 36 28. Casey Cochran, 4