Coenen earns first MXGP moto win as Adamo takes another MX2 podium in Sardinian sand

MXGP encountered its first sandy challenge of the 2025 season with the Grand Prix of Sardinia and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing left the demanding bumps of Riola Sardo with more spoils. Standout performances came from Lucas Coenen on the KTM 450 SX-F who won the first moto on Sunday while Andrea Adamo collected another podium trophy with P3 in MX2. Jeffrey Herlings made his first GP appearance this year, scoring 15th overall.

  • Overcast Sardinia takes MXGP onto Italian terrain for the first time this term and Lucas Coenen says ‘Ciao’ with a dominant first career moto win but then cannot finish the second race
  • Jeffrey Herlings pockets his first MXGP points of 2025 after recovering from right knee surgery performed at the end of October 2024 with 20-7 results and briefly leads the second moto
  • Andrea Adamo finishes on the MX2 podium for the second Grand Prix in a row. The Italian leads the second moto until the final lap and confirms P3 on the day
  • Simon Laengenfelder grabs 4th overall after a consistent day in the sand and Sacha Coenen rounds-out the top five after a hard charge to 4th in the second moto. Red Bull KTM own both MX2 holeshots with the KTM 250 SX-F
  • MXGP makes the relatively short journey across the water to Arco di Trento for round five next week and swaps beaches for mountains, and sand for stony hardpack soil

After the Spanish/French Grand Prix double, MXGP had a week to recuperate before Italian back-to-back fixtures with distinct flavors. First-up for Red Bull KTM was the Grand Prix of Sardinia around the compact, sandy course on the island that serves as a popular off-season training site.

In contrast to Cozar and St Jean D’Angely in recent weeks, the climate was stable on the western tip of the Sardinian territory. Red Bull KTM welcomed all-time record wins holder Jeffrey Herlings back in the awning for the Dutchman’s return to world championship competition and where he steers the KTM 450 SX-F for the eighth consecutive season. Teammate classmate Lucas Coenen was the marker for speed and rhythm in the first MXGP moto. The youngster led from the start until the checkered flag and even a small, late tip-over was not enough to derail the rookie from his first 25 points. Herlings didn’t get the best start and weathered arm-pump to ride to 20th. In the second race Coenen had to pick-up and restart in last place after a crash when he clipped the inside bank of the first turn. The Belgian charged back to the fringe of the top ten but two more mistakes ended his moto early, meaning 7th overall. Herlings had a decent getaway and led the first three laps of 18 before guiding the #84 KTM across the line in 7th; a result earned with less than a week of saddle time after a six-month lay-off.

In MX2 Sacha Coenen and Andrea Adamo blasted to the holeshots. Coenen achieved the distinction in the first moto before an error dropped the Belgian down the order and he fought back to 5th. Sacha barreled to the top four in the second race to take 5th overall, classifying behind the steady Simon Laengenfelder, who was close to a third podium of the season with a 3-6 scorecard and took maximum points on Saturday by owning the Qualifying race. Adamo, who won the French Grand Prix two weeks ago, almost had the flag in the second moto but was denied by world champion Kay de Wolf. P2 was still sufficient for 3rd for the Grand Prix.

The Racestore KTM Factory Rookies team again had cause to celebrate for the third date in the 2025 EMX125 championship. Hungarian Aron Katona grasped his first checkered flag in France and then added to the tally with an impressive 1-1 and overall success in Sardinia. #817 also rose to 1st place in the championship standings. Riola Sardo was near perfect for the squad as Nicolo Alvisi was confirmed as runner-up by finishing 2nd and 4th with the KTM 125 SX.

The Italian theme for MXGP continues this week as the series moves to the mainland and to the north for the Grand Prix of Trentino. The hardpacked Pietramurata circuit in Arco di Trento and close to Lake Garda will stage round five and where Red Bull KTM scored victory in the MX2 class last year.

Lucas Coenen, 1st and DNF for 7th overall in MXGP: “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.”

Jeffrey Herlings, 20th and 7th for 15th overall in MXGP: “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.”

Andrea Adamo, 4th and 2nd for 3rd overall in MX2: “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, 3rd and 6th for 4th overall in MX2: “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, 5th and 4th for 5th overall in MX2: “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.”

 

Results MXGP Sardinia 2025

 

1. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 4-1

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

3. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 5-2

4. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA), Fantic, 3-5

5. Kevin Horgmo (NOR), Honda, 7-8

7. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 1-DNF

15. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 20-7

 

Standings MXGP 2025 after 4 of 20 rounds

 

1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 215

2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 181

3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 156

4. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 141

5. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 125

 

Results MX2 Sardinia 2025

 

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

2. Camden McLellan (RSA), Triumph, 2-3

3. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 4-2

4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-6

5. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 5-4

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

 

Standings MX2 2025 after 4 of 20 rounds

 

1. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 185 points

2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 177

3. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna 175 points

4. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 171

6. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 143

KTM NEWS

PODIUM FORM CONTINUES FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING'S JULIEN BEAUMER AT HIGH POINT

Afficher le profil
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Julien Beaumer finished second overall in Round 4 of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship courtesy of a 2-2 moto scorecard in 250MX, on a weekend at the High Point National where 450MX teammates Jorge Prado and Aaron Plessinger also featured inside the top-five. Beaumer qualified fourth fastest in the 250MX division aboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in the morning sessions, before launching to a top-three start in Moto 1 and taking over the lead 10 minutes into the race. After building an advantage of more than seven seconds, a small tip-over saw him surrender the lead, ultimately finishing a hard-fought P2 at the checkered flag. Another strong start in Moto 2 saw Beaumer once again convert his track position into a second-place finish, with a 2-2 scorecard earning him second overall for the round and a second-career 250MX podium. The impressive 20-year-old has climbed to third in the 250MX championship standings after four rounds, just two points from the lead as riders now have one week off before the series recommences at RedBud on July 4. Julien Beaumer: "This is special. I remember last year when they said I wasn’t an outdoor guy, but we’re getting there, and I think I’m in a position to start fighting for some wins. We’re in this thing and we’ll go into the off weekend with some confidence, keep building, and come out swinging at RedBud.” Equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Prado qualified third fastest in 450MX with a 2:00.649 lap-time at High Point, carrying that form into Moto 1 where he raced to a convincing third-place finish. The four-time world champion started towards the front in Moto 2, running inside the top-five throughout the race, which included an intense late-race battle with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Plessinger. He eventually recorded 3-5 scores for the weekend, placing fourth overall and rising to P4 in the standings. Jorge Prado: "Round 4 at High Point was an okay day for me. Both qualifying and Moto 1 were very good, and then in the second moto I finished P5 for fourth overall. We can take some positives from today, even if we still have some work to do – we’ll get to it in the break and come out swinging at RedBud.” Plessinger was the seventh-fastest 450MX qualifier this weekend and was battling for a top-five in Moto 1, delivering a well-earned sixth position. ‘The Cowboy’ then posted an impressive outing in Moto 2, charging through the field to a P4 result and securing fifth overall on the day. As a result, Plessinger has advanced to seventh in the championship following Round 4. Aaron Plessinger: “This is a win for me – I haven’t ridden that good in almost a year! So, it feels good to get that monkey off my back and get up here and show the boys what I can do. I’ve got to give it up to the whole Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, because they’ve been behind me, pushing me, and believing in me, and I’ve got to give a shoutout to everyone on the team. My bike was working great today and this is a huge win – I’m happy to be up there and thanks to all who support me.” Next Race: July 4 – RedBud, Michigan Results 450MX Class – High Point National 1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 4. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 5. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 8. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) Standings 450MX Class 2026 after 4 of 11 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 182 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 180 3. Haiden Deegan, 144 4. Jorge Prado, 122 5. RJ Hampshire, 121 7. Aaron Plessinger, 102 16. Lucas Coenen, 44 22. Dante Oliveira, 25 28. Malcolm Stewart, 10 Results 250MX Class – High Point National 1. Cole Davies (Yamaha) 2. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 3. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 6. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 7. Casey Cochran (Husqvarna) Standings 250MX Class 2026 after 4 of 11 rounds 1. Levi Kitchen, 150 points 2. Jo Shimoda, 149 3. Julien Beaumer, 148 6. Ryder DiFrancesco, 111 15. Casey Cochran, 54 19. Sacha Coenen, 33 23. Daxton Bennick, 24

Double Italian MXGP podium spoils for the Coenens

Afficher le profil
More double category trophies for Red Bull KTM this season at Montevarchi and the Italian Grand Prix. Sacha Coenen won the MX2 class for the second event in a row with the KTM 250 SX-F while his twin, Lucas, was 2nd overall for his sixth MXGP podium result of the campaign with the KTM 450 SX-F. The Italian date marked the start of another 2026 MXGP triple header of fixtures with trips to Portugal and South Africa to come in the following weeks

LUCAS COENEN EARNS SECOND OVERALL IN THUNDER VALLEY PRO MOTOCROSS DEBUT

Afficher le profil
Round 3 of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship proved to be a successful outing for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at Thunder Valley, with Lucas Coenen claiming second overall on debut in 450MX, while twin brother Sacha Coenen raced to the Moto 2 victory and fourth overall in 250MX. Current MXGP points-leader Coenen qualified second onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION with a 2:02.201 lap-time, making an immediate impression in his first outing at the fast-paced, technical Colorado circuit. The 19-year-old Belgian translated that speed into a hard-fought second-place finish in 450MX Moto 1, charging through the field and closing to within 1.4 seconds of the victory by the checkered flag. Another convincing P2 score in Moto 2 saw Coenen secure an impressive runner-up result overall, completing what was a successful first Pro Motocross appearance for the talented teenager. Lucas Coenen: "This was amazing! My start wasn’t that good, but I managed to go quick in the first corner and then just enjoy [myself] out there. I can’t thank the team enough for making this happen, and with the Roger De Coster kit, it’s amazing – I loved every lap out there. The second moto was hectic with lapped riders, but you know, I am racing the best riders in the world and it’s a lot of fun. Now, I will go back racing our series in MXGP and we’ll see when we can come back again in the future." Also equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Jorge Prado qualified fourth fastest with a 2:04.286 lap-time as he and the team looked to rebound from a difficult Hangtown weekend. The four-time world champion started inside the top-10 in Moto 1 and charged forward to fifth place by race's end, before a post-race penalty dropped him two positions in the final classification. Fifth in Moto 2 saw the Spaniard claim fifth overall, and he climbed to sixth in the 450MX standings. Jorge Prado: "Not the best weekend for me at Thunder Valley – I struggled with starts and then also just finding a flow all day. When you don't start up front, it's hard to make up time on the leaders, especially when there are many lapped riders. So not my best performance, but we will regroup and bounce back at High Point." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450MX teammate Aaron Plessinger was the 11th-fastest 450MX qualifier this morning, and he raced to a sixth-place finish in Moto 1. ‘The Cowboy’ featured inside the top-three in Moto 2, before ultimately scoring P7 in the race and seventh overall. As a result, he's positioned eighth in the championship following the opening three rounds. Aaron Plessinger: "Thunder Valley was a much better day for me. I got a pretty good start in Moto 1 and then fell back on the opening laps, but I smoothed it out a little and found a flow from there. A couple of people got penalized in race one, which elevated me up the order to sixth, and then in Moto 2, I got a pretty solid start! I ran third for a while, then drifted back to seventh. Overall, it was a much better day today, the bike is feeling a lot better for me, the body is as well, and now we move on to High Point." Current MX2 World Championship leader Sacha Coenen also made his Pro Motocross debut in Colorado, qualifying second aboard the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, and then recovering to 14th position in Moto 1 after an early-race fall. A holeshot in Moto 2 saw Coenen settle into a fast and consistent rhythm out front, charging to an outstanding race victory. His 14-1 scorecard saw him salvage fourth overall for the weekend, also marking an encouraging first appearance in U.S. competition. Sacha Coenen: "I’m really happy to come over [to America] – this was our dream! We made it happen and the second moto was really good. I had a good start and the riding was just perfect. I’m just bummed about the first moto, but we need to accept it, and I am just really happy with the second moto. Thanks to everyone, it’s good confidence to take knowing that I can win a moto, so I am feeling very confident." Following his first-career Pro Motocross podium at Hangtown, Julien Beaumer continued his strong form at Round 3 in Lakewood, qualifying third on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION and racing to seventh in Moto 1. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider improved to fourth in Moto 2, with his consistent 7-4 scorecard earning sixth overall for the round. As a result, 'Juju' holds fourth position in the 250MX standings after three rounds. Julien Beaumer: "I had a good qualifying at Thunder Valley, then struggled in Moto 1 after a couple of tip-overs, but my overall riding was where it needed to be. And then Moto 2, I didn't get a great start – I had to fight from around 15th – and fought back to fourth. That shows that my riding and fitness are good, so I am happy with where we are right now. We'll keep building week by week and get further toward the front!" Next Race: June 20 – High Point, Pennsylvania Results 450MX Class – Thunder Valley National 1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 2. Lucas Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 5. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 7. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 8. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 19. Dante Oliveira (KTM) Standings 450MX Class 2026 after 3 of 11 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 138 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 130 3. Haiden Deegan, 106 4. RJ Hampshire, 94 6. Jorge Prado, 85 8. Aaron Plessinger, 68 14. Lucas Coenen, 44 20. Dante Oliveira, 25 26. Malcolm Stewart, 10 Results 250MX Class – Thunder Valley National 1. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 3. Nick Romano (Kawasaki) 4. Sacha Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 5. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 6. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 15. Casey Cochran (Husqvarna) Standings 250MX Class 2026 after 3 of 11 rounds 1. Levi Kitchen, 117 points 2. Seth Hammaker, 117 3. Jo Shimoda, 111 4. Julien Beaumer, 104 7. Ryder DiFrancesco, 80 17. Sacha Coenen, 33 21. Casey Cochran, 25 22. Daxton Bennick, 24