Brent van Doninck of the JM Racing Honda team secured his first top-ten finish of the season during the ninth round of the MXGP World Championship in Lugo, Spain. The Belgian rider finished ninth in the opening moto, a major confidence boost after a preseason plagued by injuries.
With the Lugo circuit heavily muddied for Sunday’s first moto, a good start was crucial. Van Doninck got off the line well and quickly found his rhythm. He managed to overtake several riders and crossed the finish line in ninth place — a result that significantly boosted his confidence.
In the second moto, Van Doninck experienced issues with his goggles on the opening lap, causing him to lose several positions. The treacherous track conditions made things more difficult in this race. Nonetheless, he pushed through and finished in seventeenth place.
Zanocz on the Podium in EMX250
Noel Zanocz claimed third overall in the EMX250 class in Galicia. In the first moto, he got off to a great start and slotted into third place early on. He battled hard for second position, but a damaged rear brake forced him to continue with only the front brake. Not realizing the issue immediately, he ran off track and rejoined in fourth. Despite the setback, he managed to limit the damage and finished fifth.
In the second moto, Zanocz started around tenth place. On the muddy circuit, he steadily worked his way up to second and held that position for several laps with a strong pace. However, he lost a spot in the wave section and ultimately crossed the line in a solid third place. His combined results earned him third overall for the weekend. After six rounds, Zanocz now sits second in the EMX250 Championship standings.
Home GP Struggles for Braceras
David Braceras had a tough home Grand Prix in Lugo. On Saturday, he suffered a hard crash in time practice, sustaining a deep cut on his arm. With limited mobility, he sat out the qualifying heat. After medical treatment Saturday evening, Braceras felt improved by Sunday morning and decided to compete.
In the first moto, a poor gate pick led to a bad start, and he was forced to swap goggles mid-race. He found better pace towards the end and finished seventeenth. His second moto started far stronger, exiting the first corner just outside the top five. He ran well in the opening laps but crashed while holding seventh. Braceras then maintained eleventh for much of the race but faded late and suffered another fall, eventually finishing seventeenth again.
Braceras ended the day eighteenth overall and now holds fifteenth in the championship standings.
The next Grand Prix will take place in Ernée, France, on the weekend of May 24–25.
Photocredits – Fullspectrum Media
