The 2026 Ride Green Cup – Junior Motocross takes place over the weekend of 3-5 July when it will run alongside the 2026 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship at Jinin in the Czech Republic
First held in 2015, the Ride Green Cup is part of the FIM International Sustainability Commission’s (CID) wider Ride Green programme that, since its inception in 1992, has sought to embed a global culture of sustainability in motorcycle sport.
This ongoing mission to reconcile motorcycling with the environment by minimising the sport’s ecological footprint, promoting sustainable mobility and inspiring the global racing community to adopt sustainable practices requires a considered and comprehensive programme of education and the Ride Green Cup is a vital part of this process.
The Ride Green Cup is more than a competition. It is not about being perfect, but about encouraging a new generation of riders to compete with passion, respect and awareness while being mindful of the need to race responsibly, give back to society and inspire positive change wherever they compete.
By emphasising the importance of sustainability to national teams, younger riders and their families and promoting a conscious approach to the sport’s social impact, the intention is to engage and motivate participants in the practical application of Ride Green values within competitive Motocross and provide them with an early and life-long awareness of the environment protection and their responsibilities.
For this year’s edition a very encouraging eight nations – Austria, Colombia, Estonia, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and Venezuela – have submitted projects. Projects must demonstrate planning, intent, coherence and real team involvement and be based around four interconnected pillars that will be evaluated together, taking into account application of the FIM Environmental Code, social and community action, communication and awareness and a responsible attitude during the event. This will transform the Ride Green Cup into an active project and not simply an observation of behaviour during competition.
All participating nations must emphasise how they apply the FIM Environmental Code with regards to the circuit and paddock; the mechanics’ and signalling area; waste management and recycling; motorcycle washing area and sanitary facilities and water/energy use.
Social and community action – including, but not limited to, litter-picking at a track, giving talks in local schools or collaborations with Non-Governmental Organisations – is an essential part of evaluation, encouraging young riders to understand that motorsport can have a positive and tangible impact on society. Participating nations must identify objectives and their desired impacts, while documenting other factors including rider and family involvement and ways in which their projects will be communicated, highlighting any creative, original or innovative ideas.
All nations submitting projects were asked to outline their Ride Green vision and commitment which elicited the following summarised responses.
Head Photo: Ride Green Cup Podium 2025 Junior Motocross World Championship, France © MXGP
Austria Project: Jinin track walk and waste sweep
“Ride Green means true champions protect the environment. We try to inspire others through our actions [and] we lead by example to show that sustainability and elite motorsport belong together. Our Junior riders actively drive our social project, making eco-responsibility cool for fans and peers [and] proving that the next generation of Motocross is clean, respectful and future-ready.”
Colombia
Project: Recuperando la Huella (Recovering the Footprint)
“It is important that you recognise the need to mitigate your carbon footprint by investing in reforestation, recycling and repurposing objects, conserving water and – most importantly – realising that sports can be used as a means of reaching out, creating awareness, providing environmental education and engaging the community. Every small action counts.”
Estonia
Project: Eco-tour of Jinin team pits
“For our team, environmental responsibility is not a temporary checklist – it is a core part of our daily racing routine. We follow the FIM Environmental Code when racing in Estonia and in all other countries where our athletes compete. Our vision is to demonstrate that keeping a clean paddock and racetrack directly reflects the professionalism, focus and high discipline of our Junior athletes.”
Norway
Project: Calculating team’s Jinin carbon footprint
“The rider and support team commit to applying the principles of the FIM Environmental Code throughout the journey [to Jinin] and participation in the event. The rider and support team will calculate and report the greenhouse gas emissions associated with participation to establish a complete carbon footprint and to identify opportunities for future reductions.”
Romania
Project: Ride Safe. Ride Green. Protect the Future
“Motocross teaches us courage, discipline and respect [and] we believe these values should also guide the way we treat the environment, our communities and the people around us. Our goal is not only to compete for podiums, but also to leave a positive impact wherever we race. We want future generations of riders to enjoy the same forests, tracks and outdoor spaces that inspire us today.”
Serbia
Project: Clean paddock initiative
“Team Serbia is committed to promoting environmental responsibility and sustainable practices within Motocross. Ride Green means respecting nature, using resources responsibly and setting a positive example for young riders. Through our actions during the event, we aim to inspire riders, families and supporters to contribute to a cleaner and more responsible motocross community.”
Spain
Project: RFME Junior Green Pit School – ‘Leave your mark on the track, not on the planet’
“Ride Green means learning that performance and responsibility must go together. The objective is not to carry out an isolated action to win an award, but to turn the RFME Junior Motocross Team into an example of responsible behaviour. We want riders to understand from an early age that being part of a national team means competing well on the track and behaving correctly off it.”
Switzerland
Project: Swiss Moto Junior Clean Track Action
“Young riders learn that high-level Motocross also requires respect for the track, the paddock, the community and the environment. Our riders will follow clear environmental rules at the event and will communicate positive examples. The purpose is not to present a perfect sustainability programme, but to educate young riders, families and mechanics through simple, visible and credible actions.”
Venezuela
Project: Protect Our Tracks – Clean Paddock Challenge
“Ride Green means racing with discipline, respect and responsibility. As young athletes representing our country, we want to show that motocross can be exciting while protecting the places where we train and compete. We want to inspire by leading with simple, visible and consistent habits and proving that future champions must care for the planet as much as they care for performance.”
Ride Green Cup Podium 2024 Junior Motocross World Championship, The Netherlands © MXGP
Evaluation criteria takes into account application of the FIM Environmental Code (thirty per cent); creativity and innovation (twenty-five per cent); communication and awareness (twenty per cent); social/community action (fifteen per cent) and involvement of riders and families (ten per cent).
The winners of the 2026 Ride Green Cup will be decided by jury with the successful nation receiving podium recognition along with official event acknowledgement and international promotion of the winning project.
Antonio Alia, FIM Motocross Commission Director, said: “Education, especially among younger riders, is key to a sustainable future for Motocross so there is no better event than the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship to stage the Ride Green Cup alongside. By choosing the biggest global event on the calendar for Junior riders the message is clear – no matter who you are or how fast you are, sustainability is the responsibility of us all.”
Patricia Maskarova, General Manager of the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship for series promoter Infront Moto Racing, stated: “We are delighted to stage the Ride Green Cup as an integral part of the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship. Sustainable practices are vital to safeguard the future of the sport we all love and at Infront Moto Racing we welcome being part of the educational process.”
Kattia Juàrez Dubón, FIM Sustainability Commission (CID) Director, added: “The Ride Green programme is the cornerstone of the FIM’s vision for the future so the opportunity to share the message about sustainability with the next generation of Motocross racers – and to teach them about racing responsibly, giving back to society and inspiring positive change whenever and wherever they compete – is something we cannot afford to pass up.”
LINKS
