GARCIA TAKES MAXIMUM POINTS IN EMX250, ERNECKER SEALS OVERALL IN EMX125 IN LATVIA

The MXGP of Latvia at the Motocenter Zelta Zirgs in Kegums delivered a spectacular weekend of racing for both the EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing classes, with dominant doubles, breathtaking home-crowd moments and landmark career results all packed into two days of racing on the sandy Latvian circuit.

In the EMX250, championship leader Francisco Garcia was once again peerless, sweeping both races for a perfect 50-point maximum, while local hero Jekabs Kubulins produced a great race 2 on home soil to the delight of the crowd.

In the EMX125, Moritz Ernecker answered Race 1 winner Ricardo Bauer’s challenge with a dominant Race 2 win to take the overall, while New Zealand’s Levi Townley claimed a landmark first career podium in the class with two clinical rides.

EMX250 Start Latvia 2026

The EMX250 class Race 1 in Kegums delivered a commanding performance from championship leader Francisco Garcia, as the Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki rider underlined his class on the sandy Latvian circuit to claim a dominant victory.

Garcia did not have things entirely his own way from the gate, it was Saku Mansikkaмäki of SILVE Racing who delivered a stunning holeshot and led the opening laps, with Nico Stenberg slotting in second and Garcia running third from the very first lap. The Spaniard was quick to make his mark, passing Mansikkamäki with a clean move on lap 3 to take second, then completing his charge for the lead on lap 5 with a decisive pass on Stenberg. Once through, he was untouchable, pulling away with every lap to take a commanding victory.

Behind Garcia, the race was a story of constant movement and pressure across every lap. Liam Owens of Cat Moto Bauerschmidt KTM was one of the standout performers, charging from ninth on the opening lap into the top three by the end. The Australian was steadily in fifth following several passes early on and in the last few laps managed to make two important passes on Stenberg and Mads Fredsoe.

The battle for second was equally intense in the closing stages. Fredsoe had climbed from fourth to second by lap 10, passing Stenberg and briefly threatening to hold that position to the flag. But Gyan Doensen of Gabriel SS24 KTM Factory Juniors had worked his way patiently from eighth on lap 1 up to fourth by lap 4, produced a major move on lap 12 to surge past Fredsoe into second, a position he held to the finish. Fredsoe had to settle for fourth, with Stenberg completing the top five after his strong early lead.

Nicolai Skovbjerg of MX-Handel Husqvarna Racing delivered one of the drives of the day, starting from around 17th after a tough start and making up ground with extraordinary consistency. The Danish rider advanced through the field lap by lap, working his way into the top ten by lap 8 and ultimately crossing the line in sixth, a result that showcases the kind of smooth, measured racecraft that makes him a constant championship threat. Behind him, Mansikkaмäki settled for seventh after his early leading stint, while Jake Cannon of Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki came through to eighth after also working through the pack. Nicolò Alvisi of Maddii Racing Team Honda and Jarne Bervoets of Team VHR Yamaha Official rounded out the top ten.

A notable result came from Jekabs Kubulins, the home favourite from Latvia riding for JK Racing Yamaha, who delivered an 11th place to the delight of the Kegums crowd. One significant incident came early when Simone Mancini received a 10-position penalty for not respecting a waved medical flag, dropping him to 26th in the end results. Tom Brunet, Kasimir Hindersson, Filippo Mantovani and Alve Callemo were all unable to finish. Garcia’s victory kept him firmly in command to win the overall on the Latvian sand.

Race 2 showcased Garcia’s ability to adapt and fight. Sunday’s race opened with a remarkable moment: local hero Jekabs Kubulins of JK Racing Yamaha delivered a sensational holeshot in front of his home crowd in Kegums, temporarily silencing the field and electrifying the grandstands. Brunet slotted into third early in the opening lap, with Owens up to second, but the field was already moving at a frantic pace. Garcia found himself fifth in the early stages before making two quick passes to complete the opening lap in third, while Brunet dropped back through the order as the lap developed.

Garcia’s response was immediate and relentless. During the opening lap he passed Brunet for fourth and Mansikkaäki for third, completing lap 1 in P3. On lap 2 he moved past Kubulins for second, then hunted down Owens for the lead with a decisive pass on lap 3 — after which the Spaniard was, once again, in a league of his own. He even set the fastest lap of the race on lap 4 with a 2:01.709, pulling 10 seconds clear of Owens by the end while also surviving one frightening moment when he came up short on a jump and had to fight hard to stay on the bike. Composure intact, Garcia crossed the line for his second race win of the weekend.

Behind Garcia, Owens produced a superb second place, running a controlled and assured race throughout to consolidate second overall on the weekend. Kubulins was displaced from the lead by Owens on lap 2 and then by Garcia on lap 3, but held third for the remainder of the race, delivering the performance of his young career on home soil to the delight of the Latvian crowd. Fredsoe was a solid fourth all race, while Tom Brunet of Team VHR Racing took an excellent fifth, climbing from sixth on the opening lap with a well-judged, clean race. Doensen crossed sixth, which was enough, combined with his second in Race 1, to take third overall on the weekend.

Jake Cannon of Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki put in one of the best charges of the race, working from 13th on the opening lap to seventh at the flag with a series of clean moves across the 14 laps. Nicolai Skovbjerg mirrored that effort, starting 17th and climbing steadily to eighth, once again demonstrating the racecraft that makes him a constant points threat. Kasimir Hindersson took ninth with a composed ride, while Áron Katona of Venrooy KTM Racing came through to tenth. William Askew of Dirt Store Triumph Racing was unlucky to fall just short of the top ten, finishing 11th after peaking at seventh mid-race before losing ground in the closing laps. A difficult Race 2 for Mansikkaмäki, who started fourth but steadily lost positions across the opening laps before retiring from the race, ending what had been a strong weekend opener for the Finnish rider.

Francisco Garcia departs Kegums with his championship lead extended to 53 points over his teammate second-placed Jake Cannon, his perfect 50-point maximum from Latvia the decisive factor after a weekend where the rest of the field could not match his consistency. The battle for second is tight and will run all season: Nicolai Skovbjerg of MX-Handel Husqvarna Racing sits third on 186 points, just 13 behind Cannon, with Gyan Doensen a further 14 back in fourth on 172.

1. Liam Owens; 2. Gyan Doensen

EMX250 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), 30:44.383; 2. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), +0:05.775; 3. Liam Owens (AUS, KTM), +0:06.624; 4. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), +0:09.545; 5. Nico Stenberg (FIN, KTM), +0:13.452; 6. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:29.366; 7. Saku Mansikkaмäki (FIN, KTM), +0:35.894; 8. Jake Cannon (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:37.563; 9. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, Honda), +0:37.823; 10. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, Yamaha), +0:39.086;

EMX250 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), 29:45.348; 2. Liam Owens (AUS, KTM), +0:10.640; 3. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, Yamaha), +0:17.886; 4. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), +0:22.870; 5. Tom Brunet (FRA, Yamaha), +0:25.291; 6. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), +0:26.130; 7. Jake Cannon (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:28.678; 8. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:37.159; 9. Kasimir Hindersson (FIN, GASGAS), +0:44.934; 10. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), +0:46.022;

EMX250 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 50pts; 2. Liam Owens (AUS, KTM), 42pts; 3. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 37pts; 4. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 36pts; 5. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, YAM), 30pts; 6. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, HUS), 28pts; 7. Jake Cannon (AUS, KAW), 27pts; 8. Saku Mansikkaмäki (FIN, KTM), 23pts; 9. Tom Brunet (FRA, YAM), 16pts; 10. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, HON), 16pts;

EMX250 Championship – Top 10 Classification:1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 252pts; 2. Jake Cannon (AUS, KAW), 199pts; 3. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, HUS), 186pts; 4. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 172pts; 5. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 135pts; 6. Liam Owens (AUS, KTM), 130pts; 7. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, HON), 122pts; 8. Bernardo Tiburcio (BRA, YAM), 100pts; 9. Adria Monne (ESP, GAS), 99pts; 10. Tom Brunet (FRA, YAM), 97pts.

EMX250 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: . Kawasaki, 283 points; 2. KTM, 239 p.; 3. Husqvarna, 186 p.; 4. Yamaha, 172 p.; 5. Honda, 123 p.; 6. Triumph, 92 p.; 7. Beta, 91 p.; 8. Ducati, 62 p.; 9. GASGAS, 58 p.; 10. Fantic, 11 p.; 11. TM, 10 p.

EMX250 Podium Latvia 2026

Moritz Ernecker

Race 1 of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing class at the MXGP of Latvia in Kegums was a thriller from start to finish, ultimately delivering a last-lap showdown that left the partisan crowd breathless — and it was Norman KTM Factory Rookies’ Ricardo Bauer who held his nerve to take victory.

Bauer was magnificent from the outset, taking the holeshot and immediately setting a blistering pace at the front of the field. His teammate and red plate holder Moritz Ernecker was equally fast from the gate, with the two Austrian KTM riders quickly establishing themselves in a class of their own. Behind the flying duo, it was New Zealand’s Levi Townley of Yamaha Europe Monster Energy MJC who made a great start to run third on the opening lap, with Liam Sörensson of Husqvarna in fourth. Both were displaced on lap 2, however, as Liam Bruneau of TMX Competition KTM came charging through with a remarkable move to pass both riders in a sweeping sequence, taking third position. Bruneau held that place with real authority all the way through lap 10 before being forced to retire — a real shame for the Frenchman given the pace he had shown throughout.

The race quickly became a two-rider battle at the front, with Bauer and Ernecker pulling clear of the field in dramatic fashion. By the midpoint of the race, the gap to third was already enormous — a testament to the sheer class of the two Norman KTM Factory Rookies teammates. Ernecker pushed relentlessly, closing the gap to Bauer to within 1.2 seconds on multiple occasions and forcing his teammate to produce his very best riding under intense pressure.

The decisive moment came on the penultimate lap, when Ernecker executed a bold move to the inside of Bauer — a clean, aggressive pass that put the red plate holder briefly into the lead. But Bauer, showing exceptional composure under pressure, swept back to the outside and immediately cut back inside to reclaim his position. It was a breathtaking exchange that settled the race in Bauer’s favour as the pair crossed the line less than a second apart.

Further back, the race produced some equally compelling storylines. Timo Heuver delivered arguably the drive of the race from the rest of the field. Starting from the very back of the grid, the Dutch Fantic rider made extraordinary progress through the pack, climbing lap by lap from outside the top 30 before appearing inside the top five in the closing stages and sweeping through to claim third on lap 13 in emphatic style. Levi Townley of Yamaha Europe Monster Energy MJC recovered from his early loss of third to cross the line in fourth, while Sleny Goyer produced a strong charge from 15th on the opening lap to finish fifth, climbing steadily through the order across the 14 laps.

Gennaro Utech was the top Fantic Factory Racing EMX rider in sixth, with Storm Maymann seventh on his Yamaha and Dex Kooiker eighth for De Baets-AIT Yamaha Supported Team. Lucas Leok (KTM, EST) and Riccardo Pini of MCV Motorsport-TM Moto completed the top ten. A notable crash on lap 2 took out Jekabs Kubulins and a rival when they collided on a jump in front of the skybox, while Francesco Assini was also forced to retire after contact with a backmarker.

If Race 1 belonged to Bauer, Race 2 was all about Moritz Ernecker. The Norman KTM Factory Rookies championship leader delivered a flawless performance on Sunday, taking the holeshot and never once being challenged for the lead across all 14 laps. He crossed the line 13.9 seconds ahead of second-place Townley to seal the overall victory and extend his championship advantage.

Townley made another excellent start to slot in second from the opening lap and rode an impeccable, controlled race throughout. The New Zealander never threatened Ernecker but was equally never in danger from behind, riding with a maturity well beyond his years to take second place in the race and with it a second overall — his first career podium in the EMX125 class. It was a landmark result for the Yamaha Europe Monster Energy MJC rider and underlines his growing credentials in the class.

Behind the lead pair, Gennaro Utech of Fantic Factory Racing EMX held third from the opening lap all the way to the flag, an assured and disciplined ride on the Fantic that earns him 20 race points and strengthens his overall championship position. David Cracco of Dreams Racing KTM delivered an impressive fourth place on his return, climbing from sixth on the opening lap to fourth by lap 5 and holding that position through to the finish. Bertram Thorius, Cracco’s Fantic Factory Racing EMX teammate, was fifth across the line after a race that included a dramatic moment mid-race when he nearly clashed with Utech on a jump, both riders fortunate to avoid a heavy crash.

Sleny Goyer crossed in sixth for Yamaha Europe Monster Energy MJC, climbing from seventh on the opening lap to sixth by lap 8 with a composed charge, while Eliot Buysschaert of 737 Performance KTM D’Stock41 took seventh after running fifth in the early laps before gradually losing ground. Emil Ziemer of SWISSMOTO KTM had a strong race to claim eighth, while Storm Maymann charged from 17th on the opening lap to 10th at the flag, one of the better recovery rides of the day.

The race’s central subplot involved Ricardo Bauer. The Race 1 winner started ninth but had already moved up to eighth by lap 2, showing the intent to chase a podium from the front. On lap 4, however, Bauer lost the front end on a turn after the finish line, dropping him from eighth to 12th and effectively ending his podium hopes. The Austrian showed character in fighting back to ninth at the flag, but the crash proved costly in the context of the overall standings. A difficult day also for Lucas Leok, who was running in contention in the early laps before a crash on lap 5 at a jump sent him down the order to 17th, where he ultimately finished.

Moritz Ernecker leaves Kegums with his championship lead stretched to 48 points over teammate Ricardo Bauer. Sleny Goyer holds third on 197 points, 25 clear of Bertram Thorius in fourth, The weekend’s biggest mover was Levi Townley, who arrived with 30 points and departs with 70 after back-to-back seconds, carrying real momentum into the second half of the season.

1. Levi Townley; 2. Ricardo Bauer

EMX125 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 31:05.309; 2. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), +0:00.766; 3. Timo Heuver (NED, Fantic), +0:55.672; 4. Levi Townley (NZL, Yamaha), +1:02.297; 5. Sleny Goyer (FRA, Yamaha), +1:07.130; 6. Gennaro Utech (ITA, Fantic), +1:34.509; 7. Storm Maymann (DEN, Yamaha), +1:41.062; 8. Dex Kooiker (NED, Yamaha), +1:42.363; 9. Lucas Leok (EST, KTM), +1:45.925; 10. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), +1:50.192;

EMX125 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), 30:39.602; 2. Levi Townley (NZL, Yamaha), +0:13.982; 3. Gennaro Utech (ITA, Fantic), +0:36.349; 4. David Cracco (ITA, KTM), +0:37.418; 5. Bertram Thorius (DEN, Fantic), +0:39.196; 6. Sleny Goyer (FRA, Yamaha), +0:40.773; 7. Eliot Buysschaert (FRA, KTM), +0:53.376; 8. Emil Ziemer (SUI, KTM), +1:07.407; 9. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), +1:08.449; 10. Storm Maymann (DEN, Yamaha), +1:10.165;

EMX125 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), 47pts; 2. Levi Townley (NZL, YAM), 40pts; 3. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 37pts; 4. Gennaro Utech (ITA, FAN), 35pts; 5. Sleny Goyer (FRA, YAM), 31pts; 6. Bertram Thorius (DEN, FAN), 26pts; 7. Storm Maymann (DEN, YAM), 25pts; 8. Eliot Buysschaert (FRA, KTM), 22pts; 9. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), 21pts; 10. Timo Heuver (NED, FAN), 20pts;

EMX125 Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), 270pts; 2. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 222pts; 3. Sleny Goyer (FRA, YAM), 197pts; 4. Bertram Thorius (DEN, FAN), 148pts; 5. Gennaro Utech (ITA, FAN), 137pts; 6. Emil Ziemer (SUI, KTM), 136pts; 7. David Cracco (ITA, KTM), 129pts; 8. Edoardo Riganti (ITA, YAM), 115pts; 9. Lucas Leok (EST, KTM), 112pts; 10. Andrea Uccellini (ITA, KTM), 111pts.

EMX125 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. KTM, 292 points; 2. Yamaha, 231 p.; 3. Fantic, 189 p.; 4. TM, 174 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 50 p.; 6. GASGAS, 36 p.

EMX125 Podium Latvia 2026