Calvin Vlaanderen of the Ducati Factory MXGP Team concluded the final round of the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Halle with a fourth-place finish. Thanks to two consistent rides, the South African also secured third place in the final standings of the 2026 Dutch Masters of Motocross Championship.
Vlaanderen started the day strongly by setting the fourth-fastest time in qualifying. He got off to a good start in the opening moto and held fourth place throughout the race, riding a mistake-free race to the checkered flag.
In the second moto, Vlaanderen had more work to do after the start. He completed the opening lap in seventh place but steadily worked his way forward with a strong pace. By the end of the race, he had climbed to fourth, once again finishing in that position.
With two fourth-place finishes, Vlaanderen was classified fourth overall for the day. The result also earned him third place in the final standings of the 2026 Dutch Masters of Motocross Championship.
Following another solid performance, Vlaanderen now shifts his full focus back to the FIM Motocross World Championship, where he aims to continue his upward trajectory with the Ducati Factory MXGP Team. Next weekend, the championship heads to the iconic Foxhill circuit for the MXGP of Great Britain.
“It was a decent weekend, but to be honest, I’m not really satisfied. Fourth place, just behind the guys at the front. I felt like I had the pace to fight for third. In both motos, we were running a similar speed. In the second moto, I first had to get past Rick (Elzinga) and Jeremy (Seewer), and that cost me quite a bit of time. By the time I moved into fourth, the gap was just a little too big to close. I know I can be much better on tracks like this. It’s mainly about gaining more confidence and feeling more comfortable on the bike so I can unlock that extra speed. Romain and Jeffrey are still a step ahead at the moment. They’re riding at a higher level, and my goal is to keep closing that gap.”
The Ducati rider also reflected on the MXGP of South Africa and looked ahead to the upcoming Grands Prix.
“Looking at the Grand Prixs, we’re clearly making progress. I finished fourth in South Africa, and the results keep getting better. That’s the most important thing—we’re continuing to move forward. Our starts are improving, the bike is developing in the right direction, and that’s showing in the results. We’ve now had three consistent Grand Prix weekends, and I believe we’ve finished inside the top ten in every moto. That’s definitely a positive. Now we want to keep this momentum going and fight for top-five finishes more regularly. The next few Grands Prix include some of my favourite events. I’ve never raced at Foxhill before, but Loket, Lommel and Uddevalla are tracks I always look forward to. It’s a great part of the season, and I’m doing everything I can to get my body into peak condition so I can achieve the best possible results. I’m really looking forward to it.”
