The MXGP of Flanders in Lommel is widely regarded as the toughest event on the FIM Motocross World Championship calendar. Its deep, unforgiving sand rewards riders who have grown up racing in such conditions and punishes even the slightest mistake. Representing Osička MX Team, Julius Mikula lined up in the MX2 World Championship, while Václav Janout returned to EMX250 action after the championship’s summer break. Despite racing on a surface rarely found in the Czech Republic, Mikula delivered another outstanding performance, securing seventh overall and once again proving himself among the MX2 elite. He was also the only non-factory rider to finish inside the overall top ten in Lommel.
Mikula Overcomes Wrist Injury to Secure Another Top-Ten Finish
The fourteenth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship got off to a difficult start for Julius Mikula. Saturday’s Time Practice brought two crashes that left the Czech rider with painful abrasions on his back. His misfortune continued later in the Qualifying Race when a flying stone struck his wrist.
“The weekend definitely didn’t start the way I wanted. I crashed twice in practice and scraped my back against the rear wheel in one of the crashes. Then, during the Qualifying Race, I was hit on the wrist by a stone. It might look like there aren’t any stones in Lommel, but there definitely are—and they’re not small. My wrist swelled up, and in these conditions you’re constantly working the throttle, so both races were pretty painful,” Mikula explained.
Seventh Overall on the Toughest Sand Track of the Season
Despite the injury, Mikula delivered an excellent ride in Saturday’s Qualifying Race. His ninth-place finish earned him a valuable gate pick for Sunday’s motos as well as his first two championship points of the weekend.
A solid start in Race 1 placed Mikula just outside the top ten. Showing impressive speed in the opening laps, he quickly carved his way through the field and climbed into eighth before overtaking Dutch rider Kay Karssemakers. Running seventh, he then found himself battling Belgian sand specialist Sacha Coenen, who eventually moved ahead. Mikula remained consistent throughout the remainder of the race and, after Liam Everts retired, comfortably secured seventh place at the chequered flag.
Race 2 required another determined comeback. A less-than-ideal start left the Czech rider down in seventeenth on the opening lap, but he immediately began making up ground. By the end of lap one he had already climbed to thirteenth before passing Hungary’s Noel Zanócz, overtaking Karssemakers for the second time that weekend and moving into eighth after Maxime Grau made a mistake.
From there, Mikula settled into a lonely race. With roughly ten seconds separating him from the riders ahead and an even larger gap behind, he controlled his pace perfectly while the battle for victory unfolded at the front. Another eighth-place finish capped off an impressive weekend in one of the most demanding races of the season.
“The adrenaline got me through both motos. I was basically riding on my own in both races—around ten seconds behind the rider ahead and twenty seconds clear of the rider behind. In the end, it was another top-ten finish,” Mikula said.
Seventh and eighth-place finishes secured seventh overall at the MXGP of Flanders, further confirming Mikula’s position among the leading riders in the MX2 World Championship. Once again, he was the only non-factory rider to finish inside the overall top ten, making the result even more significant given the unique challenge of Lommel’s deep Belgian sand.
Photo: Daniele Barreca
Janout Hampered by Saturday Qualifying
Václav Janout returned to the EMX250 European Championship after the series’ summer break, but his weekend was largely decided in Saturday’s Time Practice. The Czech rider posted the 39th fastest lap, leaving him with one of the least favourable gate picks on the far outside of the starting line – a significant disadvantage on Lommel’s demanding sand circuit.
Starting from the back of the pack in Race 1, Janout found overtaking extremely difficult in the deep sand. Nevertheless, he kept pushing throughout the race, gained several positions and eventually crossed the finish line in 31st place.
“I struggled with the bike setup throughout Saturday and couldn’t really find the right feeling. Sunday was definitely a step in the right direction,” Janout said.
The second race started much more positively. Despite another outside gate, Janout got away well and was running around 20th in the opening corners. However, his charge was interrupted by a crash that also triggered his airbag vest, making it difficult to rejoin the race quickly.
Refusing to give up, the Czech rider fought his way back through the field from around 30th position to finish 26th at the chequered flag.
“It’s a shame about the crash in the second race because it cost me a much better result. Now our focus shifts to Gaildorf next weekend. I’d like to thank all our partners and especially my family for their continued support,” Janout added.
With 31st and 26th-place finishes, Janout ended the Belgian round 31st overall.
Photo: Daniele Barreca
Next Stop: Gaildorf for Janout, Recovery Week for Mikula
Julius Mikula will now benefit from a weekend off before the final stretch of the European leg of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The series resumes with rounds in Sweden and the Netherlands as the battle for championship points continues.
For Václav Janout, however, there is no time to rest. The Osička MX Team rider heads straight to Germany this weekend for the next round of the ADAC MX Masters in Gaildorf – one of his favourite circuits. Having delivered strong performances there last season, he will be aiming to build on that momentum once again.
As the championship enters its decisive phase, Osička MX Team looks forward to carrying the confidence gained in Lommel into the coming race weekends.
Photo: Daniele Barreca
