First visited by MXGP in 2009, the Latvian venue once again provided a unique challenge. Rain showers greeted riders on Saturday morning before sunshine and rising temperatures transformed the 1,750m circuit into a fast, technical mix of deep sand and hard-packed sections. By Sunday, temperatures had climbed into the mid-twenties, creating ideal conditions for one of the most physically demanding races on the calendar.
Everts arrived in Latvia holding fourth in the MX2 World Championship standings and immediately showed solid pace, finishing sixth in Saturday’s qualifying race.
The Belgian faced an uphill battle in the opening moto after a difficult start left him outside the top ten on the opening lap. Refusing to settle, Everts steadily worked his way through the field and produced some of the fastest lap times in the chasing group. His late-race charge carried him into seventh at the chequered flag, finishing just over a second shy of sixth position.
Race two proved more straightforward. A stronger start placed Everts inside the top ten from the outset, and he spent much of the moto running eighth as the leading group edged away. Remaining consistent and mistake-free, he capitalised on late drama ahead to secure another seventh-place finish and sixth overall for the Grand Prix.
In MXGP, de Wolf continued his impressive progression in the premier class and delivered a weekend to remember. After qualifying strongly on Saturday, the Dutchman immediately established himself inside the leading group in race one. Moving into fourth on lap two, he steadily increased the pressure on the riders ahead before producing a decisive late-race charge.
A brilliant pass on Jeffrey Herlings elevated him into second position with only a handful of laps remaining, and de Wolf continued closing on leader Lucas Coenen all the way to the finish. Crossing the line less than four seconds behind the winner, he secured a career-best MXGP race finish with second place.
His impressive 2-3 scorecard earned second overall for the Grand Prix, marking his second MXGP podium of the season and the best overall result of his rookie campaign in the premier class. The result also moves de Wolf up to fifth in the MXGP World Championship standings as his momentum continues to build.
With another strong points haul secured across both classes, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing now heads into a well-earned weekend off before returning to action at the MXGP of Italy in Montevarchi on June 21.
#74 – Kay de Wolf: “I felt good in the first moto, but I struggled a bit more in the second. I got pushed wide at the start and had to come through from around P8, which made things difficult. I made a few mistakes along the way, so it wasn’t quite the moto I was hoping for, but I kept fighting until the end. Overall, it’s been a really positive weekend. Coming away with my second MXGP podium and my best result in the class so far is something I’m proud of. We came here aiming for a podium and to be consistent across all three races, and we managed to achieve that. A big thank you to the team for all their hard work. We’re happy with the progress we’re making, and we’ll keep pushing to get even better.”
#26 – Liam Everts: “Honestly, I think the pace was better than the results show. In the first moto I had to recover from a difficult start and by the time I got going the front guys had already gone. The second race was a little bit tougher because I couldn’t quite make the progress I wanted. It’s not the weekend we came here for, but we still leave with solid points and that’s important over a long season.”
Results – 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Eight:
MXGP – Moto One:
1. Lucas Coenen (KTM) 34:06.647; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:10.385; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (Honda) 34:12.032; 8. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:13.340
1. Lucas Coenen (KTM) 34:32.862; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:40.970; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:46.448; 6. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:45.688;
1. Lucas Coenen (KTM) 50pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 42pts; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 40pts; 6. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 28pts
1. Lucas Coenen (KTM) 404pts; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (Honda) 342pts; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 310pts; 5. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 273pts; 8. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 241pts;
MX2 – Moto One:
1. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 35:10.618; 2. Camden McLellan (Triumph) 35:17.102; 3. Karlis Reisulis (Yamaha) 35:19.605; 7. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:53.972; 19. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) DNF;
MX2 – Overall:
1. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 50pts; 2. Camden McLellan (Triumph) 42pts; 3. Mathis Valin (Kawasaki) 37pts; 6. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 28pts; 13. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 18pts;
MX2 – Standings:
1. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 380pts; 2. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 343pts; 3. Guillem Farres (Triumph) 340pts; 5. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 314pts;
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