Published On: 12 april 2026
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LAaglanders up in Sardinia. Lucas Coenen managed to claim the MXGP of Sardinia thanks to a double race victory. It wasn't handed to him on a silver platter, however, as he crashed in the second race and from that moment on faced considerable pressure from Jeffrey Herlings. Herlings finished second in the overall standings ahead of Kay de Wolf, who stood on an MXGP podium for the first time.

First series

The first MXGP race in the sand of Riola Sardo turned into a direct duel between Jeffrey Herlings and Lucas Coenen. After Tom Vialle's holeshot, Herlings quickly worked his way into the lead, while Coenen moved up after a good start. Tim Gajser and Jago Geerts experienced a difficult opening phase and had to come back from far behind.

Coenen quickly closed in on Herlings and took the lead with a powerful overtaking maneuver. He then rode away convincingly and won with a lead of nearly twenty seconds over Herlings. Romain Febvre finished third after a duel with Vialle, while Kay de Wolf secured an impressive fourth place. Gajser limited the damage with a ninth-place finish.

Second series

Romain Febvre led the field in the second race ahead of Tom Vialle and Lucas Coenen. After just a few corners, Coenen took the lead, but Jeffrey Herlings also closed in on the fast Belgian's wheel. Tim Gajser, who got off to a good start this time, overtook Tom Vialle before the end of the first lap.

Kay de Wolf had a slightly poor start this time and had to fight his way forward just outside the top ten. Gajser managed to pull alongside reigning world champion Febvre and then looked for his next target, but crashed shortly afterwards, dropping him to the back of the pack. Things are not going well for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team this weekend, with Maxime Renaux also ill.

Halfway through the heat, Kay de Wolf was already in P5, dancing with bravado through the dunes of Riola Sardo. At the very back, Jago Geerts was engaged in a battle of his own. He even retired from the race; hopefully, things will improve for him soon. With ten minutes remaining, Tom Vialle was attacking Romain Febvre's position and managed to overtake him on lap 11.

Five minutes and two laps to go. And then Lucas Coenen suddenly crashes. He manages to get away in time, but now Jeffrey Herlings is breathing down his neck. Almost simultaneously, Tom Vialle also hit the ground, losing a potential podium spot. A strong Kay de Wolf had quietly pulled alongside Febvre and was riding in P3 in the final stages. Would he be able to step onto an MXGP podium for the first time? Lucas Coenen made a few more small mistakes, putting Herlings in a position to challenge for the win. The Bullet's body language left nothing to the imagination and put Coenen under immense pressure with three laps to go.

Lucas Coenen eventually managed to keep his composure and won the second race as well, ahead of Jeffrey Herlings, Kay de Wolf, and Romain Febvre. Herlings pushed hard but was unable to launch a real attack. Lucas Coenen thus wins the GP of Sardinia with a double race victory. Herlings joins a delighted Kay de Wolf on the podium.

Next week, the MXGP caravan travels to northern Italy for the MXGP of Trentino.

MXGP Race 1

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:57.852; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), +0:19.634; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:46.495; Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:55.011; 5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +1:02.242; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +1:10.538; 7. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +1:13.124; 8. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +1:16.611; 9. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +1:21.259; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +1:24.060; 11. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +1:26.095; 12. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:26.577; 13. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), +1:29.105; 14. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), +1:36.770; 15. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +1:48.884; 16. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Yamaha), +1:51.272; 17. Jago Geerts (BEL, Beta), -1 lap(s); 18. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 19. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, Fantic), -1 laps; 20. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 21. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 22. No Banner (SLO, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), -1 lap(s); 24. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Matteo del Coco (ITA, Husqvarna), -2 lap(s); 26. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Ducati), -5 lap(s); 27. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Honda), -9 lap(s); 28. Rick Elzinga (NED, Beta), -10 lap(s);

MXGP Race 2

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:33.504; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), +0:01.219; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:59.464; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:05.704; 5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +1:11.266; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:19.203; 7. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +1:20.368; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +1:23.220; 9. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +1:31.757; 10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +1:33.474; 11. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), +1:41.504; 12. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Fantic), +1:43.791; 13. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:45.504; 14. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), +1:46.525; 15. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +2:00.697; 16. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 17. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 18. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 19. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 21. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Ducati), -1 lap(s); 24. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), -1 lap(s); 25. Matteo del Coco (ITA, Husqvarna), -2 lap(s); 26. Rick Elzinga (NED, Beta), -9 lap(s); 27. Jago Geerts (BEL, Beta), -9 lap(s);

MXGP Overalls

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 50 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 44 pts.; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 38 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 38 p.; 5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 32 points; 6. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 27 p.; 7. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 26 pts.; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 25 points; 9. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 24 pts.; 10. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), 18 p.; 11. Andrea Adam (ITA, KTM), 18 p.; 12. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 17 p.; 13. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 16 p.; 14. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 15 p.; 15. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 14 p.; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 11 p.; 17. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 9 p.; 18. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 5 p.; 19. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, YAM), 5 p.; 20. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 21. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 4 p.; 22. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 2 p.; 23. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 0 p.; 24. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, DUC), 0 p.; 25. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 0 p.; 26. Matteo del Coco (ITA, HUS), 0 p.; 27. Rick Elzinga (NED, BET), 0 pts.; 28. Thibault Benistant (FRA, HON), 0 p.;

MXGP Standings

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 192 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 178 p.; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 162 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 160 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 149 pts.; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 143 p.; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 115 pts.; 8. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 107 p.; 9. Kay de Wolf (DOWN, HOUSE), 105 p.; 10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 90 p.; 11. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 86 p.; 12. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 72 p.; 13. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 57 p.; 14. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 57 p.; 15. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 48 p.; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 40 p.17. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 35 p.; 18. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 34 p.; 19. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), 32 p.; 20. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 29 p.; 21. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 27 p.; 22. Thibault Benistant (FRA, HON), 24 p.; 23. Enzo Lopes (BRA, HON), 7 p.; 24. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 7 p.; 25. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, YAM), 5 p.; 26. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 5 p.; 27. Joaquin Poli (ARG, KAW), 5 p.; 28. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 29. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 30. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 31. Lars van Berkel (NED, FAN), 3 p.; 32. Arnaud Tone (SUI, YAM), 2 p.;

Editorial team: Danny Hermans

Photos: JP Acevedo, Yamaha Racing at Husqvarna Racing