Filippo Mantovani and Ivano van Erp Say Goodbye to Motocross: A Painful Decision for Two Young Talents

Thursday, 29 October 2026 at 21:30

Italian Filippo Mantovani and Dutch rider Ivano van Erp, two young and promising Motocross talents, have said goodbye. Here are their farewell messages.

It is always sad when young people walk away from their great passion. In recent days, this has been the case for Filippo Mantovani, an interesting 18-year-old prospect in Italian Motocross, and Ivano van Erp, a promising 21-year-old Dutch rider. 2026 has been a tough year for both of them, as they have suffered serious injuries. The Ligurian rider wants to keep the real reason for his retirement to himself, while the latter is stepping away because of the consequences of the horrific accident at the start of the year which, without exaggeration, left people fearing for his life. In the end, both have called it quits. We will no longer see them racing on dirt tracks—a passion that demands a great deal from every rider and, as in every discipline, has two sides... Here are the highlights of their racing careers and their farewell messages. We wish them all the best for the future, whatever it may hold.

Profiles of the two (now former) motocross riders

Let's start with Filippo Mantovani. Born in 2008 in La Spezia, he began making a name for himself at a very young age, starting in 2019 in the 65cc Cadets category of the Italian MX Championship. Two years later, he moved up to the 85cc Senior class, and in 2022 he secured an impressive third place in the European Championship and fifth in the Italian championship. The following year, he began competing in the 125cc class, making a significant step forward the year after, when he finished third in the Italian championship and gained valuable experience at European level. His golden year was 2025, riding for MTA MX Racing on a KTM: he won the 125cc Italian International Championship at the start of the season; finished as 125cc Junior World Championship runner-up after placing 3rd and 2nd in the single-round event held in Romagné, France; and took third place in the European Championship, with consistently strong results. This year, he stepped up once again, moving to the 250cc class and the EMX250 European Championship. His debut was already convincing, but just as he embarked on this new challenge, an injury sidelined him for a long time and inevitably shaped his 2026 season.

We told you about Ivano van Erp at the start of the year, when he was involved in a terrible crash at the Dutch MX Nationals in Oss that sent shockwaves through the entire Motocross world. His injuries were very serious: a tear in the abdominal aorta that required emergency surgery, a fractured sternum, and fractures to his shoulder blade and collarbone. Fortunately, the Dutch rider did not suffer the worst possible outcome, although his recovery is still a long way from complete. Looking back at his career, let’s start with his junior titles: he won the 65cc Junior World Cup in 2017, at the age of 12, immediately making a name for himself, and in 2022 he became 125cc Junior World Champion. In between and afterwards, injuries disrupted his progress in both EMX125 and EMX250, but he always came back. In 2024, while continuing to compete in the European Championship, he also made his MX2 World Championship debut, but his 2025 season was once again marred by injuries. 2026, the year he was set to step up to a full-time MX2 World Championship campaign, unfortunately came to an end before it had even begun...

Filippo Mantovani says goodbye to Motocross

"Even the most beautiful chapters, the ones you wish would never end, eventually reach their final page. For me, the time has come to switch off the engine and get off the bike. I’m making this decision with tears in my eyes, because until a few months ago, this sport was my life. Looking back, I’m proud of what I achieved over the years—results that will stay in my heart forever and that no one can ever take away. For reasons I prefer to keep to myself, my story ends here. Saying goodbye isn’t easy; it hurts incredibly, but I’ll carry every single emotion with me, every corner, every win and every defeat. Thank you to everyone at MTA MX Racing, especially my mechanic and, above all, my friend Diego, who has always stood by me over the years and treated me like a son. Thank you to my whole family for supporting me from the very first day to the last and for always believing in me. Thank you to all my friends and to my fitness coach, Giacomo Iacopini, who have always been there for me and cheered me on. A special thank you to Cristian Beggi and Alessandro Lupino, who have always given me the best advice, both behind the starting gate and in life. It’s been a pleasure. Thank you all."

Ivano van Erp's farewell

"Hi everyone, I’ve been a little quiet lately. As many of you know, at the start of this year I had a bad crash during a Dutch pre-season race in Oss, which nearly cost me my life. It’s been a difficult time, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I want to do. The decision is made... and my heart is broken. But it’s the best thing for my body and my health, and especially for the people around me—my friends, family, sponsors and everyone who has stood by me... I’m retiring from motocross racing and bringing my career to an end... It’s simply too dangerous given the condition my body is in now, and I’ve realized there’s more to life than motocross... Looking back on my career, I’m proud of its highlights—two world titles and so many EMX podiums—but also of the darker times and all the injuries I’ve suffered. I want to thank everyone who has been part of my career!! The people who have supported, helped and sponsored me over the years: none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you all."

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