MXGP overshadowed: historic return to Montevarchi and yet another calendar clash with MotoGP

The Motocross World Championship is about to experience a historic round in Italy, but there’s a big problem again...

Let’s start this piece with a bit of controversy, as we hinted in the title. The Motocross World Championship returns to Montevarchi for the first time in two decades under the name Italian GP, but there’s a big problem: it’s on the same weekend as MotoGP in Brno. This isn’t new this year (and it won’t be the last time), and it’s even more frustrating when it’s a home event. MXGP and MX2 will once again have to “compete” against the Motorcycle World Championship which, inevitably, will draw most of the public’s attention. Wouldn’t it be wiser to give Motocross more value by avoiding overlaps with all the road racing world championships, so it can receive the proper and deserved attention? That’s a question we’ll leave hanging and direct to the World Championship organizers. For now, let’s continue with the preview for this round of the 2026 championship.

Italy once again hosts a round of the 2026 Motocross World Championship, this time with the official national designation. The Miravalle motocross track in Montevarchi (the subject of controversies and still a topic of political debate, ranging from full support for the event to calls for clarity on the future of the facility) has gotten a makeover to be fully ready for the Italian Grand Prix, once again welcoming the stars of international off-road for the first time in a very long while. Eyes on the many Italian youngsters, starting with Tuscan rider Ferruccio Zanchi in MX2, not forgetting Valerio Lata in the same class, plus Andrea Adamo and Alberto Forato in MXGP (let’s remember that Bonacorsi and Guadagnini are sidelined due to injuries).

As for the championship, how will the Coenen twins perform? The points leaders in MXGP and MX2 respectively, fresh off a super debut in AMA Motocross, are putting together a blistering first half of the season. There’s still more than half the championship to go, but the Montevarchi round could already be a crossroads for this 2026 campaign. Will Jeffrey Herlings and Honda manage to avoid any more “mysterious” (and never explained) technical problems that have marred recent MXGP events? They won’t be the only protagonists—same goes for MX2, with Simon Laengenfelder chasing KTM’s young Belgian, along with the Triumph duo and several others. In short, everything’s set for a can’t-miss event.

Saturday, June 20
16:35 MX2 Qualifying Race
17:25 MXGP Qualifying Race

Sunday, June 21
13:15 MX2 Race 1
14:15 MXGP Race 1
16:10 MX2 Race 2
17:10 MXGP Race 2

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