With a week break in the MXGP calendar, we have to wait until we see the best motocross riders in the World arrive at the very tough sand track of Riola Sardo in Sardinia on April 5 and 6.

Of course, this circuit, for many years was and still is the sight for many a pre-season race and since 2021 has been on the MXGP calendar. It is a tough one for everyone, and just getting to the place is tiring.

We all know the deep sand is a place the Dutch and Belgians have always ruled, but in recent years, even the French and Italians have been able to dominate. Back in the day of course, any hard-pack country, like France or Italy, their riders struggled big time, but not anymore.

Still, even with the none Benelux riders great performances in places like Lommel, Lierop, Arnhem, or even Riola, it was Dutch, or Dutch based riders who have won the MXGP class in the first three years of Riola. In the four year it was nearly unbeatable Jorge Prado of Spain, who dominated.

Red Bull KTM factory rider Jeffrey Herlings has two wins in Riola, Calvin Vlaanderen another Team Netherlands rider shocked the World with his win in 2022 and Glenn Coldenhoff has also finished on the Riola podium on two occasions.

A bit of a surprise, is the performances of current series leader, Tim Gajser, who finished 12th in 2021, seventh in 2022, didn’t race in 2023, before scoring a solid second overall in 2024. He will still be a big favourite this year, but looking at those results, I am more thinking maybe Lucas Coenen could cause a surprise, or even Glenn Coldenhoff.

In the MX2 class, despite Liam Everts not having great results through the years here and clearly being down on race fitness, he might struggle, but I have the feeling he will still make the podium, but I cannot bank on anyone else winning, other than Kay De Wolf. Frenchman, Thibault Benistant has a good record at Riola, with two podiums, but De Wolf should just be too strong this year. It is for me, looking like another Nestaan Husqvarna double in Sardinia.

2021 – Herlings Domination

It was in 2021 that Jeffrey Herlings went 1-1 in the MXGP class, beating home Jorge Prado with 2-2 and Romain Febvre with 3-3 scores. On that day, Tim Gajser scored 12th overall with a very average 19-8. In the MX2 class, Tom Vialle scored 1-1 for the win, with Maxime Renaux going 2-3 and Kay De Wolf scoring third on the podium with 4-4 scores.

2022 – Vlaanderen Shocker

In 2022, we had the surprise victory by Calvin Vlaanderen, as he went 1-1, beating home Jorge Prado 3-3 and Glenn Coldenhoff with 8-2 scores. Again, Gajser struggled with 2-12 results. In the MX2 class it was again Vialle, with 2-1 scores ahead of Jago Geerts with 1-2 and Thibault Benistant 3-3. Red plate man of 2025, Liam Everts finished in ninth overall with 10-8 and Kay De Wolf didn’t race that weekend due to injury.

2023 – Herlings Consistent

Herlings was back in charge in 2023, with 2-2 for the victory, ahead of Glenn Coldenhoff who went 5-1 and Jorge Prado, who was making his third straight podium visit in the deep sand with 1-6. Tim Gajser didn’t race, as he was out injured. In the MX2 class Jago Geerts got the win with 2-1 and second was Kay De Wolf with 1-2, with Thibault Benistant again on the podium with 4-3 scores. Everts again struggled here, with ninth overall and 9-8 results.

2024 – Prado In Control

And that takes us to last year, where the Sardinian race again held a round early in the season, with Prado winning with 1-1, Gajser finally coming to terms with the circuit with 2-2 and Herlings finishing with 3-3. In MX2 it was De Wolf with victory, with 2-1, second was Lucas Coenen with 1-2 and third Camden McLellan with 3-5. Liam Everts finished fifth with 7-4.

Fullspectrum image