Spanish motocross has a special place in the hearts of motocross fans worldwide. From the very first Grand Prix held at the Ruta circuit in 1962 and won by British rider Arthur Lampkin, until last year’s event won by Jorge Prado in Cozar in the south of Spain, we have seen many historical rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship held in Spain.

Of course, the Sabadell circuit on the outskirts of Barcelona was a stronghold for the 250cc class in the late 1960’s and until the early 1980’s, and many legendary moments occurred at that circuit. Wins by names like Joel Robert, Dave Bickers, Torsten Hallman, Guennady Moiseev, Harry Everts, Heikki Mikkola and Georges Jobe.

None more important than the victory in 1973 by American Jim Pomeroy. On that dusty day in Spain the Bultaco rider became the first American to ever win a Grand Prix. Many more would follow, but Pomeroy still holds a special place in the hearts of the Grand Prix fans in Spain.

Nearly 20 years later Team USA arrived at the Jerez circuit in the south of Spain and put on one of the most dominating performances in Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations history. Led by Supercross legend Jeremy McGrath, and with support from Jeff Emig and Steve Lamson the American riders went undefeated.

In 2003 another Motocross of Nations was held in Spain after the original circuit, Competition Park in California couldn’t come to terms with the event, and it was postponed. It was run some weeks later at the Bellpuig circuit, and it was Team Italy won with Andrea Bartolini, Alex Puzar and Alessio Chiodi.

Another brilliant moment in Spanish motocross was the performance by Stefan Everts at the Bellpuig circuit in the north of Spain in 2001. Having spent two years on the injury list, and many saying his fine career was more or less over Everts took victory in one of his greatest moments, in a career filled with brilliance. Beating Joel Smets and Marnicq Bervoets and starting a second part of his illustrious career, Everts would go on to win motocross world championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, one of the most dominant runs in GP history.

For many British fans the 2000 Grand Prix of Spain, held at the Talavera circuit was a special moment. It was the arrival of Ireland’s Gordon Crockard. The Honda backed rider put together 1-4 results for his first GP victory, and it would lead to him becoming a serious contender in 2001, winning another two GP’s and finishing third in the world behind Mickeal Pichon and Chad Reed.

More recently the event has swaps from circuit to circuit, a few years at the Talavera circuit, before disappearing again, but in the last few years the Spanish GP has returned to the calendar at the Circuito Internacional Comunidad de Madrid, intu Xanadú-Arroyomolinos circuit, Lugo in the north and Cozar in the south.

Jorge Prado won at Madrid in 2020, and also bringing thousands and thousands of Spanish fans back to the sport. Prado finished second to Jeffrey Herlings again at Madrid in 2021, then in 2022 it was Maxime Renaux who led home the two Dutchmen, Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers, before Herlings won again in 2023 from Mattia Guadagnini and Ruben Fernandez.

Last year of course, we had three GPs held in Spain with Prado winning at the intu Xanadú-Arroyomolinos circuit again at the Lugo circuit and then again at the Cozar circuit, where we will race again in two weeks time. On that day it was Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings who finished behind the brilliant Spaniard.

Who wins in Cozar for round two of the MXGP championship is anyones guess, but we all know, the excitable Spanish fans will come out in numbers and no doubt will bring the energy to motivate the elite riders of World Motocross.