The first round of Internazionali d’Italia Motocross in Alghero has officially kicked off the 2026 season in Europe. This event served as the first racing test for riders and teams, and specially for thoese who has signed with new teams and bikes. Tim Gajser is the main example, as he made his Monster Energ Yamaha debut, but there were other storylines such as Jago Geerts with BETA MRT Racing and JM Fantic duo Alberto Forato and Brent Van Doninck.
Here is what they said after Alghero.
Alberto Forato | JM Fantic | 7-3 for 4th overall
“My first race with Fantic – and my first race back after eight months – went well, despite two crashes across the two races. In race 1, I remounted way back and managed to climb up to seventh place. I also tipped over in race 2, but I was able to finish third in the race, for fourth overall. We didn’t really know what to expect coming into the weekend, given that I still need more hours of training on the new bike, but it went very well. We have seen that we are on the right path, and now we will keep working!”
Jago Geerts | Beta MRT Racing | 8-10 for 7th overall
“I’m happy with how I rode today. In the first race, my arms got stiff, but in the second race, everything went well physically. Unfortunately, I crashed at the start, but my pace was good and I recovered to finish tenth overall. The start went very well and I can’t wait to get back on track next Sunday in Mantova.”
Brent Van Doninck | JM Fantic | 18-6 for 11th overall
“First race done here in Alghero, and I had a good feeling all day long. We had a small issue in the first race, but these pre-season races are useful to test things and make sure everything is ready for the MXGP opener in Argentina. In the second race, I had a small crash on the first lap, but still finished sixth. Overall, it was a good first test. We will continue working to get closer and closer to 100%.”
