LACAPELLE-MARIVAL (France), 24th May 2026. The opening round of the 2026 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship delivered a captivating two-day battle at Lacapelle Mariva under a scorching sun and a technical track that made this first round a challenge in itself.

RFME Spain National Team’s Daniela Guillen and Kiara Fontanesi for MX Fonta Racing and  stole the show, each claiming a race victory in front of a passionate French crowd . It was Guillen who took the Grand Prix overall and the championship’s red plate, the pair finishing level on 47 points with the Spaniard’s Race 2 win proving the tiebreaker. TEAM Honda Motoblouz SR Motul’s April Franzoni rounded out the podium in third overall, claiming the first Grand Prix podium of her career on home soil.

It was defending world champion De Baets-AIT Yamaha Supported Team’s Lotte Van Drunen who grabbed the holeshot in Race 1 and led through the opening turns, but Kiara Fontanesi needed only a matter of seconds to assert herself, sweeping past the number one plate holder and into a lead she would never relinquish. Further back, Daniela Guillen was already producing a remarkable opening lap, slicing through the field to settle into second. Danee Gelissen ran well in third in the early stages, while D.V.S Junior Racing’s Lynn Valk found herself heading a chasing group with plenty of ground to make up.

Drama came quickly. Van Drunen suffered a heavy crash that left her well adrift of the lead group joining back in last position, effectively ending her challenge for the win. She displayed one of the rides of the race as she recovered all the way back to ninth by the flag.

It was one of three separate crashes recorded on the finish line jump throughout the 13-lap encounter, a section that proved treacherous and costly for multiple riders.

With Guillen settling into a comfortable second and the gap to Fontanesi holding firm, attention turned to the podium battle. April Franzoni rode a controlled race to claim third on home soil, while Valk recovered well to finish fourth. Malou Jakobsen was fifth.

New Zealand’s Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki’s Courtney Duncan endured the most turbulent race of any frontrunner. The four-time World Champion was running third and in strong shape, but crashed on the finish line jump on lap 2, rejoined, then crashed again, ultimately finishing 12th. Her determination to remount and fight on each time was a reminder of what makes her a perennial title contender.

Lucy Barker was a solid seventh throughout, Tyra Bäckström eighth, and Shana Van Der Vlist tenth. Notably, it was the first time since 2013 that Fontanesi had won the opening race of a WMX season, a remarkable return to form for the Italian.

Under even a hotter sun, sunday’s Race 2 began with a surprise as JK Racing Yamaha’s Nellie Fransson grabbed the holeshot, with Fontanesi slotting in behind her. The overnight watering had left the track in nice and tricky condition through the opening corners, but Fontanesi was soon on the move, sweeping to the front by turn six and beginning to build a lead along with a strong Guillen slotting in behind the Italian. Van Drunen was third pretty much from the off and kept her composure this time with Shana Van Der Vlist fourth and Valk fifth

On lap 5 Guillen found her way past Fontanesi and started to open up a comfortable advantage and never looked back. Guillen also set the fastest lap of the race, a 1:46.711 in lap two. Fontanesi settled for second and off to a great start this season.

Duncan delivered a composed and redemptive Race 2 to finish fourth, banking 18 points after her difficult Saturday. Franzoni ended up fifth and delivered another landmark performance after an average start to put herself on the overall podium.  Barker finished sixt, Van Der Vlist seventh and Amandine Verstappen eighth.

In the overall Grand Prix standings, Guillen and Fontanesi finished tied on 47 points a piece but it was Guillen who claimed the overall victory by virtue of her Race 2 win, and with it the all-important championship leader’s red plate heading into Round 2. Franzoni took third overall on 36 points, notably her first-ever WMX Grand Prix podium a milestone moment for both the French rider and the Team Honda Motoblouz SR Motul team. Van Drunen was fourth overall on 32 points, with Barker and Jakobsen level on 29 points in fifth and sixth.

The 2026 WMX season is already shaping up to be one to watch.

Daniela Guillen: “I am really happy. I started a little bit badly but then I found a good rhythm and kept pushing to get to the front. I want to say thank you to the team, who did a great job, and also to my trainer. And I know it is  birthday today, so happy birthday, enjoy it!”

Kiara Fontanesi  “It has been a very good round. If all bad days end up with a second place, I would sign for that right now. Yesterday was just perfect, I had a great feeling with the bike and the track overall. Today we went out on a completely wet track and I took a couple of risks in the first lap while I was leading, and from there I started to ride with a little more caution, which compromised the race a bit. I did not have the perfect feeling and I knew if I pushed too hard I was risking a crash. So that is everything I could do. In terms of points it is the same as Daniela going into Round 2, and I am happy for her that she has the red plate  she deserves it.”

April Franzoni:  “It is my first top five, my first podium and my first on home soil. It is just incredible for me. All my family was here, the team, and the people around the track, the atmosphere was just crazy. I am so happy. I do not even have the words. I just want to say thank you to everyone and enjoy this moment.”

WMX – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), 25:25.340; 2. Daniela Guillen (ESP, GASGAS), +0:09.586; 3. April Franzoni (FRA, Honda), +0:39.417; 4. Malou Jakobsen (DEN, KTM), +1:14.504; 5. Lynn Valk (NED, TM), +1:17.274; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Yamaha), +1:21.682; 7. Lucy Barker (GBR, KTM), +1:41.671; 8. Tyra Bäckström (SWE, GASGAS), +1:54.047; 9. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, Yamaha), -1 Lap; 10. Shana Van Der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), -1 Lap

WMX – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Daniela Guillen (ESP, GASGAS), 23:49.139; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), +0:19.922; 3. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, Yamaha), +0:26.872; 4. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), +1:01.875; 5. April Franzoni (FRA, Honda), +1:06.239; 6. Lucy Barker (GBR, KTM), +1:11.510; 7. Shana Van Der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), +1:23.414; 8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Yamaha), +1:26.370; 9. Danee Gelissen (NED, Husqvarna), +1:35.249; 10. Malou Jakobsen (DEN, KTM), +1:38.716

WMX – Grand Prix Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Daniela Guillen (ESP, GASGAS), 47 pts; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), 47 pts; 3. April Franzoni (FRA, Honda), 36 pts; 4. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, Yamaha), 32 pts; 5. Lucy Barker (GBR, KTM), 29 pts; 6. Malou Jakobsen (DEN, KTM), 29 pts; 7. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Yamaha), 28 pts; 8. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 27 pts; 9. Lynn Valk (NED, TM), 26 pts; 10. Shana Van Der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), 25 pts

WMX World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Daniela Guillen (ESP, GASGAS), 47 pts; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), 47 pts; 3. April Franzoni (FRA, Honda), 36 pts; 4. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, Yamaha), 32 pts; 5. Lucy Barker (GBR, KTM), 29 pts; 6. Malou Jakobsen (DEN, KTM), 29 pts; 7. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Yamaha), 28 pts; 8. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 27 pts; 9. Lynn Valk (NED, TM), 26 pts; 10. Shana Van Der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), 25 pts

WMX Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. GASGAS, 47 pts; 2. Honda, 36 pts; 3. Yamaha, 32 pts; 4. KTM, 29 pts; 5. TM, 26 pts; 6. Husqvarna, 22 pts; 7. Kawasaki, 27 pts; 8. Triumph, 6 pts