Friday saw all 260 riders from 38 countries nations entered into the event presented and introduced to everyone in attendance. It was obvious they were all so proud to be representing their country, and the team presentations had a real carnival atmosphere with an abundance of colour and sound. Hosts Radka Mazáková and Vilma Forsgrenfirst introduced Richard Gironi (CEO of the Czech Autoklub), Martin Venhoda(representative of the MS Kluky motocross club), Rodrigo Castro (FIM delegate), Marko Saareke (FIM Race Director), Patricia Maskarova (Infront MX Junior General Manager) and Nikos Psimmenos (FIM Sustainability Delegate) to the podium stage to talk about the success of previous FIM Junior World Championships, the excitement and anticipation of the 2026 event, and how the event continues to grow year after year.
The JMX125cc class, which consisted of 100 riders, was frantic, with all the young stars giving 100% to make the main races on Sunday. The margins between the riders, and for errors, were small. When the chequered flag fell at the end of the Group A qualifying, it was Denmark’s Bertram Thorius (Fantic) who won the group, by just over half a second ahead of Travis Leok (Hus) representing Estonia. Switzerland’s Emil Ziemer (KTM) finished third. Qualifying Group B saw Austria’s Ricardo Bauer(KTM) come out on top. Switzerland’s Ryan Oppliger (KTM) took second ahead of Liam Bruneau (KTM) for Team France in third. With the two groups combined, Bauer will go to the start gate as the fastest qualifier for Sunday’s opening race.
1.Bertram Thorius; 2.Ryan Oppliger
The intensity went up another level when the JMX85cc class came out on track for their timed qualifying sessions. Pole setter in Group A was Tim Lopes for Team France on his Bud Racing Husqvarna, just 0.05 of a second ahead of Great Britain’s Harry Dale. Third position belonged to Gregor Lootus (KTM) from Estonia. JMX85cc Group B saw Germany’s Luca Nierychlo (KTM) top the group ahead of the Latvian duo of Patriks and Martins Cirulis (both Husqvarna). Team France’s Lopes will line up for the first JMX85cc championship race as the fastest qualifier.
That group was topped by young Spaniard Gines Alacid (KTM), with Latvia’s Valters Jurcenko (Hus) finishing second and Great Britain’s Jack Waters (KTM) in third. In JMX65cc Group B, Dutch sensation Bas Verspaandonk (Gas Gas) not only topped the group but also set the quickest time to take the start gate for Sunday’s opening championship race in pole position. France’s Lucas Bos (KTM) finished second in the group, with Tommy Wood, representing Team GB, in third.
Last Chance Qualifiers
After two qualifying groups per class, the top 36 riders qualified directly for the two championship races on Sunday. That made the Last Chance Qualifying races for all groups highly intense and pressured, with parents and team managers looking more nervous than the riders themselves! The JMX65cc Last Chance Qualifying race was a good one for Martin-Markus Ansi. The young Estonian took the race win and transferred into Sunday’s main championship races. In the JMX85cc LCQ, young Briton John Slade took a start-to-finish win to join all four of his fellow Team GB 85cc riders in Sunday’s races. The JMX125 LCQ went by in a flash, with the top four battling hard all the way to the flag. In the end, the race was won by Spain’s Alejandro Torres (Yamaha) by just 0.3 of a second ahead of Sweden’s Jack Ljungnér.
After a picture-perfect day for motocross, with ideal track conditions and a brilliant atmosphere, the stage is set for the world’s 40 fastest youth motocross riders in each class to battle it out to decide who will become the 2026 Junior World Champion, and which nation will come out on top as the best, crowned the Junior World Motocross winning nation. The stage is set. The motocross world awaits!
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