21/06/2026
Tim Gajser #243 wins race two, while Maxime Renaux #959 secures a podium finish at the MXGP of Italy. Read the riders’ reactions below 👇
📷 .media
Mixed feelings for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Team following the MXGP of Italy in Montevarchi. On the one hand, there was satisfaction with Maxime Renaux’s third overall and Tim Gajser’s race victory. On the other, disappointment as Gajser’s hopes of a potential Grand Prix win were dashed in the opening stages of race one following an unfortunate collision.
This weekend, the FIM Motocross World Championship returned to Crossdromo Miravalle in Montevarchi for the first time in 20 years. Nestled in the hills of Tuscany, the circuit holds many special memories for Yamaha. In 1980, Michele Rinaldi – a true Yamaha legend – claimed victory at the very first Grand Prix held in Montevarchi. The venue also witnessed Stefan Everts’ legendary double in 2003, when he won both the 125cc and MXGP classes on the same day aboard Yamaha machinery.
#243 Tim Gajser
The weekend off following the MXGP of Latvia clearly did Tim Gajser a world of good. The five-time world champion continued his recovery, trained hard and also completed some testing. “I think I’ll be able to ride in Montevarchi without too much pain. I’m looking forward to it,” said the Slovenian before the event.
On Saturday, Gajser backed up those words with action. He topped Free Practice, finished third in Time Practice and, most importantly, won the Qualifying Race after taking command from fellow Slovenian Jan Pancar on lap four. The result secured his first pole position of the season and Yamaha’s first of the year, raising hopes of a maiden Grand Prix victory for the brand.
However, those hopes suffered an early setback. At the start of race one, another rider’s footpeg became entangled in Gajser’s front wheel, breaking several spokes. After a wheel change in the pit lane, he rejoined the race but could only recover to 21st, narrowly missing out on the points.
Determined to make amends, the five-time world champion bounced back in style in race two. Local rider Andrea Adamo led the opening five laps before Gajser took control of the race. After fending off several attacks from Jeffrey Herlings, Tim built a comfortable gap and controlled the remainder of the moto. The victory marked his second race win aboard Yamaha machinery, having also won race two earlier this season in Pietramurata.
Gajser: “It’s a shame about the first moto because I was riding at a really high level all weekend. Both on Saturday and Sunday, I felt like I was the fastest rider on track. But that’s motocross – there are things you can control and things you can’t. Overall, I’m very happy with the way I rode. In the second moto, I felt great. I quickly found a good rhythm, managed the pressure from behind and then opened up a gap to control the race. It was a really positive feeling. The bike worked perfectly, I felt strong physically and there are a lot of positives to take away from this weekend. We’ll keep building on this momentum and focus on the next round.”
#959 Maxime Renaux
Maxime Renaux arrived in Montevarchi eager to bounce back from a difficult weekend in Latvia two weeks ago. “This circuit suits our bike much better,” said the Frenchman ahead of the event. His confidence was immediately justified. Renaux was consistently among the frontrunners on Saturday, finishing second in Free Practice, fourth in Time Practice and an impressive fourth in the Qualifying Race, securing a strong gate pick for Sunday’s motos.
He made full use of it in race one. Renaux emerged from the first turn in third position and quickly settled in behind Jeffrey Herlings and Tom Vialle. Applying pressure from the outset, he made a decisive pass on his fellow Frenchman in lap three before setting his sights on race leader Herlings. Renaux launched several attacks, but the Dutchman held firm. In the closing stages, Sacha Coenen closed in rapidly, but Renaux kept his composure to secure second place.
Race two proved more challenging. After a less-than-ideal start, Renaux spent much of the moto running in sixth. He briefly moved into fifth before losing the position one lap later to Romain Febvre. Physically drained by a lingering viral infection, Renaux dug deep to hold on to sixth place. That result was enough to secure third overall in the Grand Prix classification.
Renaux: “It was a really tough day. The first moto was very positive and I felt like my pace was strong from the start. Unfortunately, I’m still dealing with a virus and that caught up with me as the day went on. By the second moto, I just didn’t have anything left physically. That was frustrating because the speed was there. It’s disappointing when your body won’t let you perform at the level you know you’re capable of, but that’s part of the sport. Despite that, I’m really happy to come away with another podium. Now the focus is on recovering properly, getting back to full strength and coming back even stronger next weekend in Portugal.”
Qualifying race
1 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam)
2 Jan Pancar (Slo/KTM)
3 Andrea Adamo (Ita/KTM)
4 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
5 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
Race 1
1 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon)
2 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
3 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM)
4 Calvin Vlaanderen (Ne/Duc)
5 Tom Vialle (Fra/Hon)
21 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam)
Race 2
1 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam)
2 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon)
3 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM)
4 Andrea Adamo (Ita/KTM)
5 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
6 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
Overall
1 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon) 47
2 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM) 40
3 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) 37
4 Andrea Adamo (Ita/KTM) 32
5 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw) 31
9 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam) 25
Championship (9/19)
1 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM) 449
2 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon) 393
3 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw) 347
4 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam) 329
5 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) 305
Manufacturers (9/19)
1 Honda 476
2 KTM 469
3 YAMAHA 410
4 Kawasaki 372
5 Husqvarna 278
