Francisco Garcia perfect in Italy as Jake Cannon and Liam Owens endure mixed EMX250 fortunes

The EMX250 Championship rolled into round seven of the 2026 season at the MXGP of Italy, with the rugged Miravalle circuit in Montevarchi baking under intense Tuscan sunshine that pushed riders and machinery to the limit across a demanding weekend.

When the dust settled, it was Francisco Garcia once again who proved untouchable, the championship leader delivering a perfect 1-1 performance for his fourth overall victory of the season. He finished ahead of Bernardo Tiburcio, who claimed a breakthrough maiden EMX250 podium, while Alexis Fueri rounded out the podium with his first rostrum of the year and a home-soil.

In Race 1, Garcia angled to the inside off the gate and drifted slightly wide on exit, handing the holeshot to Alexis Fueri. But the Frenchman’s lead was short-lived, with Garcia quickly powering his way to the front on lap one and immediately controlling the pace.

Behind them, the race developed into a fierce battle for the minor positions. Tiburcio was among the standout movers, charging forward on his Yamaha and picking off Gyan Doensen for fifth on lap three of 15 before turning his attention forward.

At the sharp end, the Cat Moto Bauerschmidt KTM pairing of Mads Fredsoe and Australian Liam Owens worked past a fading Fueri, with Owens making a decisive move on lap five to sweep around his teammate and take second. Tiburcio then continued his push, passing Fredsoe for third on lap seven, a position he held to the flag for his second podium of the season.

At home, Simone Mancini delivered a strong late-race surge, picking off Fueri and Fredsoe in the closing stages to secure fourth, with Fredsoe fifth.

There was also drama for Australia’s Jake Cannon, who crashed on the opening lap and dropped deep in the field. Despite the setback, he delivered one of the rides of the race, charging all the way back to sixth as Doensen dropped out on lap 14 with a DNF.

At the front, Garcia remained unchallenged to take his tenth win of the season, ahead of Owens in second and Tiburcio in third. Fueri salvaged seventh, just ahead of Francesco Bellei, Nicolò Alvisi, and Niccolo Mannini rounding out the top ten.

Race 2 delivered a completely different complexion after a heavily watered Miravalle created a slick and unpredictable racing surface.

Alexis Fueri grabbed the holeshot with Manuel Carreras tucked in behind, but it was Andrea Roberti who surged to the front in the opening laps, with Brando Rispoli and Fueri shadowing the early leader. Rispoli eventually struck, moving into second and then taking control to lead from lap four of 15.

Owens’ weekend took a dramatic turn when the Australian clipped another rider over a jump and crashed heavily on his shoulder, forcing him out of the race and ending any chance of a second straight podium.

Up front, Garcia once again worked his way through the field. The championship leader passed Roberti and Fueri to move into second before closing on Rispoli. By lap seven, Garcia struck decisively down the inside to take the lead, before immediately breaking away and setting the fastest lap en route to a 2.4-second victory.

Tiburcio once again produced a measured charge through the field. The Brazilian first cleared Fueri for third before hunting down Rispoli, eventually taking second on lap 13 after several attempts. He even briefly pressured Garcia late in the race, but the Spaniard held firm to secure another win.

Rispoli completed a strong ride for third, with Fueri fourth, Roberti fifth, Carreras sixth, and Bellei seventh. Alvisi, Mannini, and Doensen completed the top ten.

The result leaves Garcia firmly in control of the EMX250 title fight, now holding a 78-point lead in the standings. Jake Cannon remains his closest challenger in second, with Nicolai Skovbjerg a further 29 points back in third.

Garcia was satisfied with another dominant display across changing conditions.

“It’s really difficult on this kind of track to make a big difference, so I’m happy to win here too. I’m pleased because I feel strong on every type of ground, in the sand, on the hard pack, in the mud. I’ve got 11 wins from 14 races now, I think, so I’m very happy. It was my grandmother’s birthday yesterday, so felicidades, te quiero, this one is for her.”

He added more insight into his Race 2 approach: “It was more difficult to make the difference today but I worked out where I could pass. I now have five motos in-a-row and I can win on all sorts of different track – sand in Latvia two weeks ago and this weekend on hardpack. I have a big lead in the championship but I don’t look at the points; I just want to win every time I go to the start!”

Tiburcio reflected on a breakthrough weekend at the sharp end.

“Amazing. It was a very good race today, I had a good start and a good rhythm, and I’m very, very happy. Thank you to all the Brazilian fans, let’s go!”

Fueri was pleased to secure a long-awaited podium, despite not feeling fully comfortable on the bike.

“It feels so good to be on the box. I’m not completely happy with my riding today. Yesterday was good, but we had some clutch problems on the bike. Today I got the holeshot and my pace was strong at the beginning, but I’m struggling with my shoulder, so I couldn’t move on the bike the way I want, and I got a bit arm-pumped on the hard pack. It wasn’t my best riding, but we’re on the box, and at home, so I’m happy for Beta and for all the team.”

Australia’s Cannon summed up a tough but resilient weekend after salvaging key championship points.

“I did my best to make the most of the situations I put myself in, but it was more difficult to make passes this morning; the track is really tight, and there was mostly only one line today after they watered the track. But on to Portugal next weekend.”

Garcia’s perfect weekend delivered 50 points and a commanding overall win, ahead of Tiburcio (42) and Fueri (32), while Cannon salvaged 25 points for seventh overall despite his race two DNF. In the championship, Garcia extends his lead to 78 points over Cannon, with Skovbjerg third.

EMX250 – Moto 1 – MXGP of Italy
Pos	No	Rider	Nat	Bike	Gap
1st	29	Francisco Garcia	ESP	Kawasaki	+0
2nd	304	Liam Owens	AUS	KTM	+6.538
3rd	137	Bernardo Tiburcio	BRA	Yamaha	+11.239
4th	97	Simone Mancini	ITA	Ducati	+21.265
5th	515	Mads Fredsoe	DEN	KTM	+31.442
6th	3	Jake Cannon	AUS	Kawasaki	+33.063
7th	717	Alexis Fueri	FRA	Beta	+35.661
8th	141	Francesco Bellei	ITA	KTM	+37.560
9th	20	Nicolò Alvisi	ITA	Honda	+40.381
10th	7	Niccolo Mannini	ITA	Triumph	+42.393
11th	82	Manuel Carreras	ESP	GASGAS	+49.638
12th	28	Dean Gregoire	NED	Husqvarna	+52.555
13th	124	Jekabs Kubulins	LAT	Yamaha	+53.323
14th	17	Tom Brunet	FRA	Yamaha	+58.543
15th	329	Maurizio Scollo	ITA	KTM	+59.623
16th	2	Nicolai Skovbjerg	DEN	Husqvarna	+62.561
17th	928	Vincenzo Bove	ITA	GASGAS	+66.129
18th	240	Cesar Paine Diaz	CHI	Husqvarna	+68.198
19th	6	Elias Escandell	ESP	Honda	+70.697
20th	503	Jarne Bervoets	BEL	Yamaha	+74.536
21st	5	Brando Rispoli	ITA	Beta	+81.155
22nd	102	Filippo Mantovani	ITA	KTM	+84.246
23rd	14	Sebastian Leok	EST	Husqvarna	+84.931
24th	499	Dani Heitink	NED	Husqvarna	+94.510
25th	37	Trey Cox	RSA	KTM	+95.910
26th	58	Andrea Roberti	ITA	KTM	+97.945
27th	701	Marius Adomaitis	LTU	Husqvarna	+1 lap
28th	100	Harry Seel	BEL	KTM	+1 lap
29th	400	Roan Tolsma	NED	Husqvarna	+1 lap
30th	466	Vaclav Janout	CZE	KTM	+1 lap
31st	81	Emile De Baere	BEL	Honda	+1 lap
32nd	39	Áron Katona	HUN	KTM	+1 lap
33rd	919	Maximilian Ernecker	AUT	KTM	+1 lap
34th	228	Michael Conte	ITA	Yamaha	+1 lap
35th	747	Jordan van Wyk	RSA	Honda	+1 lap
36th	79	Luca Ghirelli	ITA	GASGAS	+1 lap
37th	574	Gyan Doensen	NED	KTM	+2 laps
38th	365	Adria Monne	ESP	GASGAS	+10 laps
39th	363	Lyonel Reichl	LIE	KTM	+13 laps

EMX250 – Moto 2 – MXGP of Italy
Pos	No	Rider	Nat	Bike	Gap
1st	29	Francisco Garcia	ESP	Kawasaki	+0:00.000
2nd	137	Bernardo Tiburcio	BRA	Yamaha	+0:02.371
3rd	5	Brando Rispoli	ITA	Beta	+0:07.585
4th	717	Alexis Fueri	FRA	Beta	+0:13.213
5th	58	Andrea Roberti	ITA	KTM	+0:14.912
6th	82	Manuel Carreras	ESP	GASGAS	+0:17.920
7th	141	Francesco Bellei	ITA	KTM	+0:24.234
8th	20	Nicolò Alvisi	ITA	Honda	+0:36.669
9th	7	Niccolo Mannini	ITA	Triumph	+0:39.892
10th	574	Gyan Doensen	NED	KTM	+0:41.842
11th	3	Jake Cannon	AUS	Kawasaki	+0:42.816
12th	39	Áron Katona	HUN	KTM	+0:43.114
13th	124	Jekabs Kubulins	LAT	Yamaha	+0:45.107
14th	97	Simone Mancini	ITA	Ducati	+0:46.048
15th	28	Dean Gregoire	NED	Husqvarna	+0:47.346
16th	17	Tom Brunet	FRA	Yamaha	+0:48.543
17th	2	Nicolai Skovbjerg	DEN	Husqvarna	+0:50.218
18th	6	Elias Escandell	ESP	Honda	+0:53.996
19th	515	Mads Fredsoe	DEN	KTM	+0:55.776
20th	329	Maurizio Scollo	ITA	KTM	+0:56.988
21st	102	Filippo Mantovani	ITA	KTM	+1:04.828
22nd	100	Harry Seel	BEL	KTM	+1:07.580
23rd	503	Jarne Bervoets	BEL	Yamaha	+1:08.714
24th	37	Trey Cox	RSA	KTM	+1 lap
25th	400	Roan Tolsma	NED	Husqvarna	+1 lap
26th	14	Sebastian Leok	EST	Husqvarna	+1 lap
27th	240	Cesar Paine Diaz	CHI	Husqvarna	+1 lap
28th	919	Maximilian Ernecker	AUT	KTM	+1 lap
29th	466	Vaclav Janout	CZE	KTM	+1 lap
30th	499	Dani Heitink	NED	Husqvarna	+1 lap
31st	747	Jordan van Wyk	RSA	Honda	+1 lap
32nd	79	Luca Ghirelli	ITA	GASGAS	+1 lap
33rd	228	Michael Conte	ITA	Yamaha	+1 lap
34th	81	Emile De Baere	BEL	Honda	+3 laps
35th	928	Vincenzo Bove	ITA	GASGAS	+6 laps
36th	701	Marius Adomaitis	LTU	Husqvarna	+9 laps
37th	304	Liam Owens	AUS	KTM	+15 laps

EMX250 – Round Overall – MXGP of Italy
Pos	No	Rider	Nat	Bike	Race 1	Race 2	Total
1st	29	Francisco Garcia	ESP	KAW	25	25	50 Points
2nd	137	Bernardo Tiburcio	BRA	YAM	20	22	42 Points
3rd	717	Alexis Fueri	FRA	BET	14	18	32 Points
4th	141	Francesco Bellei	ITA	KTM	13	14	27 Points
5th	82	Manuel Carreras	ESP	GAS	10	15	25 Points
6th	20	Nicolò Alvisi	ITA	HON	12	13	25 Points
7th	3	Jake Cannon	AUS	KAW	15	10	25 Points
8th	97	Simone Mancini	ITA	DUC	18	7	25 Points
9th	7	Niccolo Mannini	ITA	TRI	11	12	23 Points
10th	304	Liam Owens	AUS	KTM	22	0	22 Points
11th	5	Brando Rispoli	ITA	BET	0	20	20 Points
12th	515	Mads Fredsoe	DEN	KTM	16	2	18 Points
13th	58	Andrea Roberti	ITA	KTM	0	16	16 Points
14th	124	Jekabs Kubulins	LAT	YAM	8	8	16 Points
15th	28	Dean Gregoire	NED	HUS	9	6	15 Points
16th	17	Tom Brunet	FRA	YAM	7	5	12 Points
17th	574	Gyan Doensen	NED	KTM	0	11	11 Points
18th	39	Áron Katona	HUN	KTM	0	9	9 Points
19th	2	Nicolai Skovbjerg	DEN	HUS	5	4	9 Points
20th	329	Maurizio Scollo	ITA	KTM	6	1	7 Points
21st	6	Elias Escandell	ESP	HON	2	3	5 Points
22nd	928	Vincenzo Bove	ITA	GAS	4	0	4 Points
23rd	240	Cesar Paine Diaz	CHI	HUS	3	0	3 Points
24th	503	Jarne Bervoets	BEL	YAM	1	0	1 Point

EMX250 – Championship Standings After Round 7 – MXGP of Italy
Pos	No	Rider	Nat	Bike	Total	Gap
1st	29	Francisco Garcia	ESP	KAW	302 Points	+0
2nd	3	Jake Cannon	AUS	KAW	224 Points	+78
3rd	2	Nicolai Skovbjorn	DEN	HUS	195 Points	+107
4th	574	Gyan Doensen	NED	KTM	183 Points	+119
5th	515	Mads Fredsoe	DEN	KTM	153 Points	+149
6th	304	Liam Owens	AUS	KTM	152 Points	+150
7th	20	Nicolò Alvisi	ITA	HON	147 Points	+155
8th	137	Bernardo Tiburcio	BRA	YAM	142 Points	+160
9th	17	Tom Brunet	FRA	YAM	109 Points	+193
10th	124	Jekabs Kubulins	LAT	YAM	108 Points	+194
11th	365	Adria Monne	ESP	GAS	99 Points	+203
12th	717	Alexis Fueri	FRA	BET	91 Points	+211
13th	363	Lyonel Reichl	LIE	KTM	90 Points	+212
14th	97	Simone Mancini	ITA	DUC	87 Points	+215
15th	28	Dean Gregoire	NED	HUS	85 Points	+217
16th	39	Áron Katona	HUN	KTM	78 Points	+224
17th	441	William Askew	GBR	TRI	75 Points	+227
18th	14	Sebastian Leok	EST	HUS	68 Points	+234
19th	141	Francesco Bellei	ITA	KTM	66 Points	+236
20th	5	Brando Rispoli	ITA	BET	65 Points	+237
21st	499	Dani Heitink	NED	HUS	63 Points	+239
22nd	295	Mano Faure	FRA	YAM	61 Points	+241
23rd	58	Andrea Roberti	ITA	KTM	47 Points	+255
24th	82	Manuel Carreras	ESP	GAS	42 Points	+260
25th	7	Niccolo Mannini	ITA	TRI	35 Points	+267
26th	419	Joe Brookes	GBR	HON	35 Points	+267
27th	503	Jarne Bervoets	BEL	YAM	34 Points	+268
28th	919	Maximilian Ernecker	AUT	KTM	32 Points	+270
29th	961	August Frisk	SWE	KTM	26 Points	+276
30th	480	Kasimir Hindersson	FIN	GAS	25 Points	+277
31st	400	Roan Tolsma	NED	HUS	25 Points	+277