H-D Bagger World Cup: Results From Race Two At COTA

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

H-D Bagger World Cup: Results From Race Two At COTA

Oscar Gutierrez won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Race Two Sunday morning at Circuit Of The Americas, in Texas. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Spaniard won the 7-lap race by 3.020 seconds.

Eric Granado was the runner-up on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson and his teammate, Archie Mcdonald finished third.

Archie Macdonald crossed the finish line in 2nd place but received a three-second penalty for failing to comply with the long lap penalty after exceeding track limits.

Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Jake Lewis was 4th, Cory West finished the race in 6th and Travis Wyman suffered technical issues on his bike.

Cody Wyman did not start the race on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson.

Archie McDonald leads the championship with 41 points, 8 ahead of Oscar Gutierrez who has 33 points. Jake Lewis is third with 33 points.

More from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:

Two winners, intense battles and history made at Bagger World Cup Opener in Austin.

AUSTIN, Texas — The opening round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup delivered intense on-track battles and dramatic moments at the Circuit of the Americas, as the new global championship in partnership with MotoGP™ officially came to life alongside the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of the Americas.

Both the races of the weekend were fought until the final laps, producing the first two winners in the history of the category. Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) claimed victory in Race 1 on Saturday, while Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) secured the win in Race 2 on Sunday.

Race 1:

At the start of the first race in championship history, young Australian Archie McDonald launched perfectly from the grid, getting the better of teammate Eric Granado, who had secured pole position in qualifying with a lap time of 2:12.387.
The battle between the two intensified at mid-race, with Granado taking the lead after a mistake from McDonald. However, the Australian responded shortly after, reclaiming the position when Granado lost the front under braking and dropped back through the field.
Jake Lewis (Saddlemen Race Development) delivered a strong and consistent ride to take second place, showcasing experience and control across the race distance, while Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) secured third with a composed and disciplined performance to round out the podium.

Race 2:

McDonald and Granado were once again protagonists at the start of Race 2, with the Australian repeating his strong launch off the line. The two Joe Rascal Racing riders immediately set a fast pace, but were unable to break away from Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing), who steadily increased his rhythm lap after lap. The Spanish rider closed the gap and executed two clean overtakes to take the lead, going on to secure victory at the checkered flag.
On lap five, Gutiérrez also set a new benchmark for the category at the Austin circuit with a time of 2:12.348, establishing both the race lap record and the all-time lap record for the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup at Circuit of the Americas.
Second at the finish line was Archie McDonald, but a three-second penalty for failing to complete the prescribed Long Lap after twice exceeding track limits dropped the Australian to third in the final classification, promoting Eric Granado to second.

Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson: “This weekend delivered exactly what we set out to build. Close racing, battles decided in the final laps, and riders pushing these machines to the limit from the very start. The level of competition showed up immediately, and that’s a strong indication of where this championship is headed.
We also saw different riding styles coming together on track, with riders finding their own way to be fast on these bikes. That created some really interesting race dynamics and showed how competitive and adaptable this grid already is from the first round.
What’s been especially powerful is the global nature of the championship, with riders and teams from different parts of the world coming together to be part of something new. That’s a significant step forward for the series.
And then there’s the emotion. You feel it in the sound, the torque, and the presence of these bikes on track. It’s raw, it’s different, and it’s real. This is not just racing. We’re building something new here, a global platform that brings a different kind of energy to the MotoGP stage and connects with fans in a way that is authentic to Harley-Davidson.”

Archie McDonald – Joe Rascal Racing – Race 1 Winner: “History. That’s the first word that comes to my mind. It was the first race in the history of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, and I took the first win, hopefully the first of many. I’m really happy. There has been a lot of preparation behind this project, from myself, the team and Harley-Davidson, so this result feels amazing. I had a strong start, even if leading early wasn’t ideal. Granado passed me after a mistake, I stayed with him, and then he made a mistake and I took the lead again. My plan was to wait until the final laps to make a move, but in the end I didn’t need to. I’m sorry about Eric’s crash, as it’s not the way I wanted to win, but I’m still enjoying the moment. I’m really proud of my team and Harley-Davidson for making history with me, and I thank them all.”

Oscar Gutiérrez – Niti Racing – Race 2 Winner: “I’m very happy with this win. We did a great job regaining our focus after Race 1, and this was the best way to finish the Austin weekend. Already this morning I felt we had the potential to do it. I had a great feeling with the bike from the sighting lap and told my team that today was the right day. During the race I took my time to study Archie and Eric in front of me and understand where I could attack them. Then there was a moment when I clearly felt stronger, so I decided to increase the pace and make my moves. It’s a great victory, but we need to keep working well because the championship may look short, but it is still long with many races to go. We are already looking ahead to Mugello and continuing on this path. One area where I still need to improve is the start. At the beginning of the race I had to push to recover because McDonald and Granado started very strong. But I knew that if I stayed calm I could come back, and that’s what I did. I stayed patient for a couple of laps, then when I felt I had more pace I made the overtakes and in the end took a win that makes me very happy.”

Following the opening round, Archie McDonald leads the championship standings with 41 points, ahead of Oscar Gutiérrez and Jake Lewis, both on 33 points.

Championship Standings:

Archie McDonald (AUS) – 41 (25 / 16)
Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 33 (8 / 25)
Jake Lewis (USA) – 33 (20 / 13)
Eric Granado (BRA) – 30 (10 / 20)
Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 27 (16 / 11)
Cory West (USA) – 23 (13 / 10)
Travis Wyman (USA) – 11 (11 / -)
Cody Wyman (USA) – 9 (9 / -)
Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 9 (- / 9)

The next round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will take place at the Mugello International Circuit during the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of Italy, from May 29–31.

Supercross: Results From Detroit, Michigan

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

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Supercross: Results From Detroit, Michigan

DETROIT – A common adage in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship has long been that anything can happen at any given moment, and that sentiment reigned true during Round 11 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship inside Ford Field. An exceptionally challenging racetrack, anchored by the most treacherous and demanding whoop section of the season, pushed the most talented racers on the planet to the limit and ultimately resulted in a dramatic shakeup of the 450SMX Class title fight as Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen enjoyed a dominant performance for the landmark 25th victory of his career.

Ken Roczen’s Dominant Victory Headlines Wild Night in Detroit as Monster Energy Supercross Title Fight Shakes Up.

The 20 Minute + 1 Lap 450SMX Class Main Event kicked off with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado capturing his fifth holeshot of the season ahead of Roczen and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton, who made his return to action after missing three races. Championship leader Hunter Lawrence started deep inside the top 10 aboard his Honda HRC Progressive machine, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac, second in points, started outside the top 10. Back up front, Prado was able to fend off heavy pressure from Roczen for several laps, but the German native seized control of the race lead just a few minutes into the action. Prado then battled briefly with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, the reigning Supercross champion, but the two came together and went down, which dropped them deep in the field.

Roczen quickly built a multi-second lead over Sexton, who moved into second, while Lawrence overcame one of his worst starts of the season to claw his way up to third. The top three settled in through the middle portion of the Main Event, with each finding a consistent rhythm that kept the lead trio within three seconds of each other. Just before the halfway point of the moto, when both Sexton and Lawrence had made inroads on Roczen’s lead, Lawrence crashed hard exiting the whoops. He remounted but was forced to have his bike attended to in the mechanics area, which lost him a lap.

Roczen extended his lead once more to end the threat from Sexton, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart moved into third ahead of Tomac. Roczen continued to pull away and easily took home his second win of the season in his 173rd career start by a margin of 7.7 seconds over Sexton. Stewart broke through with his first podium result of the season in third, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fourth, ahead of Tomac in fifth. Lawrence, meanwhile, soldiered through another fall to salvage 18th place.

A dramatic shakeup in the championship has moved Tomac back atop standings for the first time since the fourth race of the season, as he now holds a four-point lead over Lawrence with six races remaining. Roczen’s win moved him to within 14 points of the lead to establish a three-rider battle for the championship’s stretch run.

Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen captured a milestone 25th victory in his 173rd career start amidst a shakeup in the title fight. Photo courtesy SMX

Ken Roczen – 1st Place – 450SMX Class:

“I don’t know what to say, but this is exactly what I was talking about [people overlooking my ability to win]. This was a tough Main Event. I was definitely not the fastest in the beginning. I was playing a little bit with the track. I knew they were gaining on me, so I switched up my rhythms slightly. It was tough, because I wasn’t necessarily lighting the world on fire [with my speed] but the track was so tough. The whoops were a 50-50 chance you were going to make it through or end up on your back. I am so excited, you have no idea. We closed up some points, but we still have a lot of racing to go.”

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton captured an impressive runner-up finish in his first race back from a recent injury that sidelined him for a month. Photo courtesy SMX

Chase Sexton – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class:

“Those weeks at home watching the races, there were some dark times. Obviously, I didn’t want to get injured and didn’t want to sit on the couch, but I wanted to come back when I was ready. I felt pretty good tonight, but I also felt that couch about 10 minutes into the Main Event. I felt good in the beginning and got a little tight and a little winded. We’ll go back to work but definitely a great start to the comeback. It’s been a long year for the team and me, but we want to go up from here.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart broke through with his first podium finish of the season during his best outing of the year. Photo courtesy SMX

Malcolm Stewart – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class:

“It’s been tough [this season]. I had an unfortunate situation in Anaheim [getting injured at the first race]. I kind of just felt like I didn’t know if I’d get on the podium [this season]. That’s partly just not believing in yourself, and I realized I need to pull myself out of that. I want to give it up to my team, they’ve been in my ear all season telling me I can do this. I told them we’d pop some champagne before the end of the season, so huge shout out to them.”

450SMX Class Podium (left to right): Chase Sexton, Ken Roczen, and Malcolm Stewart. Photo courtesy SMX

Eli Tomac – 5th Place – 450SMX Class Points Leader:

“Of course, I saw Hunter’s [Lawrence] crash and knew I was going to take advantage of that once I saw him a lap down, but overall, a bit of a frustrating day here. I’ve actually struggled here my past couple rides. I don’t know what it is. I haven’t had the best success at Detroit lately. Maybe I’ve been in kind of a midseason slump. We’ll do what we can to get better, improve, and get back to winning some races and be up at the front.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac regained control of the points lead following a fifth-place finish. Photo courtesy SMX

Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence suffered two crashes in the Main Event and finished a lap down in 18th to lose control of the championship lead. Photo courtesy SMX

450SMX Class Point Standings

Cole Davies Storms to Third Straight 250SMX Class Win

The fifth 15 Minute + 1 Lap Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class Main Event of the season started with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher leading the field to the holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker and Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda. Behind them, championship leader Cole Davies was mired in 15th place aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. Thrasher held onto the lead for a couple laps but then crashed out of contention in the whoops, which handed the lead to Hammaker. As the Kawasaki rider asserted his hold of the top spot over Shimoda, Davies was on a torrid march to the front. Thanks to an unparalleled level of speed through a challenging whoops section, the New Zealander easily broke into the top 10 and soon found his way into the top five before the halfway point. From there, Davies charged into podium position and made quick work of a pass by Shimoda to move into second place. He then proceeded to erase a four second deficit to Hammaker and fittingly made the winning pass coming out of the whoops with just under six minutes to go. From there, Davies checked out on the field. Hammaker easily held onto second, while Shimoda was forced to contend with ClubMX Yamaha’s Coty Schock, who initially got by his Japanese counterpart for a spot on the podium, only to give it back after a crash in the whoops.

Davies completed an incredible come-from-behind performance by a margin of 12.1 seconds over Hammaker for a third straight Main Event victory, while Shimoda rounded out the podium in third.

With his third consecutive win, Davies extended his lead in the championship standings to nine points over Hammaker, with Shimoda sitting 14 points back in third.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies overcame a start outside the top 10 to capture an impressive come-from-behind victory, his third in-a-row. Photo courtesy SMX

Cole Davies – 1st Place – Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class:

“When I don’t perform, I’m pretty hard on myself. Me, my family, and all the people around me put in so much hard work, so when I don’t perform like I know I can I’m pretty hard on myself. But I’m stoked with that Main Event. I know that’s how I can ride. I just put everything together well. I didn’t have a good start, but I made it happen, so I’m stoked with that.”

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker took advantage of a great start to lead laps and bring home a runner-up finish. Photo courtesy SMX

Seth Hammaker – 2nd Place – Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class:

“That was a tough race. I got myself off to a pretty good start and was riding okay in the beginning. I knew Cole [Davies] was in the back of the pack but man, he was riding good. Gotta give it up to him. A solid second on the night. I’ve learned from the past not to throw the races away that aren’t there for me. I want to win more than anybody, but you’ve got to know when to pull back and second is what we had tonight.”

Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda battled hard to capture a third-place finish. Photo courtesy SMX

Jo Shimoda – 3rd Place – Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class:

“Honestly, I was just so bad all day. I just couldn’t figure it out. I just have to do better. Nothing was really good for me today, so I’m sorry to my team. We tested all week and I think we’re stepping in the right direction, so we’ve got to keep chasing. We’ll see next weekend.”

Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class Podium (left to right): Seth Hammaker, Cole Davies, and Jo Shimoda. Photo courtesy SMX

Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class Point Standings

The Monster Energy SMX World Championship and Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will continue next Saturday, April 4, with Round 12 from The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis for the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross honoring the kids at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the fight against childhood cancer. Live broadcast coverage on Peacock will begin at 1 p.m. ET with Race Day Live, followed by the Gate Drop at 7 p.m. ET. Additionally, a domestic Spanish language broadcast is available on Peacock while international viewers can choose from dedicated English, French, and Spanish broadcasts via SMX Video Pass (www.SMXVideoPass.com).

All 17 rounds of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and 11 rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship are on sale. Tickets for the SMX World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final are now on sale at Supermotocross.com. Saturday FanFest will take place at all postseason races, Friday FanFest and camping will be available in Columbus and Ridgedale, additional details to follow.

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

WorldSBK: Race Two Results From Portimao

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

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WorldSBK: Race Two Results From Portimao

Nicolo Bulega won FIM Superbike World Championship Race Two Sunday afternoon at Portimao, in Portugal. Bulega started from pole position and rode his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R to a 1.967-second margin of victory in the 20-lap race.

His teammate, Iker Lecuona was the runner-up, and Miguel Oliveira rode his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR to third.

Alex Lowes finished the race fourth on his Bimota by Kawasaki KB998 Rimini and Sam Lowes got fifth on his ELF Marc VDS Ducati Panigale V4R.

Danilo Petrucci crossed the finish line 7th on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.

American Garrett Gerloff crashed his Kawasaki ZX-10RR on turn 15.

Nicolo Bulega leads the championship with 124 points, 56 ahead of Iker Lecuona who has 68 points. Axel Bassani is third with 60 points.

wsbk race2

wsbk worldstandings

More from a press release issued by WorldSBK:

PORTIMAO PERFECTION: Bulega secures hat-trick on the rollercoaster ahead of Lecuona, Oliveira secures P3. The #11 made it two hat-tricks to start the 2026 season as he beat his teammate and home hero Oliveira.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed a hat-trick at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve as his perfect start to the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season continued. He defeated teammate Iker Lecuona for the third time this weekend while home hero Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will also leave the Pirelli Portuguese Round with three trophies after a third P3 finish.

HAT-TRICK HERO: Bulega’s winning run hits double figures

Bulega made it three holeshots for the weekend as he leapt off the grid to maintain P1, being trailed by Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and, before the #88 got ahead of the #22 at Turn 3 on Lap 2. Iker Lecuona made a slow start again but was back in the rostrum places when he got ahead of Alex Lowes at Turn 1 on Lap 3. A lap later and the #7 passed Oliveira for second at Turn 1 despite the Portuguese rider’s efforts to hang it around the outside at the right-hand corner. While Bulega and Lowes were pulling clear of Oliveira, the #88 had to defend from Alex Lowes in the final six laps of the race but dug deep as he secured his third P3 finish at his home round. Bulega’s winning streak is now 10 races and it’s the best start to a season since Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) won 11 races in a row in 2019. With Lecuona’s P2, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati become the first team to take three 1-2 finishes in a weekend; they were also 1-2 in Tissot Superpole.

ALEX AHEAD OF SAM: The twin brothers close together on track

With the British rider unable to pass Oliveira, despite finishing only 0.169s behind the BMW star, he had to settle for P4 ahead of twin brother Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), who finished P5 for the fifth time this season; when he has seen the chequered flag in 2026, he has finished in this position. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) finished in sixth after fighting up the order, five seconds behind the #14 directly ahead.

COMPLETING THE TOP TEN: Petrucci defeats Bassani in late-race fight

Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had his strongest race of the weekend as he finished in P7 after a late-race battle with Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team). The #9 got ahead of his compatriot on the penultimate lap at Turn 1. Bassani finished just over a second behind Petrucci with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) completing the top ten. They had been in a fight with Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) but the #31 crashed out of the race on the final lap.

SCORING POINTS: A birthday present for Manzi, Rea takes P12

Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was able to claim points on his birthday as he finished in P11, his best result in his fledgling WorldSBK career. He finished ahead of Jonathan Rea (Honda HRC) who took 12^th ahead of Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates). It means Rea has now scored points in all 19 of his WorldSBK seasons. Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finished 14^th despite a crash at Turn 5 on Lap 4, as did Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) on the same lap in a separate incident, but recovered to P14 with Somkiat Chantra (Honda HRC) claiming the final point in Race 2; he served a Long Lap Penalty in Race 2 due to irresponsible riding in the Tissot Superpole Race.

HOUSEKEEPING: Several retirements from the final race of the weekend

There were five retirements from Race 2. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) crashed at Turn 13 on Lap 5 which ended his hopes of adding to his points tally, while Bahattin Sofuoglu (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) crashed a lap later at Turn 5. On Lap 8, Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Express Racing) fell at Turn 13 while Bautista was also a faller at Turn 5, coming down a lap later to the despair of Team Manager Marco Barnabo. Mattia Rato (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) came down at Turn 4 on Lap 16 to end his race. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) rejoined the race despite crashing at the same time as Vierge in a separate incident at Turn 5, and while he entered the pits initially, he rejoined the track but was not classified after being six laps down.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 2, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.967s

3. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +7.096s

4. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +7.265s

5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +10.079s

6. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +15.105s

Fastest lap: Iker Lecuona, Ducati – 1’39.792s

Championship standings:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 124 points

2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 68

3. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 60

4. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 56

5. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 48

6. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 43

Next up for WorldSBK is the ‘Cathedral of Speed’! Watch all the action from the TT Circuit Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

MotoGP: Bezzecchi Leads Warm Up at COTA

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

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Marco Bezzecchi was fastest in the MotoGP Warm Up session Sunday morning at Circuit Of The Americas, in Texas. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26 on Michelin control tires, the Italian led the 21-rider field with a time of 2:01.631 around the 3.43-mile (5.51 km) circuit.

Marc Marquez was second-best with a 2:01.720 on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26, and Fabio Di Giannantonio jumped up the order to third with a time of 2:02.093 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

The full-length MotoGP race is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. Local Time.

warm up motogp

WorldSSP: Race Two Results From Portimao

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

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WorldSSP: Race Two Results From Portimao

Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at Portimao, in Portugal. Riding his Evan Bros Racing ZXMOTO 820RR, the Frenchman won the 17-lap race by 0.720 second.

Jaume Masia was the runner-up on his Orelac Racing Verdnatura Ducati Panigale V2, just 0.767 second ahead of third-place finisher Albert Arenas, who rode his AS BluCru Racing Yamaha YZF-R9.

Lucas Mahias crossed the finish line fourth on his GMT94 Yamaha YZF-R9 and his teammate, Roberto Garcia, got fifth.

Jaume Masia leads the championship with 71 points, 6 ahead of Albert Arenas who has 65 points. Valentin Debise is third with 50 points.

wssp race 2

ChampionshipStandings wssp

More from a press release issued by WorldSBK:

DEBISE’S DOUBLE: Two races in Portimao, two wins for ZXMOTO while Masia makes a miraculous podium comeback. Masia takes the Championship lead with his third podium of the year, ahead of Arenas and Debise.

The FIM Supersport World Championship sent the rollercoaster round out with a bang at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, where they ran their final Race 2 of the Pirelli Portuguese Round. Valentin Debise (ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) took his fourth win of the season, and the second win for his ZXMOTO manufacturer, whose bike has only ever participated in two WorldSSP rounds. Behind him in P2, Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) completed a surgical late run to land his eighth podium, the 120^th WorldSSP podium for Ducati. On the bottom step of the rostrum, Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) takes his second podium after his Phillip Island Race 2 win.

DEBISE UNDETERRED: Nothing could keep the #53 and his ZXMOTO 820RR off the top step of the podium

Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) sniped Debise off the line, stealing the holeshot from his countryman. Leading the contest’s opening laps, the #53 was able to find a way through. Mahias clung to Debise like a shadow until the race’s midpoint, where the #94 began to lose time marginally, lap after lap. He looked to be cruising to his second race win of the weekend until he ran wide near the end of Lap 3 when he ran wide and the riders behind him could close up the gap. Masia chained together a clutch series of late laps, capped off by back-to-back overtakes on Turns 6 and 7 to shoot from P4 to P2. Debise was able to recover from his mistake, sending ZXMOTO again to the top of the podium for the second time on the weekend. Jaume Masia went for his second podium of the season. Albert Arenas flexed his racecraft to prevail over Mahias and Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha) for his second podium in two rounds.

ODD MAN OUT: Mahias is unfortunate not to take his second podium from Portimao

Mahias will be shaking his head at not having ended the contest on the podium after leading the first lap; he takes solid points in P4 away from the round and will look ahead to Assen. Mahias’s teammate, Roberto Garcia, had a steadfast performance as he would not be deterred from a P5 finish despite being bundled aside twice by Arenas. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) had started the race well, jumping up to fourth from his sixth-place grid start. His progress was short-lived, however, as he finished the race back in his original P6 place.

SPUTTERING START FROM ONCU: The Turk’s best finish in four races is P5

After his daunting Race 1 recovery run, Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) had his hands full to keep his position within the top ten after the riders ahead of him had put two seconds between them and him by Lap 4. As the race went on, the Spaniard caught back up with the group fighting for the top eight and overcame Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) and Corentin Perolari (Honda Racing World Supersport) for P7. Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) will go back to the drawing board after he was hailed by many as the title leader in the pre-season, yet two rounds in, he is without a podium. Corentin Perolari (Honda Racing World Supersport) was assessed an Irresponsible riding penalty, which, while he did serve, he let through Oettl, not Oncu through, as was intended by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards, and before corrective action could be taken, Oncu had lost a further two positions. Perolari saw his pace drop in the final laps, falling to P9. Four races into his new WorldSSP career, Zaccone again lands a top ten finish in P10 to close Portimao.

The top six from the WorldSSP Race 2: Full results here!

1. Valentin Debise (ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing)

2. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) +0.720s

3. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) +1.487s

4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +1.508s

5. Roberto García (GMT94 Yamaha) +1.547s

6. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +6.486s

Fastest lap: Valentin Debise, ZXMOTO – 1’43.623s

Championship standings:

1. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) 71 points

2. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) 65

3. Valentin Debise (ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) 50

4. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) 45

5. Roberto García (GMT94 Yamaha) 41

6. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) 37

That’s all she wrote from Portimao! Relive all the action from the last two rounds with full OnDemand uploads, and watch the action in Assen on April 17th live with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

WorldWCR: Race Two Results From Portimao

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

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WorldWCR: Race Two Results From Portimao

Paola Ramos won FIM World Women’s Circuit Racing Race 2 Sunday morning at Portimao, in Portugal. Riding her Klint Racing Yamaha YZF-R7 on Pirelli control tires, Ramos won the 11-lap race by just 0.053 second.

Maria Herrera was the runner-up on her Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha YZF-R7, and Beatriz Neila got third on her Ampito Crescent Yamaha YZF-R7.

American Mallory Dobbs got 17th on her YVS Sabadell Diva Racing Yamaha YZF-R7.

race 2 wwcr

ChampionshipStandings WWCR

More from a press release issued by WorldSBK:

Ramos stuns defending Champion Herrera with a last-lap overtake to win Race 2 at Portimao. A hotly-contested three-horse race broke out in the final WorldWCR contest of the round.

The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship’s season-opening weekend is officially in the books! Paola Ramos (Klint Racing Team) sent her first round as a permanent rider out with a bang, winning the race with a dramatic last- lap overtake for her second career win. Joining her on the podium, Maria Herrera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR) caps off a dominant performance at the Pirelli Portuguese Round’s Autodromo Internacional do Algarve from P2 for her 21^st WorldWCR podium. Taking home the bronze medal and capping off the all-Spanish rostrum, Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) took P3.

PICKING HER MOMENT: Ramos showed the composure beyond her years as she struck in the last lap for the race win

Ramos chased Herrera into T1 after she took the holeshot. The front three of Herrera, Ramos, and Neila stacked up on the timesheet in the early running in the same way they finished Race 1. By the start of Lap 7, the trio had put more than five seconds between the podium positions and the rest of the pack. Neila had fallen back by a few bike lengths, while with five laps left to ride, Ramos lurked just a tenth behind Herrera, waiting for her moment to strike. That moment came on Turn 11 of the final lap, a clever feigned move to the outside, then cutting inside to take P1 from Herrera caught the defending Champion lacking. Ramos held off the #6 as she charged across the line; Herrera was, as a result, shuffled to P2 on the rostrum ahead of Beatriz Neila, who took home her 16^th consecutive podium as she landed in P3 for the second time this weekend.

PONZIANI THE BEST OF THE REST: The Italian takes P4 for the ninth time in her WorldWCR career

Roberta Ponziani (Klint Racing Team), Natalia Rivera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) and Yvonne Cerpa (MotosCerpa) started on the second row and fought throughout the first half of the race until Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) and Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94 Yamaha) made a move on Yvonne Cerpa to shuffle the rookie to P8 on Lap 3. Later on, however, the French rider crashed on Turn 2 of the sixth Lap as she had nearly completed her move to pass Ruiz. Ponziani fought off Ruiz to defend her P4 finish, with Ruiz crossing the finish line in P5. While she had been shuffled aside by the #46 and #94 before the French rider’s unfortunate crash, Cerpa’s P6 is a strong result to take away from her first WorldWCR Race 2.

RIVERA GOES P7: The Spanish youngster records her second-best WorldWCR result

Natalia Rivera started well, clinging to her P5 grid position early on before Roberta Ponziani overtook her on Turn 8 of Lap 2. Rivera gradually slid backwards until she settled in P7, closing her weekend with a pair of finishes within the top eight. Tayla Relph (Full Throttle Racing) emerged victorious in a battle with Sara Sanchez (Hadden Racing Team) to take P8 from the final race of the weekend, crossing the finish line +0.217s faster than the #64 behind her. Rounding out the top ten, Muklada Sarauech (EEST NJT Racing Team) closed her wildcard weekend with a strong P10 finish after taking P11 in Race 1. The Thai rider will be one to keep an eye on in the future as her WorldWCR wild card appearance comes to a close. Farther back, Chloe Jones’s Race 2 started rough with a Jump Start penalty assessed by FIM WorldSBK Stewards, resulting in a 2x LLP, which sent her to an ignominious P14.

The top six from the WorldWCR Race 1: Full results here!

1. Paola Ramos (Klint Racing Team)

2. Maria Herrera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR) +0.053s

3. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) +0.238s

4. Roberta Ponziani (Klint Racing Team) +17.808s

5. Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) +17.842s

6. Yvonne Cerpa (MotosCerpa) +18.080s

Fastest lap: Beatriz Neila, 1’52.637s – new race lap record

Championship standings

1. Paola Ramos (Klint Racing Team) 45 points

2. Maria Herrera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR) 45

3. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) 32

4. Roberta Ponziani (Klint Racing Team) 23

5. Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) 20

6. Sara Sanchez (Hadden Racing Team) 18

Rewatch all the action at Portimao and keep up with WorldWCR throughout 2026 by subscribing to theWorldWCR YouTube channel and following the Championship on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook! Be sure to tune in next round at Assen on April 17^th!

WorldSBK: Superpole Race Results From Portimao

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 29, 2026

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WorldSBK: Superpole Race Results From Portimao

Nicolo Bulega won FIM Superbike World Championship Superpole Race Sunday morning at Portimao, in Portugal. Bulega started from pole position and rode his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R to a 1.882-second margin of victory in the 10-lap race.

His teammate, Iker Lecuona was the runner-up, and Miguel Oliveira rode his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR to third.

Alex Lowes finished the race fourth on his Bimota by Kawasaki KB998 Rimini and Sam Lowes got fifth on his ELF Marc VDS Ducati Panigale V4R.

Danilo Petrucci crossed the finish line 12th on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.

American Garrett Gerloff was 14th on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

Nicolo Bulega leads the championship with 99 points, 47 ahead of Axel Bassani who has 52 points. Iker Lecuona is third with 48 points.

superpole race wsbk

ChampionshipStandings wsbk

More from a press release issued by WorldSBK:

Bulega claims Superpole Race victory ahead of teammate Lecuona, Oliveira repeats Race 1 rostrum at Portimao. The Italian rider is up to nine consecutive wins, while Lecuona and Oliveira have made it back-to-back podiums.

Nicolo Bulega’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) winning run in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has extended to nine following his Tissot Superpole Race victory ahead of teammate Iker Lecuona and Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). The #11 resisted an early challenge from Portuguese rider Oliveira, before the #88 fell behind Lecuona in the second half of the race at the Pirelli Portuguese Round.

SECURING A PODIUM: Bulega, Lecuona and Oliveira celebrate again

As in Race 1, Bulega got a good start as the lights went out, as did Oliveira who followed the #11 over the opening lap. At the start of Lap 2, Bulega started to pull a gap but the home hero bridged that in the second half of the lap to keep within touching distance of the race leader. A new race lap record on Lap 3 and again on Lap 4 for Bulega gave him a big advantage over the Portuguese star and allowed the Italian to manage the race as he secured victory and P1 on the grid for Race 2. On Lap 6, Lecuona completed his recovery from a poor start to pass Oliveira to take P2, with Oliveira settling for a second podium in two races on home soil. The trio will start from the front row in Race 2.

CLOSE TO THE TOP THREE: Alex Lowes forced to settle for P4

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) had looked to challenge Oliveira but claimed P4 and a second row start for Race 2. He’ll be joined on the second row by twin brother Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) with Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) completing that second row; he had been on the front row for Race 1 and the Superpole Race.

STARTING RACE 2 FROM ROW 3: Vierge joined Bassani and Bautista

Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will go from P7 on the Race 2 grid after his finish in the same position in the Superpole Race. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) gained places compared to his original starting position as he finished in eighth, coming home less than a second clear of Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) who completes the Race 2 third row.

HOUSEKEEPING: Two riders crash from the 10-lap race

There were two retirements from the Superpole Race. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) crashed at Turn 13 on Lap 6, with the FIM WorldSBK Stewards investigating an incident there. Shortly after on Lap 7, Somkiat Chantra (Honda HRC) came down at Turn 5.

The top nine from the Tissot Superpole Race, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.882s

3. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +2.401s

4. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +2.781s

5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +4.706s

6. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.596s

7. Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +6.457s

8. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +6.896s

9. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +7.704s

Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega, Ducati – 1’39.107s, new race lap record

Catch WorldSBK Race 2 at 15:30 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

MotoGP: Acosta Receives Penalty, Loses Sprint Podium

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 28, 2026

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MotoGP: Acosta Receives Penalty, Loses Sprint Podium

Post-race penalty reshuffles results as Acosta loses P3, with Bastianini stepping up to claim bronze.

The Tissot Sprint at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas delivered drama not only across its 10 laps, but even after the chequered flag.

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Racing) initially crossed the line in third place but was immediately placed under investigation for a breach of tyre pressure regulations. Following a review, he was found to have run pressures below the permitted limits and was handed an eight-second post-race penalty.

The sanction drops Acosta down to eighth position, promoting Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) to the final podium spot after originally finishing fourth.

The result marks Bastianini’s second Sprint podium with KTM and caps off an impressive weekend for the Italian. He will be looking to carry that momentum into Sunday’s main race, which gets underway at 15:00 (UTC -5).

MotoGP: Full Weekend Schedule for COTA

Mathilde Gasnier

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March 28, 2026

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MotoGP returns to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend with a full schedule of racing across several categories. The premier class headlines the action throughout the weekend, alongside the Talent Cup and the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, a new class introduced for 2026. From early sessions to the main races, fans can expect a packed program and plenty of on-track action at COTA.

Here is the full schedule for the weekend:

Aprilia X 250th Celebrates U.S. Anniversary With 240 Horsepower

John Ulrich

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March 28, 2026

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Aprilia X 250th Celebrates U.S. Anniversary With 240 Horsepower

APRILIA RACING PRESENTS THE APRILIA X 250TH, THE LIMITED EDITION BIKE
FROM THE NOALE-BASED RACING DEPARTMENT TO CELEBRATE 250 YEARS
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

THE FIRST AND ONLY BIKE IN THE WORLD ON THE MARKET WITH CARBON-
CARBON BRAKES, A FEATURE EXCLUSIVE TO MOTOGP, TO CONFIRM THE
DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THE PREMIER MOTORCYCLE RACING
CHAMPIONSHIP.

THE APRILIA X 250TH, WHICH HAS A SPECTACULAR “STARS AND STRIPES”
THEMED LIVERY INSPIRED BY THE AMERICAN FLAG, IS THE MOST
POWERFUL RSV4 EVER BUILT, WITH 240 HP POWERING JUST 165 KG FOR A
WEIGHT/POWER RATIO THAT PROVIDES AN UNPRECEDENTED RIDING
EXPERIENCE.

SIXTH GENERATION OF THE X BRAND, THE NEW APRILIA X 250TH IS AN
AERODYNAMIC EXCELLENCE WITH THE VERY LATEST GENERATION SEAT
WINGS, FOUND ONLY ON THE RS-GP PROTOTYPE THAT RACES IN THE
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

The latest Aprilia X on the front straight at COTA, looking back from Turn One.

Austin, 27 March 2026 – On the occasion of the Grand Prix of the United States, Aprilia
Racing unveiled the Aprilia X 250TH, a special edition born out of the cutting-edge
technological excellence developed in MotoGP. The new Aprilia X 250TH was built to
celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States of America’s
Declaration of Independence, which took place on July 4th, 1776.

For this reason, the decision was also made to earmark 25 of the 30 units for the U.S.
market, with the remaining bikes available for the rest of the world, and to dedicate the
spectacular “Stars and Stripes” livery inspired by the colors of the American flag.

On a technical level, Aprilia Racing has taken another step forward with the Aprilia X
250TH. In fact, it is the first and only bike in the world on the market fitted with carbon-
carbon brakes – the same ones used in MotoGP. This feature makes the X 250TH the
bike on the market capable of expressing the same braking power as the Aprilia RS-
GP ridden by Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martín.

The latest Aprilia X has carbon-fiber bakes as well as front and rear wings.

Furthermore, on the aerodynamics front, the latest generation MotoGP-derived seat
wings have been updated. These are elements that confirm the vocation of the “X”
brand in representing the most advanced point ever of the connection between a
factory bike and a MotoGP prototype.

Aprilia Racing thereby consolidates its internationally renowned “X” brand with the
Aprilia X 250TH, the sixth generation of a unique project to the world, launched in 2019
with the RSV4 X, followed up in 2020 with the Tuono X, in 2022 with the RSV4 X
Trenta, in 2024 with the RSV4 X ex3ma, and in 2025 with the RSV4 X-GP. Exclusive
models distinguished by the “X” which represents the absolute pinnacle of excellence
that can possibly be aspired to in a bike, sold to the general public.

BRAKING SYSTEM

An absolutely distinctive element of the Aprilia X 250TH is the Brembo carbon-carbon
braking system, unique in its kind for a factory bike. The system employs carbon brake
discs – the same ones used in MotoGP – with a diameter of 340mm high mass,
combined with carbon pads and a billet aluminium calliper with cooling fins. The system
is completed by the rear brake disc, which is gripped by a nickel-plated calliper.

The use of carbon discs translates into half the weight of traditional steel discs,
contributing to improving the bike’s overall handling, whereas the carbon pads mean
about one-third less weight than sintered pads. At the same time, it ensures consistent
performance even in conditions of extreme use, bringing the riding experience and
braking power even closer to those of the MotoGP prototypes.

AERODYNAMICS

Aerodynamics are another distinctive element of the Aprilia X 250TH, an area in which
Aprilia Racing confirms its status as a pioneer in MotoGP. In fact, the lines of the new
X are inspired by the RS-GP, especially starting from the design of the rear, faithfully
replicating the airflow. The aerodynamics package features advanced, MotoGP-
derived solutions which include seat wings – Aprilia Racing proprietary technology –
and tail wings, which appeared for the first time on the RS-GP25. The combination of
seat wings and tail wings adds aerodynamic load during braking on corners, as well
as the rear wing, the under wing and the cornering wings.

Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin pose with the Aprilia X at COTA.

Another distinctive element is the carbon structural saddle support, made by PAN
Compositi, with “sandwich structure” processing. This is a specific way of placing the
carbon fibres in order to make it extremely lightweight while still maintaining rigidity.
All of these elements make the vehicle’s rear-end dynamics even more similar to those
of the racing prototype, increasing grip and ensuring a more direct feeling between
rear tire performance and the rider’s sensations. Completing the package is the SC
Project titanium MotoGP replica double-exhaust, designed to maximise performance
and give it a racing sound.

The Aprilia X 250TH also includes an advanced ground-effect aerodynamic system,
developed and patented by Aprilia Racing. The design of the side fairings generates
downforce when the bike is leaned over, increasing grip and stability in cornering.

All the fairings are made in carbon by PAN Compositi with the same procedures used
for the MotoGP bikes. The vertical load on the straightaway is five times as great as
the Aprilia RSV4, increasing stability and reducing wheelies, whereas in leans, there
is three times as much load, all to the advantage of grip on corners. Highlighting its
exclusive nature is the “Stars and Stripes” livery, which features the colors of the
American flag.

ENGINE

The Aprilia X 250TH is equipped with a 1099cc 65° V4 engine developed by the Racing
Department with SBK racing specifications. Maximum power reaches 240 HP at 13,750 rpm (max regime at 14,100 rpm), with maximum torque of 131 Nm at 11,750
rpm.

This performance is achieved thanks to a targeted evolution of the V4 engine which
includes increased compression ratio, a Sprint Filter high permeability racing air filter
with racing spec airbox intake trumpets, an SC Project titanium dual pipe exhaust, and
STM dry clutch.

ELECTRONICS

Electronics management is handled by the Aprilia Racing APX control unit, a direct
evolution of the systems used in the WSBK Championship that Max Biaggi won astride the
RSV4. It is a unit with fully adjustable parameters to adapt to riding styles and track
conditions. The APX system allows for management of the front lift mitigation feature
and the power, traction control, and engine brake for each individual gear, and it is
completed by an integrated GPS system.

CHASSIS ARCHITECTURE

The Aprilia X 250TH comprises an aluminium double trellis frame, combined with
mechanical Öhlins suspension with dedicated setup, including the pressurized fork.

The setup is completed by forged Marchesini wheel rims in magnesium, shod with the Pirelli slicks used in the World Superbike Championship.

The level of finishing reflects Aprilia Racing’s approach. Numerous components are
made of carbon or billet aluminium such as, for example, the adjustable footpegs or
the steering plate (upper triple clamp) with the serial number. The equipment also includes oversized water and oil radiators with WSBK technology and a final drive that has a titanium rear sprocket and lightened front sprocket made by PBR, as well as a 520 Regina Chain.

Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin joined by Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola and the Aprilia X 250th.

LIMITED EDITION
25 of the 30 Aprilia X 250TH units produced will be destined for the U.S. market at
MSRP $150,000 USD, whereas the remaining 5 will be dedicated to other markets,
including Europe, at a price of €115,000 + VAT. Online booking will be possible
immediately in the dedicated FACTORYWORKS.APRILIA.COM area
https://factoryworks.aprilia.com/

In addition to the limited and numbered edition of the Aprilia X 250TH, buyers will also
receive a Yashi laptop with the software to manage the ECU parameters and electronic
strategies, a mat, a personalized bike cover, RCB titanium front and rear stands, and
IRC tire covers.

Aprilia X 250TH falls within the Factory Works program launched by Aprilia Racing: a
project conceived and realized within the Noale-based Racing Department intended to
make the same technology developed in racing available to those who intend to
compete at top levels in factory derivative series, or for those who want to own an
RSV4 or Tuono V4 with top tier performance.

MASSIMO RIVOLA, APRILIA RACING CEO:

“Once again, Aprilia Racing introduces an exclusive product which is even closer to a
MotoGP bike. The Aprilia X 250TH is clearly an item for true connoisseurs – something
unrivalled. Over the years, the X bikes have become highly sought after for both
collectors and for those seeking to experience a thrill that is extremely close to what
MotoGP riders feel.”

FABIANO STERLACCHINI, APRILIA RACING TECHNICAL DIRECTOR:

“The Aprilia X 250TH is another great Aprilia Racing creation in which, like with the
previous editions, we paid painstaking attention to the aspects that set it apart, starting
with the highly sophisticated aerodynamics reminiscent of the MotoGP bike concepts,
all the way to numerous engine upgrades, with an increase in power compared to the
previous ones. The truly particular aspect of this project, however, is the cutting-edge
braking system. The carbon discs allow extreme braking without stressing the braking
system. This is MotoGP-derived technology, partly utilized in Formula 1 as well, and it
represents an entirely new feature that will allow braking performance never before
seen on a bike sold to the general public.”

APRILIA X 250TH TECH SHEET

Moto RSV4 1100 Factory 2026 built by Aprilia Racing, non-street legal, modified as
follows:

Engine V4 65°, 1099cc with SBK racing specifications

Exhaust System SC-Project Titanium Full-System Exhaust MotoGP Replica
4×2 with balance pipe between cylinder banks

Airbox MY25 throttle body and dedicated intake trumpets

Air Filter High permeability racing – MotoGP technology – Sprint Filter

Electronic Central Unit APX Aprilia Racing with specific settings and GPS system

Radiators (water and
oil) Oversized Racing – SBK technology

Transmission Titanium rear sprocket and lighter front sprocket by PBR
(designed by Aprilia Racing)

Chain Regina Chain 520

Max. Power @
crankshaft
240 HP @ 13750 rpm

Max. Torque @
crankshaft
131 Nm @ 11750 rpm

Max. Engine Rpm 14.100 rpm

Rims Marchesini in forged Mg M7R GENESI (front 17’’x3.5’’ – rear

17’’x6’’)
Braking System Brembo Carbon-Carbon, with carbon discs – 340 mm
diameter high mass – MotoGP configuration, carbon
brake
pads – MotoGP configuration and billet aluminium calliper
with cooling fins

Rear Brake Calliper Nikel-plated

Front Forks Öhlins FKR pressurized cartridge with mechanical control.

Adjustable in spring preload, hydraulic (with dedicated
setup) compression and rebound damping.

Fork bottoms designed by Aprilia Racing, fully
CNC-machined, for MotoGP-derived brake callipers with
108 mm spacing.

Rear Shock Absorber Öhlins TTX mechanically managed piggyback derived from
MotoGP, fully adjustable in: spring pre-load, wheelbase and
hydraulic compression (with dedicated setup) and rebound
damping.

Steering Damper Öhlins, adjustable

Clutch Dry clutch by STM

Upper Triple Clamper Racing, lighter, CNC machined, with limited edition number
Handlebar switches Racing by Jetprime

Clutch Lever Racing by Domino

Footrests Kit Racing, adjustable, by Spider

Fairing MotoGP specifications, full carbon by PAN Compositi

Aero package Carbon front and under wing, cornering wings, tail wings,
seat wings as from MotoGP, by PAN Compositi

Seat Support Structural carbon seat support, by PAN Compositi

Mudguard and chain
guard
Full carbon

Livery “Stars and Stripes”

CNC parts Fuel tank cap, engine crankcase and brake lever
protections, by Spider

Tires Pirelli Slick Diablo SBK ant. SC-1 125/70 post. SC-X 200/65

Dry Weight 165 kg

As a complement Yashi laptop, personalized mat and bike cover, titanium rear
and front stands by RCB, tire warmers by IRC

H-D Bagger World Cup: Results From Race Two At COTA

March 29, 2026

Archie Mcdonald (69), Eric Granado (51), Jake Lewis (85) and Oscar Gutierrez (99) during the Bagger World Cup Race 2 at COTA. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Oscar Gutierrez won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Race Two Sunday morning at Circuit Of The Americas, in Texas. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Spaniard won the 7-lap race by 3.020 seconds.

Eric Granado was the runner-up on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson and his teammate, Archie Mcdonald finished third.

Archie Macdonald crossed the finish line in 2nd place but received a three-second penalty for failing to comply with the long lap penalty after exceeding track limits.

Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Jake Lewis was 4th, Cory West finished the race in 6th and Travis Wyman suffered technical issues on his bike.

Cody Wyman did not start the race on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson.

Archie McDonald leads the championship with 41 points, 8 ahead of Oscar Gutierrez who has 33 points. Jake Lewis is third with 33 points.

More from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:

Two winners, intense battles and history made at Bagger World Cup Opener in Austin.

AUSTIN, Texas — The opening round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup delivered intense on-track battles and dramatic moments at the Circuit of the Americas, as the new global championship in partnership with MotoGP™ officially came to life alongside the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of the Americas.

Both the races of the weekend were fought until the final laps, producing the first two winners in the history of the category. Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) claimed victory in Race 1 on Saturday, while Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) secured the win in Race 2 on Sunday.

Race 1:

At the start of the first race in championship history, young Australian Archie McDonald launched perfectly from the grid, getting the better of teammate Eric Granado, who had secured pole position in qualifying with a lap time of 2:12.387.
The battle between the two intensified at mid-race, with Granado taking the lead after a mistake from McDonald. However, the Australian responded shortly after, reclaiming the position when Granado lost the front under braking and dropped back through the field.
Jake Lewis (Saddlemen Race Development) delivered a strong and consistent ride to take second place, showcasing experience and control across the race distance, while Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) secured third with a composed and disciplined performance to round out the podium.

Race 2:

McDonald and Granado were once again protagonists at the start of Race 2, with the Australian repeating his strong launch off the line. The two Joe Rascal Racing riders immediately set a fast pace, but were unable to break away from Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing), who steadily increased his rhythm lap after lap. The Spanish rider closed the gap and executed two clean overtakes to take the lead, going on to secure victory at the checkered flag.
On lap five, Gutiérrez also set a new benchmark for the category at the Austin circuit with a time of 2:12.348, establishing both the race lap record and the all-time lap record for the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup at Circuit of the Americas.
Second at the finish line was Archie McDonald, but a three-second penalty for failing to complete the prescribed Long Lap after twice exceeding track limits dropped the Australian to third in the final classification, promoting Eric Granado to second.

Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson: “This weekend delivered exactly what we set out to build. Close racing, battles decided in the final laps, and riders pushing these machines to the limit from the very start. The level of competition showed up immediately, and that’s a strong indication of where this championship is headed.
We also saw different riding styles coming together on track, with riders finding their own way to be fast on these bikes. That created some really interesting race dynamics and showed how competitive and adaptable this grid already is from the first round.
What’s been especially powerful is the global nature of the championship, with riders and teams from different parts of the world coming together to be part of something new. That’s a significant step forward for the series.
And then there’s the emotion. You feel it in the sound, the torque, and the presence of these bikes on track. It’s raw, it’s different, and it’s real. This is not just racing. We’re building something new here, a global platform that brings a different kind of energy to the MotoGP stage and connects with fans in a way that is authentic to Harley-Davidson.”

Archie McDonald – Joe Rascal Racing – Race 1 Winner: “History. That’s the first word that comes to my mind. It was the first race in the history of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, and I took the first win, hopefully the first of many. I’m really happy. There has been a lot of preparation behind this project, from myself, the team and Harley-Davidson, so this result feels amazing. I had a strong start, even if leading early wasn’t ideal. Granado passed me after a mistake, I stayed with him, and then he made a mistake and I took the lead again. My plan was to wait until the final laps to make a move, but in the end I didn’t need to. I’m sorry about Eric’s crash, as it’s not the way I wanted to win, but I’m still enjoying the moment. I’m really proud of my team and Harley-Davidson for making history with me, and I thank them all.”

Oscar Gutiérrez – Niti Racing – Race 2 Winner: “I’m very happy with this win. We did a great job regaining our focus after Race 1, and this was the best way to finish the Austin weekend. Already this morning I felt we had the potential to do it. I had a great feeling with the bike from the sighting lap and told my team that today was the right day. During the race I took my time to study Archie and Eric in front of me and understand where I could attack them. Then there was a moment when I clearly felt stronger, so I decided to increase the pace and make my moves. It’s a great victory, but we need to keep working well because the championship may look short, but it is still long with many races to go. We are already looking ahead to Mugello and continuing on this path. One area where I still need to improve is the start. At the beginning of the race I had to push to recover because McDonald and Granado started very strong. But I knew that if I stayed calm I could come back, and that’s what I did. I stayed patient for a couple of laps, then when I felt I had more pace I made the overtakes and in the end took a win that makes me very happy.”

Following the opening round, Archie McDonald leads the championship standings with 41 points, ahead of Oscar Gutiérrez and Jake Lewis, both on 33 points.

Championship Standings:

Archie McDonald (AUS) – 41 (25 / 16)
Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 33 (8 / 25)
Jake Lewis (USA) – 33 (20 / 13)
Eric Granado (BRA) – 30 (10 / 20)
Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 27 (16 / 11)
Cory West (USA) – 23 (13 / 10)
Travis Wyman (USA) – 11 (11 / -)
Cody Wyman (USA) – 9 (9 / -)
Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 9 (- / 9)

The next round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will take place at the Mugello International Circuit during the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of Italy, from May 29–31.

Supercross: Results From Detroit, Michigan

March 29, 2026

The Monster Energy Supercross Championship made its return to the "Motor City" for the 11th race of the season inside Ford Field. Photo courtesy SMX

DETROIT – A common adage in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship has long been that anything can happen at any given moment, and that sentiment reigned true during Round 11 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship inside Ford Field. An exceptionally challenging racetrack, anchored by the most treacherous and demanding whoop section of the season, pushed the most talented racers on the planet to the limit and ultimately resulted in a dramatic shakeup of the 450SMX Class title fight as Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen enjoyed a dominant performance for the landmark 25th victory of his career.

Ken Roczen’s Dominant Victory Headlines Wild Night in Detroit as Monster Energy Supercross Title Fight Shakes Up.

The 20 Minute + 1 Lap 450SMX Class Main Event kicked off with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado capturing his fifth holeshot of the season ahead of Roczen and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton, who made his return to action after missing three races. Championship leader Hunter Lawrence started deep inside the top 10 aboard his Honda HRC Progressive machine, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac, second in points, started outside the top 10. Back up front, Prado was able to fend off heavy pressure from Roczen for several laps, but the German native seized control of the race lead just a few minutes into the action. Prado then battled briefly with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, the reigning Supercross champion, but the two came together and went down, which dropped them deep in the field.

Roczen quickly built a multi-second lead over Sexton, who moved into second, while Lawrence overcame one of his worst starts of the season to claw his way up to third. The top three settled in through the middle portion of the Main Event, with each finding a consistent rhythm that kept the lead trio within three seconds of each other. Just before the halfway point of the moto, when both Sexton and Lawrence had made inroads on Roczen’s lead, Lawrence crashed hard exiting the whoops. He remounted but was forced to have his bike attended to in the mechanics area, which lost him a lap.

Roczen extended his lead once more to end the threat from Sexton, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart moved into third ahead of Tomac. Roczen continued to pull away and easily took home his second win of the season in his 173rd career start by a margin of 7.7 seconds over Sexton. Stewart broke through with his first podium result of the season in third, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fourth, ahead of Tomac in fifth. Lawrence, meanwhile, soldiered through another fall to salvage 18th place.

A dramatic shakeup in the championship has moved Tomac back atop standings for the first time since the fourth race of the season, as he now holds a four-point lead over Lawrence with six races remaining. Roczen’s win moved him to within 14 points of the lead to establish a three-rider battle for the championship’s stretch run.

Ken Roczen – 1st Place – 450SMX Class:

“I don’t know what to say, but this is exactly what I was talking about [people overlooking my ability to win]. This was a tough Main Event. I was definitely not the fastest in the beginning. I was playing a little bit with the track. I knew they were gaining on me, so I switched up my rhythms slightly. It was tough, because I wasn’t necessarily lighting the world on fire [with my speed] but the track was so tough. The whoops were a 50-50 chance you were going to make it through or end up on your back. I am so excited, you have no idea. We closed up some points, but we still have a lot of racing to go.”

Chase Sexton – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class:

“Those weeks at home watching the races, there were some dark times. Obviously, I didn’t want to get injured and didn’t want to sit on the couch, but I wanted to come back when I was ready. I felt pretty good tonight, but I also felt that couch about 10 minutes into the Main Event. I felt good in the beginning and got a little tight and a little winded. We’ll go back to work but definitely a great start to the comeback. It’s been a long year for the team and me, but we want to go up from here.”

Malcolm Stewart – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class:

“It’s been tough [this season]. I had an unfortunate situation in Anaheim [getting injured at the first race]. I kind of just felt like I didn’t know if I’d get on the podium [this season]. That’s partly just not believing in yourself, and I realized I need to pull myself out of that. I want to give it up to my team, they’ve been in my ear all season telling me I can do this. I told them we’d pop some champagne before the end of the season, so huge shout out to them.”

Eli Tomac – 5th Place – 450SMX Class Points Leader:

“Of course, I saw Hunter’s [Lawrence] crash and knew I was going to take advantage of that once I saw him a lap down, but overall, a bit of a frustrating day here. I’ve actually struggled here my past couple rides. I don’t know what it is. I haven’t had the best success at Detroit lately. Maybe I’ve been in kind of a midseason slump. We’ll do what we can to get better, improve, and get back to winning some races and be up at the front.”

450SMX Class Point Standings