Super Stats: 2026 Motocross of Nations Preview and Stats Breakdown

The best race of the year is here! I absolutely love the Motocross of Nations and can’t wait to watch despite the USA not sending their best team.

This year France hosts and the race is in Ernee. This is the 4th time Ernee has hosted the MXoN as a venue. The previous times were:

2005 – Team USA was victorious
2015 – France beat USA by 2 points: 14 to 16
2023 – France won comfortably
And now 2026!

Team USA and Australia are not sending their best teams, however, this years event should still be competitive with a few teams gunning for the victory.

In this article I will break down the history of France hosting the event, this year’s lineups, team previews of the notable teams/riders, some historical stat leaders from this event and anything else to look out for!

A few notes before we get started:

There is some confusion previously when I refer to how many times a rider has represented a country. I only track the teams/results of Nations that compete in the Final races on Sunday, so if a team doesn’t qualify, that representation doesn’t count towards some of the stats. Think of it like Main Event starts in Supercross…basically I am only counting Mains, not heat races and LCQs.
A good example of this is Ireland’s Martin Barr. He has been the representative of Team Ireland roughly 20 times, however, Ireland doesn’t always qualify for the Final. Thus, I only have him at 11 total appearances going into 2026.
I might use “representing a Nation” and “Finals appearances” interchangeably when it might not actually be a matching number.
Hope this makes sense!

French MXoN History

2026 will be France’s 11th time hosting the Motocross of Nations. They hosted in the following years:

1960, 1966, 1971, 1977, 1988, 2000, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2023 and 2026.

France has an average finish of 4.89 when hosting. They have won as hosts two times: 2015 and 2023.

Guatier Paulin has represented France the most times with 11 finals appearances. He is also the most successful with 5 Team victories.

Interestingly, he only won his class at the MXoN one time. This was in 2014 when he went 1-1 at Kegums in Latvia.

France ran away with this race as hosts in 2023 in Ernee. Romain Febvre, Tom Vialle and Maxime Renaux were the team members. Vialle and Renaux winning their respective classes.

France is a motocross heavyweight and they have won this event 7 times. This is tied with Sweden for 4th all-time. They are also 4th all-time in podium finishes with 25.

2026 Team Breakdown

I will breakdown the riders from all the top teams and mention anything on notable riders as well. This will be in order from last year’s event finish.

Australia

MXGP – Jed Beaton

MX2 – Alex Larwood

Open – Aaron Tanti

You’ll notice two riders missing…the Lawrences. Jett and Hunter announced several months back they would be skipping this year’s event as they needed a break from all the racing they have been doing. Australia won back to back years in 2024 and 2025.

This is the MXoN debut for all three of these riders. Should be a solid Top 10 team that qualifies right through into the final.

Jed Beaton raced the 2022 MXGP of France at Ernee and finished 12th overall.

United States

MXGP – Julien Beaumer

MX2 – Levi Kitchen

Open – Cooper Webb

I could write a novel on this year’s fiasco of getting riders to represent Team USA but I’ll save that for another time. I am just happy we have a team. Massive credit to Cooper Webb for being an absolute legend and stepping up to represent the red white and blue! And making his Husqvarna debut while doing so!

I think this Team has podium potential if everything breaks their way, but I just don’t see this team competing for the win.

This will be Julien Beaumer’s 450 debut. Hopefully Levi gets the better gate positions to get the best start possible. Both Julien and Levi are making their debuts at the MXoN here. Credit to Julien for stepping up last minute as well.

Cooper Webb is making his 4th appearance for Team USA. He represented the team in 2015, 2016 and 2024. This is the first team Webb is actually racing the bike/class he normally racing. He has either stepped up or down classes previously.

When Webb has competed previously, Team USA has lost by just 2, 3 and 4 points. Extremely close.

France

MXGP – Romain Febvre

MX2 – Mathis Valin

Open – Tom Vialle

France comes into this race as likely the favorite given they are on home soil. This is a very strong team!

This will be Romain Febvre’s 7th time representing France. He has won this event 4 times, winning his class one time. He finished 1-7 in 2023 at Ernee.

Mathis Valin is making his second appearance for France. He finished 3rd in the MX2 class last year.

Tom Vialle makes his 4th appearance for France. First time he is not in MX2 or on a KTM. He was on the 2023 winning team, winning his class in the process in MX2.

Belgium

MXGP – Lucas Coenen

MX2 – Sacha Coenen

Open – Liam Everts

If fully healthy, Belgium should be compete for the win.

This is the third time competing for Belgium for the Coenen brothers.

Liam Everts is making his 5th appearance.

This could be the Belgium lineup for the foreseeable future. Belgium hasn’t wont the MXoN since 2013.

Slovenia

MXGP – Tim Gajser

MX2 – Jaka Peklaj

Open – Jan Pancar

Slovenia running the same team as 2024 and 2025. Tim Gajser can play a massive spoiler once again as Slovenia probably won’t be competing for the win. 5th place last year is Slovenia’s best ever finish at the MXoN.

This is Gajser’s 8th time on Slovenia. Peklaj’s 3rd and Pancar’s 6th.

Italy

MXGP – Andrea Adamo

MX2 – Ferruccio Zanchi

Open – Andrea Bonacorsi

Adamo makes his 5th appearance for Italy, his first on a 450. Bonacorsi makes his 4th appearance and Zanchi makes his MXoN debut.

Sweden

MXGP – Isak Gifting

MX2 – Alve Callemo

Open – Alvin Ostlund

Alvin Ostlund is making his 10th appearance for Team Sweden. Gifting his 3rd appearance and Callemo his debut. 7th last year was Ostlund’s best finish on Sweden in his career.

Switzerland

MXGP – Valentin Guillod

MX2 – Jeremy Seewer

Open – Kevin Brumann

Valentin Guillod is making his 15th appearance for the Swiss, Seewer his 14th!

Jeremy Seewer is going to the MX2 class for the first time since 2016.

Brumann is making his 2nd appearance.

Spain

MXGP – Jorge Prado

MX2 – Guillem Farres

Open – Ruben Fernandez

This is a really strong team that can compete for the win. We know how strong Prado is, making his 8th appearance for Spain.

Guillem Farres is the 2026 MX2 champion. This is his third appearance for the team. He should be the favorite to win the MX2 class.

Ruben Fernandez is a solid Open class rider for the team as well.

Netherlands

MXGP – Glenn Coldenhoff

MX2 – Roan Van de Moosdijk

Open – Jeffrey Herlings

Solid team here for the Dutch. Herlings is coming off the MXGP title. Herlings can tie a few records at this years event. More on that below.

Team Stats to Watch For!

Belgium can tie Great Britain for second in all-time victories with 16. Belgium sits at 15, Great Britain 16.
France can take sole possession of 4th all-time in wins with victory. Currently tied with Sweden for 4th all-time.
Spain could get their first ever victory…and podium at the MXoN.
Spain would be the 12th team to win the Chamberlain trophy. Currently 11 nations have won. Fun fact, two of those nations no longer exist! Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia.
Team USA can tie Great Britain for second most podiums. USA has 35, Great Britain 36.

Individual Stats to Watch For!

By simply qualifying for the Final, Valentin Guillod will tie Harri Kullas for 4th all-time in Finals appearances with 15!
Jeffrey Herlings can tie Stefan Everts for the most individual class wins all-time with 6.
With a class podium, Jeffrey Herlings can move into second by himself with 9. He is currently tied with Roger De Coster and Marnicq Bervoets.
Another Jeffrey one! Herlings can move to second by himself with a moto win for all-time motos wins. He is currently tied with Jeffrey Smith and Anotnio Cairoli with 6. Everts leads with 11.