MXGPOfficialmotocrossAugust 2, 2026

Haavisto Seals Emxopen Title With Perfect 1-1 Weekend In Lommel

LOMMEL (Belgium) 2 August 2026 – The 2026 EMXOpen European Championship crowned its champion this weekend at Lommel, the sand track hosting the class’s only round of the season alongside the MXGP of...

LOMMEL (Belgium) 2 August 2026 – The 2026 EMXOpen European Championship crowned its champion this weekend at Lommel, the sand track hosting the class’s only round of the season alongside the MXGP of Flanders. Over two closely fought races on one of the toughest circuits on the calendar, the title came down to a who was able to dompt the circuit under a hot sun and treacherous lines.

In that game, Jere Haavisto for SILVE Racing swept both races to take the title, going 1-1 across the weekend and finishing nearly 16 seconds clear of Damien Knuiman in Race 2. Knuiman’s double runner-up finish secured second overall, with Peter Koenig completing the podium on a third in Race 1 and a fifth in Race 2.

(left to right) FIM Europe Vice Chairman Peter Goris, Jere Haavisto, David Luongo, Infront Moto Racing President & CEO

EMXOpen Start Lommel 2026

Matteo Del Coco grabbed the holeshot but was already down to third by the end of the opening lap, with Knuiman through to lead from Haavisto in second. Nicholas Lapucci riding for RED MOTO Millionaire Racing Team moved into third by lap two ahead of Koenig, while Del Coco continued to slide backwards, out of the top ten entirely by lap four.

Haavisto shadowed Knuiman for six laps before making his move, taking over the point on lap seven and immediately pulling clear to the flag. Further back, Koenig picked off Lapucci for third on lap five, and Dave Kooiker followed him through a lap later to demote Lapucci to fifth.

The fight for the minor placings caught fire in the closing stages. Lapucci repassed Kooiker for fourth on lap 12, and then, on the final lap, Albin Gerhardsson produced a double move to snatch fifth off both Kooiker and Junior Bal, shuffling them back to sixth and seventh respectively. Sven van der Mierden came home eighth ahead of Micha-Boy de Waal and Markuss Kokins, who rounded out the top ten. Del Coco recovered from his mid-race slide to finish 17th.

Race 2, run on Sunday morning, played out very differently at the start. Lapucci grabbed the holeshot, but Knuiman muscled through to lead at the end of the opening lap with Haavisto right behind him in second, Lapucci third and Gerhardsson fourth. The lead changed hands almost immediately: Haavisto was through to the front by lap two and was never seriously troubled again.

Lapucci’s race unravelled from there, the Italian slipping to fourth by lap three before crashing out of contention by lap four, which promoted Gerhardsson to third. The Swede held the position for the next seven laps in a career-best ride, while Koenig lost two spots in an off-track excursion on lap six that dropped him to sixth, handing fourth and fifth to Kokins and Victor Alonso.

Alonso, on the Ducati, was the standout of the second half: the Spaniard picked off Koenig for fourth on lap seven, then reeled in Gerhardsson and took third from him on lap 11. Gerhardsson’s strong ride ended in heartbreak, the Swede crashing out of fourth late on and losing a lap, dropping him to 23rd at the flag. Koenig recovered from his mid-race excursion to retake fifth from Gert Krestinov on the very last lap.

Jere Haavisto: “A couple of close moments there, but happy to win the race and the championship, and I just want to say a huge thanks to my team, SILVE Racing, all our sponsors and my family. Thanks a lot., now let's be enjoying the moment.”

Damien Knuiman: “I’m very happy this weekend, I got two good starts and led a lot so I’m really happy. I’m just 20 years old, my first year on the 450, so I’m really happy with what I did with my second place. Now I’m focused on beach races, that’s the main goal with my new team and then focus back on motocross, so I’ll see everyone next year.”

Peter Koenig: “I’m really happy. The second race was a really scary moment at one point, but I finished fifth, it was a good weekend, and thank you to my team and thank to my parents also”

1. Damien Knuiman; 2.Peter Koenig

EMXOpen – Race 1 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 30:20.873; 2. Damien Knuiman (NED, Yamaha), +0:14.779; 3. Peter Koenig (GER, KTM), +0:21.524; 4. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, Honda), +0:25.712; 5. Albin Gerhardsson (SWE, Yamaha), +0:29.777; 6. Dave Kooiker (NED, GASGAS), +0:32.285; 7. Junior Bal (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:33.799; 8. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, Kawasaki), +0:34.731; 9. Micha-Boy De Waal (NED, GASGAS), +0:35.341; 10. Markuss Kokins (LAT, GASGAS), +0:36.299

EMXOpen – Race 2 - Top 10 Classification: 1. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 30:38.451; 2. Damien Knuiman (NED, Yamaha), +0:15.830; 3. Victor Alonso (ESP, Ducati), +0:19.858; 4. Markuss Kokins (LAT, GASGAS), +0:33.572; 5. Peter Koenig (GER, KTM), +0:40.002; 6. Gert Krestinov (EST, Honda), +0:42.577; 7. Kaarel Tilk (EST, Husqvarna), +0:46.512; 8. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, Kawasaki), +0:50.286; 9. Boris Blanken (NED, GASGAS), +0:54.841; 10. Dave Kooiker (NED, GASGAS), +1:03.811

EMXOpen Overall - Top 10: 1. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 50 points; 2. Damien Knuiman (NED, YAM), 44 p.; 3. Peter Koenig (GER, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Markuss Kokins (LAT, GAS), 29 p.; 5. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, KAW), 26 p.; 6. Dave Kooiker (NED, GAS), 26 p.; 7. Gert Krestinov (EST, HON), 25 p.; 8. Kaarel Tilk (EST, HUS), 23 p.; 9. Junior Bal (BEL, HUS), 22 p.; 10. Victor Alonso (ESP, DUC), 20 p.

EMXOpen Championship - Top 10 Classification: 1. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 50 points; 2. Damien Knuiman (NED, YAM), 44 p.; 3. Peter Koenig (GER, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Markuss Kokins (LAT, GAS), 29 p.; 5. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, KAW), 26 p.; 6. Dave Kooiker (NED, GAS), 26 p.; 7. Gert Krestinov (EST, HON), 25 p.; 8. Kaarel Tilk (EST, HUS), 23 p.; 9. Junior Bal (BEL, HUS), 22 p.; 10. Victor Alonso (ESP, DUC), 20 p.

EMXOpen Manufacturers - Top 10 Classification: 1. KTM, 50 points; 2. Yamaha, 44 p.; 3. GASGAS, 33 p.; 4. Honda, 33 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 28 p.; 6. Kawasaki, 26 p.; 7. Ducati, 20 p.

EMX Open Podium Lommel 2026