A little over two weeks and the MXGP championship returns to Portugal and while the circuit of Agueda has been one of the regular tracks on the MXGP calendar in the last decade or so, this beautiful country that borders Spain hasn’t been that long on the World scene, when you compare it to Belgium, Sweden, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and some of the other major motocross lands.

Back in 1985, Dave Strijbos won a round of the World 125cc championship at the Agueda track and a year later the Dutchman won again in Portugal, also at Agueda. The 125cc class ran six times in Portugal in the 1980s and 1990s, those two victories by Strijbos and then Alex Puzar won at Corthela in 1989, Donny Schmit won at Agueda in 1990, Pedro Tragter at Corthela in 1992 and Alessio Chiodi at Agueda in 1999.

The 250cc class only visited Portugal three times in the 1980s and 1990s and all three times were held at Agueda, Eric Geboers winning in 1987, Stefan Everts in 1997 and 1998. The 500cc riders went to Portugal four times, those in 1993 with Marcus Hansson winning at Arganil, Jacky Martens at Aguada in 1994, Joel Smets at Arganil in 1995 and Shayne King at Arganil in 1996. Amazingly, all four riders went on to win the World 500cc championship in those seasons.

In 2004 the MXGP series returned to Portugal after a five-year hiatus, and it was again Agueda with Mickael Pichon winning with 2-1 scores and in MX2 it was Ben Townley who scored 1-2 results for victory.

From those early years, the GP of Portugal was back in full force and ran GP’s 13 times in the last 19 years, just missing out in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021 (due to Covid). A selection of riders found the red clay of Agueda to their liking, with “The King” Stefan Everts winning in MX1 in 2005 and 2006, while Antonio Cairoli and Tyla Rattray won in MX2 in those two seasons.

Some surprises winners in 2007 and 2008 with Kevin Strijbos winning in 2007 and Sebastien Pourcel in 2008, in MX2 it was a little less of a surprise with Antonio Cairoli going 1-1 in his victories, both years.

Cairoli moved up to the MX1 class in 2009 and again went 1-1, while local rider and good friend of Cairoli, Rui Goncalves won in MX2. Clement Desalle, a bitter rivals of Cairoli won at Agueda in 2010, 2011 and 2012, while Marvin Musquin won MX2 in 2010 and Jeffrey Herlings in 2011 and 2012.

Gautier Paulin won MX1 in 2013 and Herlings again won in MX2, while Cairoli won MXGP in 2017, and Jeremy Seewer won MX2 that year. The final two years Herlings and Tim Gajser won MXGP, and Jorge Prado won in MX2. Prado won again in 2022 after Portugal took a break from the calendar due to Covid and in the MX2 it was Tom Vialle who won in 2022.

Last year, it was Herlings who won with 3-1 scores, ahead of Romain Febvre on 2-3 and Prado on 1-6. Jago Geerts won the MX2 class from Kay De Wolf and Roan Van De Moosdijk. 

The standout winners in Portugal are Cairoli, who managed five victories (amazing his first in 2005 and his last in 2017), Herlings also five times, Everts four times, Clement Desalle three times, with Dave Strijbos and Jorge Prado three time winners in Portugal.

GP of Portugal – Winners

1985 Dave Strijbos

1986 Dave Strijbos

1987 Eric Geboers

1989 Alex Puzar

1990 Donny Schmit

1992 Pedro Tragter

1993 Marcus Hansson

1994 Jacky Martens

1995 Joel Smets

1996 Shayne King

1997 Stefan Everts

1998 Stefan Everts

1999 Alessio Chiodi

2004 Mickael Pichon

2004 Ben Townley

2005 Stefan Everts

2005 Antonio Cairoli

2006 Stefan Everts

2006 Tyla Rattray

2007 Kevin Strijbos

2007 Antonio Cairoli

2008 Sebastien Pourcel

2008 Antonio Cairoli

2009 Antonio Cairoli

2009 Rui Goncalves

2010 Clement Desalle

2010 Marvin Musquin

2011 Clement Desalle

2011 Jeffrey Herlings

2012 Clement Desalle

2012 Jeffrey Herlings

2013 Gautier Paulin

2013 Jeffrey Herlings

2017 Antonio Cairoli

2017 Jeremy Seewer

2018 Jeffrey Herlings

2018 Jorge Prado

2019 Tim Gajser

2019 Jorge Prado

2022 Jorge Prado

2022 Tom Vialle

2023 Jeffrey Herlings

2023 Jago Geerts