So much to talk about from yesterdays MXGP of Portugal, at the usually beautiful, Agueda circuit. The continuing rise of this very talented young Belgian in Lucas Coenen and the return to form, of Andrea Adamo, the 2023 World MX2 champion, probably riding better than ever.

KTM might be in some financial problems, but that sure isn't making their factory bikes any slower. KTM have now dominated the last two GPs and two of their riders, Coenen and Adamo are looking the men to beat in MXGP and MX2. Below you can read their comments and those of many others.

Lucas Coenen: “A really good weekend. 1-1 again and the three motos! The rain made the track so sketchy and I was all over the place but it was a positive first moto; good start and I tried to ride smart. It was hard to handle all those edges in the ruts with the 450 but we made it happen. In the second moto I managed the pressure from Romain and I was a bit nervous at times but I’m so happy to win again. Let’s go again in Lugo.”

Andrea Adamo: “I rode well, really well. No mistakes and good starts, especially yesterday, and that put me in a good position for today, which was really important with the weather. In the first moto the conditions were crazy but the second moto was not too bad. 1-1-1: it’s the first time for me, so I’m super-happy.”

Kay de Wolf: "That was one of the toughest GPs we’ve had so far this season. The conditions were just brutal - deep mud, super physical, and really easy to make mistakes. I did my best to stay consistent and ride smart. In the first moto I had a crash and some goggle problems, but I kept pushing and managed to get back to third. The second moto was similar - I had to dig deep after a small crash, but I stayed focused and held onto another podium. I’m happy to come away with second overall and keep the red plate. Now it’s all eyes on Lugo."

Simon Laengenfelder: “So much mud! It was really hard to pass in the first moto, there was a lot of water and even though they worked on the track there was only one line. It was difficult but I could get Kay for 2nd. I folded the front on the first lap of the second moto and had to come from last. I had a good feeling on the bike though and unfortunately I ran out of tear-offs which made overtaking a challenge. A decent second race but a bit unlucky. Today could have been much better.”

Romain Febvre: "I tried to go for the win, but my goal heading into the races today was to take good starts and not crash as it can be so difficult in these conditions if you crash and get mud on your gloves. We saw today that we have got the starts sorted as I was immediately at the front with Lucas both motos and that will play in our favour as the season continues. Of course I wanted to pass him and indeed I made it happen twice in the first moto but Lucas could respond immediately both times. In the second moto I could come back onto his rear wheel but I could not find a line to make the difference. It's hard as a racer to accept but I had more to lose than to win if I had taken a risk, and I leave here with second overall and the red plate. I have spent the last four years chasing the red plate so I really wanted it; for me it is no pressure and it gives me confidence for the rest of the season. But it's still a long series and anything can happen so I need to stay sharp."

Ruben Fernandez: I really like Agueda, but when the weather is like this, I wasn’t sure how it was going to go, but thankfully it went really well. I certainly didn’t expect my first podium to come in these conditions, however I know I’ve been riding well and I just needed to stay consistent across both motos and I’d make it happen. My starts were excellent, which was crucial, and I kept any mistakes to a minimum. A big thank you to the team and my friends, family and fans for all their support and I can’t wait to try to do even better in Lugo next weekend.

Jeffrey Herlings: “Yesterday we were quite hopeful until the crash in the Heat when I was thinking about pushing for the lead. I was hit by another rider and bruised my ribs and had a sore elbow. I was struggling with the ribs today and I could feel every bump. It was annoying! We could finish 10-7 and that’s not what we wanted from this GP but after Saturday I think it was OK. I’ll definitely be 100% for the next race and I hope to be closer to that top five.”

Ferruccio Zanchi: Sixth overall looks good but I know I could have scored more points in both races and done even better. Conditions weren’t great but I knew I had the opportunity to have a good GP, and I just couldn’t perform to the level that I want to. We will keep working though and I will keep pushing to improve so that I can work my way back to the podium as that’s where I want to be.

Maxime Renaux: It was good to go 5-9 today because earlier this week I didn’t think I’d be racing. I crashed twice in the first race, but I was happy to finish fifth in that one. I then rode most of Race Two without a front brake lever after I crashed a couple of times, so I could only push so hard. That was a little frustrating but I came here to score points and that’s what I did. So, I have to be happy.

Sacha Coenen: “Better than the last GP. We made quite a lot of changes to the set-up of the bike in the last two weeks and I was feeling good on Saturday. I had a comfortable lead in the first moto but just jumped a little off track and got stuck in a mud pile. Anyway, we had good speed. The second moto was OK, Andrea was a bit faster today but P2 is more of what we need.”

Calvin Vlaanderen: It’s been a positive weekend. I felt really good on the bike and it was a shame to crash in Race One while in sixth. That ruled out any chance of the podium really, but I still fought hard in Race Two and placed fourth. I was really happy with my riding in that one and kept my mistakes to a minimum, which is hard to do in a mud race like that. It’s a shame about the rain we had but it was the same for everyone I guess.

Liam Everts: "Honestly, a weekend to forget for me. I felt really good coming to Portugal - I’ve had great memories here - and grabbing the Holeshot in the first moto was a good start. But after that crash and the brake issue, it just snowballed. The conditions were so tough, and I couldn’t find my rhythm again. The second moto was short-lived with a crash, and I got stuck off track. It’s frustrating, but this is racing. I’ll regroup with the team and come back stronger in Spain."

Jago Geerts: Two bad starts made things really difficult today and I also crashed in the third turn in Race Two. I can be happy with my consistency and now the goal is to be closer to the front next weekend in Spain.

Valerio Lata: When the track was nice and dry, I felt I was riding well, but mud makes things really difficult and I’m just not able to match the other guys when it gets so wet. It is something I need to work on, and I really want to get better because it seems like we are having a bad run of weather, so I want to fight for the higher positions whatever the track conditions are.

Pauls Jonass: "It was nice to get back to the intensity of racing. I felt good in the first race and was rewarded with fourth but I was a little disappointed about moto two; I just didn't find such a good flow but P5 overall was a good result first race back and I look forward to building step-by-step from here. The conditions were tough but the track crew did a great job to give us a track where you could race."

Mathis Valin: "I wasn't expecting such good results as this was my first race since the injury so I'm very happy to finish fourth overall. In the first moto I was fourth but I made a mistake with two laps to go and crashed; I lost time to restart but sixth wasn't so bad. The track was really rough for that first moto and physically it was a tough weekend as we had less time than usual between both motos so I was delighted with fifth in race two. The team has worked on the engine and I have worked on my technique so we got good starts all weekend even though I didn't had the best gate-pick. It was a wise decision of the team for me to rest my wrist as I now have no pain. I have also had time to reflect on the first part of the season; I already had the speed but I also had too many crashes and today I showed that I have learnt to take my time and stay on two wheels."

Rick Elzinga: In Race One, I went a little wide in the first turn and then as I went to pull a tear off in the next corner, someone had crashed in front of me. Then someone crashed into me. So, I was dead last but I rode really good, all the way up to fifth. In the second race, I stalled the bike and had some goggle issues, which is pretty normal for a mud race, but it was frustrating after how well I rode in Race One.

Guillem Farres: “That’s the weekend here in Portugal done. It’s a shame about the rain because on Saturday morning the track was really good. I had a good qualifying race with seventh and felt great on the track. My start in race one was decent but I crashed in the second corner. I stopped for goggles and it was a gnarly race overall. I was running 10th until the last lap when I crashed again and finished 12th. My start in the second race was also really good, but I just didn’t ride very well. I crashed twice and ended up eighth. Next weekend it’s my home GP so I’m focused on riding like I know I can and hopefully we get good weather too.”

Camden McLellan: “It was a super tough weekend. I was a little bit off with my feeling on this track and then it rained a lot, so that made things tougher. I had a good race going in the first moto until I got taken out, and then in the second one I had a bad start and crashed on my own. So, it’s been one of those mud races to forget and now it’s onto Lugo next weekend.”

Thibault Benistant: A really tough weekend in these conditions. Bad starts made it even more difficult for me and I wasn’t able to ride freely in either race. Hopefully, the weather will be better next weekend and I can ride like I know I can.

Karlis Reisulis: Today was interesting, to say the least. My speed was good, but crashes let me down. Now it’s on to Spain, where hopefully, it won’t be raining.

Francisco Garcia: "I am not used to conditions like this in Spain so I am glad to have finished the day on the podium with good points for the championship; I dropped a few points to the leader but the championship is long. There was so much rain today; the conditions were completely crazy and the track was getting more and more difficult every lap so I concentrated on not crashing. Now we stay focused for my home GP next weekend; I hope we will have better weather."

Mattia Guadagnini: “Not bad; it was hard to hope for anything more, even if in these conditions anything was possible. I started well in the first moto, but I struggled a lot in the last 10 minutes, and I lost four positions, which made a big difference in the result. In race two, I started less well, and I tried not to make too many mistakes. After half the moto, I was tired, so I just tried to bring it home because it was really tough. Top 10 on the way back is fine. I couldn't have hoped for much more, but I didn't aim for less, so for today it's fine like this.”

Jeremy Seewer: ”Not too much to say. We scored points and didn't do anything crazy, but I want to be more upfront, especially after yesterday with the feeling and riding I had. But today, we know how mud races are - sometimes they go your way, sometimes not. It seems like at the minute we're struggling with them. Usually these races happen once a year, but it seems like we need to get used to this more, as since last year we've had so many mud races. I need to work, and we need to improve. We need to improve together in these conditions, but I'm still happy because, like I said, in normal conditions and normal racing, we made a step. We saw that yesterday; I'm way more confident. We lost it today, but you know, we stay positive and keep pushing forward, and I think some good results will come soon."

Ben Watson: I had a tough weekend in Portugal. In qualifying I was forced to stop a couple of times in the pit lane. In the first heat I was mainly careful not to make mistakes, while in the second heat I recovered up to tenth place in the first two laps. I was riding well and the feeling with the track was good. Unfortunately, I broke the rear wheel and had to stop to replace it, lost a lap, but once I was back on track I kept pushing and picked up another couple of points.

Tom Koch: Another weekend of muddy weather. During practice the track was perfect, but I was a bit stiff and didn't get a good feeling. Before qualifying it started raining and the track conditions were completely different. I had some problems with my glasses and did not perform well. I was confident of doing better on Sunday, but the track was even worse because of the rain. In Race one I was forced to retire, while Race two started better; it took me a few laps to find my rhythm, and I finished fifteenth. I would like to thank our mechanics who had to work very hard this weekend.’

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