The World of Motorcycling

As a heatwave continues to affect southern Europe, preparations are underway in the medieval inland town of Teruel, north of Valencia, for the second successive Spanish event to be a round of the FIM Bajas World Cup.

The sport’s top Baja riders will gather for this iconic race; some to defend their titles, others to claim a new one, but all driven by a quest for glory and the ambition to be the best. Lorenzo Santolino won last year’s Baja Spain Aragón and will be present alongside his Team Sherco teammates, South African Bradley Cox and Indian rider Rajendra Revallar. Fresh from last month’s success at the Baja Extremadura, Britain’s Ethan Lane (KTM) will be keen to repeat the feat, while his compatriot Alex McInnes (KTM) currently leads the FIM Bajas World Cup standings with 58 points, ahead of Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera (46 points) and defending champion Mohammed Al-Balooshi (44 points). Lane and McInnes are also competing for the Junior title: McInnes holds a commanding lead. He has 66 points compared to 25 for Lane, who has competed in only one race this season. After overcoming an early-season injury, Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) is eager to return to the track, as is Tobias Ebster. However, this talented field will have their work cut out to try and contain the fierce pace of Monster Energy Honda factory rider Tosha Schareina, a three-time Baja Spain Aragón winner (2022, 2023, and 2024). Three competitors are entered in the Women’s category: Joanna Modrzewska (Triumph) is the Cup leader with 70 points and faces Lili-May (Kove) and Dutta Priyankka (KTM).

Jérôme Connart at 2025 Baja Spain Aragón ©_edophoto.

In the Quad section, the line-up includes two Girouds - Alexandre and Kevin - alongside Jérôme Connart, Antoine Sanchez, Toni Vingut, and Dani Vila. They will be challenging Ahmed Al-Jabar, who currently leads the FIM Bajas World Cup’s quad class with 56 points, ahead of Hani Al-Noumesi (50 points) andAbdulaziz Al-Atawi (36 points). This impressive field promises an intense and suspense-filled race. Sweltering temperatures hover around 40°C during Baja Spain Aragón and this becomes a significant factor for riders when managing their race. For top desert off-road competitors, this fourth Baja of the 2026 season serves as excellent training. Riders will cover a total route of 810.11km over three days, including 488.68km of timed selective sections. Festivities kick off on Friday, July 24, with administrative and technical checks followed by a 6.48km Prologue, which will determine the starting order for Saturday’s first stage. This comprises 331.15km of special stages and nearly 190km of liaison sections. On Sunday (July 26), the second stage will cover a distance of 151.07km and 76.48km of liaison sections. Full details are available on SPORTITY using code BAJAARAGON26_BIKES.