Liam Everts delivers a superb 4-4 scorecard to finish second in Open and help Belgium reclaim the Chamberlain Trophy.
Liam Everts helped Team Belgium end a 13-year wait for Motocross of Nations glory with a standout performance at Ernée, finishing fourth in both Sunday races as Belgium claimed its 16th victory in the legendary team event.
Fresh from finishing fourth in the 2026 MX2 World Championship, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing rider stepped up to the Open class for the 79th edition of the Motocross of Nations, joining Lucas and Sacha Coenen in a young Belgian line-up led by team manager Joël Roelants.
Everts immediately established himself among the front-runners, finishing second to newly crowned MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings in Saturday’s Open qualifying race to help Belgium secure third gate pick for Sunday.
The 22-year-old carried that pace into the main event. In the MX2/Open race, Everts fought at the sharp end throughout and crossed the line fourth, just 0.376 seconds behind Open rival Pauls Jonass.
With Belgium firmly in contention for the Chamberlain Trophy, the pressure intensified in the final MXGP/Open race. Everts again ran at the front against some of the fastest 450 riders in the world, holding third deep into the moto before Romain Febvre moved ahead. Fourth at the flag proved crucial, with teammate Lucas Coenen immediately behind in fifth.
Together with Sacha Coenen’s contribution earlier in the day, the result gave Belgium a winning total of 23 points – three clear of Spain – to secure the nation’s first Motocross of Nations victory since 2013. What’s more Everts also finished second in the Open classification with his consistent 4-4 scorecard.
The victory carries particular significance for the Everts family. Exactly 50 years after grandfather Harry Everts claimed his first Motocross of Nations victory with Belgium in 1976, Liam now joins both Harry and his father Stefan as a Nations winner. Harry won the event twice, in 1976 and 1979, while Stefan was part of five Belgian victories between 1995 and 2004.
Belgium’s latest success is the country’s 16th Motocross of Nations victory, drawing it level with Great Britain for second on the all-time winners list.
The result brings Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s 2026 international motocross campaign to a memorable close, with Everts adding a Motocross of Nations title to a season that also included fourth in the MX2 World Championship, seven Grand Prix podiums and three individual moto victories.
#26 – Liam Everts (Team Belgium, Open): “It’s unreal. I had no idea where we were on points, so I was just trying to keep pushing because I knew it was going to be really close. We had a mega day and I couldn’t have done it without Lucas and Sacha. To win this with Belgium after 13 years is something else, and with the history my dad and grandad have with this event, it makes it even more special. It’s been a long road, but we pulled it off together. I’m honestly lost for words – this feels amazing.”
Results – 2026 FIM Motocross of Nations – Ernée:
MXGP/MX2 – Race One:
1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:15.189; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:25.019; 3. Lucas Coenen (KTM) 35:31.578.
MX2/Open – Race Two:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (Honda) 35:23.925; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:59.807; 3. Pauls Jonass (Kawasaki) 36:01.005; 4. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 36:01.381.
MXGP/Open – Race Three:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (Honda) 35:15.127; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:27.162; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:33.684; 4. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:39.464.
Motocross of Nations – Overall Classification:
1. Belgium 23pts; 2. Spain 26pts; 3. The Netherlands 34pts.
