Coming into the 2025 season, the landscape changed drastically for Danish star Mikkel Haarup. After ageing out of the MX2 World Championship at the end of 2024 and with Triumph’s 450cc machine not yet ready for competitive MXGP action, Haarup made the decision to head stateside. Since then, he’s been making waves in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Despite having to quickly adapt to unfamiliar tracks, a different race format, and the added challenges of the heat, Haarup has been a standout in his debut season. After eight rounds, the Dane currently sits fifth in the 250MX standings — matching the position he secured in last year’s MX2 World Championship. His steady progression has caught plenty of attention as he continues to find his feet in the highly competitive American scene.
Originally, it was announced that Haarup would return to Europe and the MXGP World Championship in 2026. However, sources suggest Triumph’s MXGP project has been delayed by another year, meaning Haarup will likely remain in America for the 2026 season. At this stage, it’s believed he will focus solely on the AMA Pro Motocross series and skip Supercross, though plans could evolve.
With a full year of adaptation behind him, the goal for 2026 will be clear: to fight for wins and maybe even the 250MX title. The class is expected to be wide open next summer, especially with Haiden Deegan likely moving up to the 450MX category for the outdoors, creating an opportunity for Haarup to cement himself as a title contender.
As for his long-term future, questions remain. Will Haarup return to Europe to contest the MXGP World Championship in 2027 when Triumph’s 450 project is finally expected to be ready? Or will he continue to carve out a career in the United States? For now, his focus remains on finishing the 2025 Pro Motocross season strongly, with three rounds left before shifting attention to the SMX races. He’s also set to represent Denmark at this year’s Motocross of Nations at Ironman.
Meanwhile, Triumph is expected to debut their 450cc machine in America next year, with Jordon Smith expected to race the bike. Whether the program will include both Supercross and Motocross or will be outdoors-only remains to be seen.
We’ll keep you updated as and when we hear more around the paddock.
