Jaggar Townley enjoyed an impressive weekend at Ernee for the 2026 Motocross of Nations, showing strong pace in his first major international outing on the 125cc machine.
The young rider has only had a couple of weeks to focus specifically on the 125cc after previously splitting his time between the 85cc and 125cc, but he quickly adapted to the bigger bike and came away with a strong second-place finish. The Kiwi was actually set to race the 85cc class but decided in the end to step up to the 125cc for the event so second was a superb result.
Strong start on the 125cc
Townley made the most of his start and settled into second position, riding a controlled race despite feeling the effects towards the end. The New Zealander also admitted that he already feels more comfortable on the 125cc.
“I took a good start and rode my race in second. I was riding good, at the end I got a little bit tired but it’s only my second race on the 125cc, it was a good race. I had a couple of weeks on the 125cc before this race. I was riding the 85cc and the 125cc before that so I’ve only had a couple of weeks focusing on the 125cc. I feel much better on the 125cc, I think I suit it better”.
Ernee provided a memorable backdrop for Townley, with the huge French crowd creating an atmosphere he had never experienced before. The track itself was also one of his favourites, while he chose to concentrate on his own race rather than worry about his rivals.
“I really enjoyed the track here in Ernee. It’s one of my favourite tracks. I have never rode in front of a crowd like that. The French are crazy so it was cool to race in front of them. I wasn’t looking at Cazet too much, I was just trying to focus on myself out there”.
Learning alongside Levi and Dad
Townley has his brother Levi, something he is enjoying as they’ve moved to the other side of the world to focus on Motocross. Having another rider in the family means the two can share their thoughts on racing, with Levi was on pit board duties at the weekend.
“It’s good to be in Europe riding over here. It’s awesome to have Levi, a Brother that races – we can just talk about racing. He was pit boarding me so it was pretty good”.
With his European experience now under his belt, Townley is already looking ahead to the next chapter of his career in America. His father – Ben Townley – will continue to play an important role as a mentor as he prepares for the move.
“It’s awesome to have my Dad, he’s a really good mentor. I am looking forward to going to America next year now”.
