The Spanish team for the upcoming Motocross of Nations at Ironman Raceway has been officially confirmed, and team manager Paco Rico was kind enough to share some information regarding to the team.
Spain will be represented by a mix of established riders and promising young talent, as the team aims to perform strongly in America.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was seeing Francisco Garcia selected as he’s racing the EMX250 series this year. There was no mention about what bike he’ll race at the event but Paco has exclusively told us that Garcia will race a 450cc in the open class.
“Francisco will race on a 450cc with Kawasaki support thanks to BUD Racing. The 450cc is not a problem for him, and it will be interesting for many to see his speed on this bike. After Turkey, he will have time to adjust it to his liking and even race with it once.”
With it being known that Jorge Prado isn’t in the team due to contractual obligations with his current team, we asked Rico if Oriol Oliver was under consideration and if the reason he wasn’t picked is due to his recent health issues.
“Indeed, that is the reason Oriol wasn’t an option for the MX2 spot. A couple of months ago, the Spanish team was clearly Prado and Ruben with the 450cc bikes, and the 250cc spot would go to the best between Farres and Oliver, who were the strongest this year in the MX2 World Championship. When I had to decide, Farres was much better than Oliver. Oliver did very well at the MXoN last year at Matterley Basin. This year he was strong until the Matterley Basin race, but unfortunately, he suffered a serious problem (it’s a private matter, and if he doesn’t make it public, I won’t either) and was not in condition to face a race of that level”
“Oriol is recovering well, though. I had a meeting at the GP in Loket and asked him if he would be interested in joining the team for MXoN on a 350cc or 450cc bike if there was a vacancy, but he told me he only wanted to race in the MX2 class. Last week, I received a call from Jorge, and I had to replace him due to the situation with his current team – I cannot give details. So, with Oliver unavailable, and Braceras also unavailable due to injury, the next on my list to call was Francisco Garcia.”
Looking ahead, Paco Rico has high expectations for Francisco Garcia, seeing him as a future star of Spanish motocross.
“Honestly, I believe Francisco has huge potential, and I’m sure he will be the next Spanish rider to reach the World Championship as a professional rider on a factory team. He is good on hard pack, good in sand and good at passing riders. He always fights until the end with a strong physique and he is only 17 years old. I think working with such a professional team as BUD Racing has helped him grow in every sense.”
With such talent at a young age, Garcia’s progress will certainly be one to watch in the future. In 2026, he’ll be a clear favourite for the EMX250 championship and racing the MXoN this year will be great experience for his future.
Spain may not have Jorge Prado in their team but they’ll still be a Nation to keep an eye on at this years MXoN which heads to Ironman in America.
