623 days. That’s 1 year, 8 months, and 14 days. That’s how long it took Jago Geerts to break back into the top 10 in both motos of a Grand Prix. An eternity for a rider of Geerts talent, a rider who was highly anticipated for his step up to the premier class.
Four-time MX2 World Championship runner-up, 24 Grand Prix wins, 46 moto victories: Geerts was a fixture in MX2 for five years. But despite such an impressive record, the Belgian former favourite saw the spotlight shift elsewhere. In just a few months, the rider expected to be a serious contender in the premier class found himself operating in the shadows, far from expectations.
2024, the step up.
Jago’s much-anticipated MXGP debut came in Argentina, March 2024. But he didn’t get much time to show his potential. Seventh fastest in qualifying on Saturday, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider crashed in the first lap of the qualifying moto and suffered a complicated elbow injury. Four months later, he attempted a comeback on his home sand at Lommel; but that return was short-lived as he didn’t race the motos after a poor Saturday. Ultimately, Geerts “real” MXGP debut came a few weeks later at Arnhem, where he finished eleventh at the Dutch GP. Unfortunately, once again, his momentum was halted a week later in Switzerland. The Belgian collided with a rider who crashed in front of him during the qualifying race and, faced with another setback, decided to pause his season. He was, however, called up to race at the Motocross of Nations to replace an injured Liam Everts in China.
2025, a fresh start.
With the slate wiped clean, Jago Geerts kicked off his 2025 season with a promising 8th place in Argentina—a much-needed breath of fresh air. However, he struggled to build on that. He finished 21st at Cozar, 24th at Saint Jean, got a brief reprieve in Sardinia (10th) before finishing just outside the top 10 in Arco (14th), Frauenfeld (12th), and Agueda (12th). It was indeed Jago Geerts who caused a surprise in Lugo by dominating the MXGP qualifying moto on Saturday—the most unlikely turnaround of the year. The next day, however, the Belgian found himself caught in every possible trouble and had to settle for 16th place at the Spanish GP. Finishing 15th at Ernée and 11th at Teutschenthal, Jago entered the second half of the season sitting 15th in the MXGP World Championship—a modest position, even more overshadowed by the exploits of his compatriot Lucas Coenen, who was enjoying a remarkable rookie season. Despite injuries and doubts, Geerts never gave up, and the Belgian rider’s determination stands out in a sport where mental strength often dictates results.
With a 9-4 finish at Kegums during the weekend weekend, Geerts placed sixth in Latvia, bringing home his best MXGP result to date and, most importantly, finishing two motos inside the top 10. He hadn’t done that since the MX2 World Championship finale at Matterley Basin in September 2023. A well-deserved breath of fresh air for both the rider and the official Yamaha team, who had experienced ups and downs during the first half of the championship.
Jago Geerts: “It was a really good weekend for me. The speed is there, but my starts in the qualifying race and the first moto let me down. Then I had a great start in the second moto and finished fourth, so I’m really happy with that result. It’s a base I can build on for the second half of the season, and I know that with good starts, I can run up front.”
No empty talk, no excuses, no harsh statements from Geerts—just hard work, determination, and an unwavering desire to get back to the front. The stage is set for Matterley Basin, the track where Geerts claimed his very last MX2 World Championship victory.
