• Ferruccio Zanchi and Italy finish fourth in the 2026 Motocross of Nations qualifying race
The 79th FIM Motocross of Nations is taking place this weekend at the Raymond Demy circuit in Ernée. Spanning 1,670 meters, the track winds through the hills of the town—located about 70 kilometers south of the English Channel—and features a hard-packed clay surface, defined by significant uphill and downhill sections.
Competing in the Motocross of Nations for the first time in his career, Ferruccio Zanchi is debuting the Beddini Racing Ducati MX2 Factory Team’s Desmo250 MX at this international event; following the Desmo450 MX’s debut a year ago, this bike now sports Italy’s colors to represent the national team in the MX2 class.
After finishing ninth in the morning’s free practice, Zanchi lined up 28th for the MX2 qualifying race, a position decided by Friday’s ballot which forced Italy to the back of the starting grid. The Italian rider got a good jump off the gate but was squeezed out at the first corner, passing through in 16th place. Eleventh after the first lap, Ferruccio managed to climb to eighth place by the end of the race. Zanchi and his teammates, Alberto Forato and Andrea Adamo, secured an excellent fourth-place finish for Italy, earning them their starting position for Sunday’s three main motos.
