Ford Steveny Superbiker 2026: Schmidt wins the grand final and secures his eighth title

At the Jules Tacheny circuit in Mettet, the Ford Steveny Superbiker 2026 once again proved its status as a must-attend event on the international supermoto circuit. Under the Belgian sun, the world’s best supermoto riders put on a spectacular show to the applause of an enthusiastic crowd of 20,000 people.

The grand final of the Ford Steveny Superbiker lived up to all expectations. Right from the start, Marc-Reiner Schmidt (Ducati, Team Undici) got off to an excellent start and immediately took the lead. The German champion then led the race, which lasted 25 minutes plus two laps, with consummate control. Having won the Belgian Grand Prix and been crowned S1GP world champion earlier in the weekend, the Team Undici rider also claimed victory in the Ford Steveny Superbiker for the eighth time, further cementing his status as the ‘King of Mettet’.

A historic first for Ducati

This victory is also a historic one for Ducati, which has won the Ford Steveny Superbiker at Mettet for the first time. The Italian brand has added its name to the roll of honour of an event which, for nearly forty years, has brought together the world’s leading supermoto riders every year.

Steve Bonnal (TM, TSV Factory Team TM Corse) put in a solid performance to take second place. The Frenchman was never able to threaten Schmidt, but he demonstrated his consistency throughout the weekend and confirmed his status as one of the sport’s top riders. The battle for third place provided one of the highlights of the final. Romain Kaivers, who has been absent from the World Championship this season but was particularly motivated in front of his home crowd, fought an intense battle against Julen Avila Cortes (KTM MTR Team). The Spaniard took a decisive lead halfway through the race, but the Belgian stayed in close contact, putting his rival under pressure right to the end and forcing several mistakes in a spectacular duel. With an impressive 4th place, he nevertheless claimed the Georges Jobé Trophy, awarded to the best Belgian rider in the Ford Steveny Superbiker final, for the sixth time in his career, following wins in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

As for the Starbikers, these distinguished guests put on quite a show: Stacey Storm proved to be the fastest, followed by Davey Todd and Brandon Paasch.

The Superbiker: a supermoto festival

As well as the main event, the Ford Steveny Superbiker at Mettet offered a rich and varied programme, showcasing the sport’s various categories and the young talents set to take over the reins.

In the Superbiker Juniors, Jean Rondeaux took the win ahead of Kenneth Simulask and Byron Johnson. This was a fine display from the Belgian, who also shone in the European Championship this weekend.

In the Seniors, Frédéric Fiorentino dominated proceedings, finishing ahead of Sweden’s Thomas Gillisson and Switzerland’s Beat Gautschi.

Finally, the ever-popular Superquads category lived up to all expectations. Contested over two heats, it saw Maxim Cluydts put in a flawless performance with a perfect score (25 + 25) to take the overall victory, ahead of Maxime Lombet and Jérémy Mikels.

A popular and festive event

Throughout the weekend, nearly 20,000 spectators enjoyed a programme that was as comprehensive as it was varied: introductory sessions for children, an exhibitors’ village, food trucks and entertainment for young and old alike.

True to its reputation, the Ford Steveny Superbiker wasn’t just about the races. The crowd was also treated to breathtaking stunt demonstrations by Léandro Le Marchand (Luc1), a spectacular FMX show by FMX4EVER, Duo Runs and a wild dance show by Studio Artendance.

Finally, the success of the After Race Festival, on Friday and especially on Saturday evening, proved once again that the Ford Steveny Superbiker is as much a huge celebration of motorcycling as it is a leading sporting event.

Freddy Tacheny, president of RUMESM (Royal Union Entre Sambre et Meuse), the club organising the Ford Steveny Superbiker: “This 39th edition of the Ford Steveny Superbiker in Mettet had all the ingredients for a great success: a large and enthusiastic crowd, a field of top-class riders, favourable weather conditions and a festive atmosphere throughout the weekend. The RUMESM teams and our many volunteers can be proud of having delivered a smooth, safe and incident-free event, which was unanimously praised by both the riders and the public. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to them, as well as to our private and institutional partners, the track marshals, the Federation representatives, the municipality of Mettet, our neighbours and everyone who contributed to this exceptional event. Their commitment does credit to the reputation of the Ford Steveny Superbiker and confirms Mettet’s international standing. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event, which will be particularly symbolic as it will mark two major anniversaries: the 100th anniversary of the RUMESM club and the 40th anniversary of the Ford Steveny Superbiker.”

A Belgian Grand Prix dominated by Schmidt

Before his victory in the Superbiker class, Marc-Reiner Schmidt had already dominated the Belgian S1GP Grand Prix. Having secured pole position for the weekend following a perfect Friday, the German won the first race on Saturday, then the Fast Race, before rounding off the weekend on Sunday with another victory in the Superfinal. In that final race, he finished ahead of Steve Bonnal, whilst Julen Avila Cortes completed the podium.

In the S2 class, Italy’s Leonardo Lapadula took the overall win in the Belgian Round, ahead of Switzerland’s Nathan Terraneo. Belgium’s Noah Champagne completed the podium, treating the home crowd to a fine third place.

In the Juniors, Hungary’s David Zsolt Bereczki scored a perfect double (25 + 25) to clinch the Belgian Round. Belgium’s Jean Rondeaux took a superb second place, level on points with Britain’s Edward Darnton, but edging him out on the basis of his results.