Latvia's young motocross riders take bronze at Coupe de l'Avenir

Latvia's junior motocross national team wrapped up its season at the prestigious international Coupe de l'Avenir competition in Belgium, finishing fifth overall among 13 national teams. The annual event traditionally caps off the youth motocross season, with young riders competing not for their individual clubs but as unified national squads.

Bronze in the OPEN class

In the Coupe Open class, contested by 11 national teams, Sweden took first place, France finished second, and Latvia's team claimed third. The Latvian trio consisted of Alberts Knapšis, Artūrs Vinters and Uldis Freibergs, with Freibergs posting the best individual result among the Latvian riders in this class.

In the MX85 class, Latvia's young riders finished fourth among 13 competing nations. In MX65, where all three Latvian riders were competing in this event for the first time, the team placed tenth, finishing ahead of the Estonian squad.

Team reactions

Team manager Fīlips Kempelis said the results reflect the riders' current skill level, adding that the event gives young athletes valuable experience and teaches them to work as a team. Uldis Freibergs, who served as team captain for the first time this year, praised the squad's supportive atmosphere and expressed hope to return to the national team next year to secure an individual medal.

Raivis Zīrups, head of the motocross committee, thanked the young athletes for their fighting spirit and achievements, noting that every rider finished in the top ten overall. He also credited parents, mechanics and coaches for their behind-the-scenes work.

Latvia was represented by nine riders across three age classes — MX65, MX85 and MX Open. The team's coaches and mentors were experienced specialists Arnis Kalniņš, Andris Štendenbergs, Kārlis Kalējs and Fīlips Kempelis.