BAGGER RACING LEAGUE EUROPEAN CUP: IN CREMONA IT’S SHOWTIME FROM THE START, RUBEN XAUS SEALS THE DOUBLE

Cremona, 24 MAY 2026 – The weekend at Cremona Circuit put the spotlight on an event with a strong international flavour. Alongside the well-established Trofei MotoEstate programme, the weekend just gone celebrated the seasonal debut of the Bagger Racing League European Cup, bringing spectacular motorcycles, world-class riders and a format capable of capturing the attention of fans onto the track.

It was an intense weekend, marked by hot weather and even hotter battles on track, further enhanced by an excellent turnout of spectators who filled the paddock over the two race days, drawn by the unmistakable style and sound of the monumental Baggers.

Race 1: Xaus grabs victory on Saturday evening

The spectacular Saturday evening race opened the on-track action. Taking victory with a solid and determined performance was former MotoGP rider Ruben Xaus, who brought his Ducati Diavel to the top step of the podium after a beautiful and closely fought battle with Andrea Tomio. The two riders delivered an intense duel, establishing themselves from the very first laps as the true reference points of the weekend.

Behind them, Antonino Pio Vecchio put in a strong performance on his Ducati, taking third place after overcoming the fierce resistance of the tenacious Dutch rider Milan Merckelbagh on Harley-Davidson. An excellent top-five finish also went to Switzerland’s Marco Attanasio, who crossed the line ahead of Italian rider Vittorio Iannuzzo. It was a bitter Saturday, however, for Japan’s Takeshi and Spain’s Sergio Martinez, both forced to retire. Italian rider Nazzareno Lumina, also among the participants in the opening round of BRL 2026, was stopped by a technical issue before the start.

Race 2: Twists, drama and comebacks right to the final breath

On Sunday, the action heated up thanks to the spectacular reversed-grid format and the incredible work carried out in the paddock by the teams running the American bikes, Johny Maracas and Team Spanover. At the start, the Harley-Davidsons truly gave the Ducati trio of Xaus, Tomio and Vecchio a hard time: Merckelbagh, Iannuzzo and Takeshi shot away like arrows, taking control of the race in the opening laps. Among them, Dutch rider Merckelbagh managed to find a devilish rhythm, attempting a breakaway and stretching his lead over the chasing group.

Behind him, however, the Ducati response was not long in coming. On lap five, Andrea Tomio and Ruben Xaus completed a furious comeback, breaking the deadlock and overtaking IDM Superbike rider Merckelbagh. Making full use of their experience and deep knowledge of the Cremona layout, the two immediately pulled clear, setting up a heart-stopping finale: with a masterful braking move into Turn 13, Xaus launched the decisive attack on Tomio, taking the lead and going on to claim victory. Behind them, Antonino Pio Vecchio secured third place, completing an identical podium to Race 1, but after a completely different race packed with adrenaline from start to finish.

It was a highly impactful debut for the Bagger Racing League European Cup, which in Italy confirmed all its potential in terms of show, technical quality and public interest. The next round of the BRL Europe championship will take place over the weekend of 11/12 July at the Brno Circuit in the Czech Republic, alongside the Alpe Adria European Championship.

RESULTS and PHOTO GALLERY