Lotte van Drunen enters Thunder Valley, WMX calls it milestone

Lotte van Drunen, 18 and the reigning back-to-back FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion, is set to enter the Thunder Valley round of the 2026 Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony at the Toyota Thunder Valley National Presented by American Petroleum Institute in Lakewood, Colorado. WMX Director Christina Denney called the commitment “a milestone for the series.” Organizers expect her presence to affect race dynamics and boost media attention. van Drunen’s entry will place a two-time world champion directly into competition with regular WMX contenders and shift pre-race storylines toward an international showdown. Lachlan Turner (Altus Motorsports bLU cRU Yamaha) opened the season with 1-1 wins at Hangtown and is pursuing a third straight WMX crown, creating the prospect of a direct matchup. The Thunder Valley field also includes Charli Cannon (Quad Lock Honda), Mikayla Nielsen (SLR Honda), multi-time champion Jordan Jarvis and U.S.-debuting Taylah McCutcheon (Partzilla Blaster Power PRMX Kawasaki). Six athletes from four countries outside the U.S. are entered, a mix that should amplify interest in the round. The second round is scheduled for June 12–13. WMX will run qualifying and the first 12 Minutes plus 1 Lap moto on Friday, June 12, with warm-up and the second moto on Saturday, June 13. The second moto will air live exclusively on Peacock at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET. Thunder Valley sits above 6,000 feet and is known for its uphill start, elevation changes, big jumps and rut-lined corners. Organizers say those track characteristics should influence bike setup and rider strategy as the international contingent joins the early-season title chase.