Dutch MX2 World Championship rider Jens Walvoort faced a difficult start to his 2025 season, including a neck injury that required time to fully recover. Despite the rough beginning, Walvoort has shown flashes of raw speed and genuine top-level capability — though the search for consistency continues. Anyone who has witnessed the gate drops in person this season would agree that Walvoort’s potential is real. His ceiling is extremely high, but he has also experienced his share of crashes throughout the year. The neck injury is something that caused further complications then imagined.

“Coming back from the neck injury was tough!” he told Cult Moto. “I didn’t have much pain from it which resulted in me pushing it too hard, too early. After that it was getting worse and after visiting the doctor again we saw the neck vertebrae moved and needed to take some weeks off for full rest on my neck. That was a big setback. After that we worked hard on the neck and everything went well with it. Luckily I don’t feel anything from it anymore and have no more negative effects from it!”

The setbacks created several hurdles for Walvoort as he worked to rebuild momentum and get races back under his belt, but as mentioned, there were clear signs of a rider capable of much more. Lommel and Darwin stand out as his strongest performances of the year, showcasing the level he should be around each weekend. That said, Walvoort himself remains far from satisfied with his overall season.

“When we came back in Matterly, we started building race rhythm again and went better race by race. Lommel was my best GP of the year but I feel like there is more in me. Overall I’m not satisfied about the season. I’m working hard to show my speed and potential in the races in 2026.”

True potential is an interesting variable when bench racing a rider’s career, and ironing out those final percentage points to become the full package is always easier said than done. At the Finnish GP, Jens had a small taste of running with the front pack before a violent crash sent him off the bike. Although he wasn’t able to piece together the complete moto, it served as further proof that he has the speed and skill to mix it up with the very best 250 riders in the world.

“Yes I feel my speed is better and can go for top-5’s and podiums. In Finland I was riding good with the front but unfortunately I made a small mistake which resulted in a big crash. I need to stay calm in these moments and just do my thing. I’m working hard to show my true potential!”

While he lined up for the BTS KTM team this season, his future remains uncertain — but that hasn’t dented his determination. The Dutchman is confident he can establish himself inside the top five and is fully fuelled to prove people wrong heading into 2026.

“For 2026 there’s nothing confirmed yet. We are still in some talks and I hope to get something confirmed soon. ⁠I’m sure I will surprise a lot of people next year. I’m getting stronger everyday and want to show myself in the top 5.”