Iannone Sweeps Aragón as McDonald Take the Lead in the Provisional Standings

Andrea Iannone claims the first weekend sweep in FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup history as four riders remain in title contention.

ARAGÓN, SPAIN – August 31, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Andrea Iannone (Niti Racing) delivered a perfect weekend at MotorLand Aragón, claiming both race victories in Round 5 of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup and becoming the first rider in the championship’s history to complete a double win at the same event.

The Italian collected the maximum 50 points available across the weekend, moving to within 27 points of the championship lead and keeping his title hopes alive heading into the final round in Austria. At the top of the standings, Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) leaves Aragón as the new championship leader with 174 points, seven ahead of teammate Eric Granado (Joe Rascal Racing), while Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) and Iannone are separated by just one point in third and fourth.

QUALIFYING

The fight for the top spot on the grid was the Oscar Gutiérrez show, as the Spanish rider secured his first pole position of the season with a 1:56.587 lap, setting a new all-time lap record for the category at Aragón.

RACE 1

Iannone claimed his second victory of the season after a thrilling battle with Oscar Gutiérrez, who finished second. The two riders broke away at the front from the early stages and continued to fight until the very last corner, where the Italian’s experience proved decisive as he defended the lead all the way to the checkered flag despite repeated attacks from the Spaniard.

Iannone pushed hard to defend his position on the final lap, setting the fastest lap of the race with a 1:57.583, bettering Gutiérrez’s 1:57.696, also recorded on the final lap.

A smart race from young Australian Archie McDonald secured him the final step of the podium, while championship contender Eric Granado left Saturday empty-handed following a crash.

Young American Max Toth (Saddlemen Race Development) was another highlight of the race. A lightning start put him into a podium position at the first corner, and he remained in the fight with the category’s more experienced riders for more than half the race before eventually bringing home an impressive fifth-place finish.

RACE 2

Iannone completed the first double victory in FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup history, taking control of Race 2 following an unfortunate crash for Oscar Gutiérrez on Lap 2 and adding another 25 points to his Saturday victory to secure the maximum 50-point haul from the Aragón weekend.

Behind him, Joe Rascal Racing teammates Eric Granado and Archie McDonald completed the podium in second and third, respectively. The result proved particularly important in the championship battle, with McDonald leaving Aragón as the new points leader.

Toth continued his impressive weekend with another fifth-place finish, while Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) replicated his Saturday result by finishing sixth.

Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson

“Aragón was just a great weekend for the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup. The racing was incredible. Andrea became the first rider to sweep both races in a weekend, Oscar set a new all-time lap record, and Archie leaves Spain as our new championship leader.

Five rounds in and we still have four riders fighting for the title. That’s exactly what we wanted when we started this championship. Equal Harley-Davidson machinery, great teams and riders, and racing where you really don’t know who is going to win when the lights go out.

It was also fantastic to see the growing Harley-Davidson community at the races. Aragón welcomed more H-D fans than any previous round this season, and you could really feel their passion and enthusiasm around the circuit and in the paddock. Seeing more and more members of our community joining us at each round is exactly the kind of connection we want this championship to create. 

Now it all comes down to the Championship Finale at the Red Bull Ring. We’ll have some exciting new riders joining the grid, four riders still fighting for the title, and 50 points on the table across two final races. Austria is going to be a pretty special way to finish our inaugural season.”

Andrea Iannone – Niti Racing
Race 1 and Race 2 Winner

“If I want to achieve my goal of winning the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, the only option I have is to try to win every race, so I’m really happy to leave Aragón with both victories and the maximum 50 points. The bike was working really well this weekend. In Race 1, Oscar and I had a great battle, very clean and respectful but still incredibly intense, while in Race 2 I was able to manage the race exactly the way I wanted. I stayed in front without pushing too hard at the beginning, and with four laps to go I started to increase the pace. It proved to be the right strategy.

People shouldn’t think this category is easy. Nobody gives you anything for free, and everyone wants to be at the front. Eight laps here can be very demanding because you have to manage everything yourself, without electronic controls or rider aids. But I’m having a lot of fun. I love the bike and the championship, and I feel truly free and very close to the Harley-Davidson family.

The championship will be difficult, but it’s not impossible, so we’ll keep fighting until the end. I want to thank Niti Racing, Harley-Davidson and everyone who made this possible.

Most importantly, I want to dedicate these two victories to the people of Indonesia who are going through a very difficult time after losing family members, loved ones and their homes. As a team, we want to stand by them during this painful time. These two wins are for all of Indonesia.”

THE CHASE FOR THE TITLE

The championship battle has been reshaped following Aragón, with Archie McDonald taking the lead for the first time this season. The Australian heads to the final round with 174 points, seven ahead of Eric Granado.

Gutiérrez remains firmly in contention in third with 148 points, while Iannone’s perfect 50-point weekend has brought him to 147 points, just one behind Gutiérrez and 27 behind McDonald.

Despite missing both races of the opening round at Circuit of The Americas, Iannone therefore remains one of four riders still mathematically capable of winning the inaugural title.

Behind the title contenders, the battle for fifth has also tightened considerably. Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) moves into fifth with 99 points, just two ahead of Jake Lewis (Saddlemen Race Development) with 97.

1. Archie McDonald (AUS) – 174 points
2. Eric Granado (BRA) – 167 points
3. Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 148 points
4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) – 147 points
5. Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 99 points
6. Jake Lewis (USA) – 97 points
7. Jordi Torres (SPA) – 77 points
8. Travis Wyman (USA) – 71 points
9. Cory West (USA) – 56 points
10. Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 44 points
11. Max Toth (USA) – 41 points
12. Bradley Smith (GBR) – 36 points
13. Cody Wyman (USA) – 26 points

With 50 points still available, the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup now heads to the Red Bull Ring in Austria from September 18–20, where the inaugural championship will be decided.

About FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup

The FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup is the first global championship exclusively dedicated to high-performance Harley-Davidson bagger motorcycles, organized by Harley-Davidson in partnership with MotoGP™ and officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The series is contested at selected international circuits alongside the MotoGP™ calendar, bringing Harley-Davidson’s iconic machines into a premier global racing environment. The championship combines heritage, technical innovation, and on-track competition, extending the brand’s racing legacy onto the world stage. Learn more on the dedicated FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup page at www.harley-davidson.com.

About Harley-Davidson 

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com.

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Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc. 

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