LGCT Grand Prix of Mexico City: Camilli’s Breakthrough Win Ignites Championship Battle

Under the bright Mexican sun at Campo Marte, Emanuele Camilli and Chacco’s Girlstar made history with a career-defining victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Mexico City presented by GNP Seguros. In a thrilling nine-rider jump-off, Camilli delivered a flawless and lightning-fast performance, stopping the clock at 42.99 seconds to claim his first-ever LGCT Grand Prix win—and a massive €237,600 share of the event’s staggering €720,000 prize fund.

A Field of Champions, A New Name in the Hall of Fame

The stakes were sky-high in Mexico City, boasting an elite lineup of past LGCT Grand Prix winners and championship contenders. such as 2024 LGCT Champion Max Kühner. Yet, when the dust settled, it was Camilli who emerged victorious, etching his name into the LGCT Grand Prix Hall of Fame. His triumph was even more remarkable given the presence of  and multi LGCT Grand Prix winners in Mexico City such as Christian Ahlmann, Edwina Tops-Alexander, Katrin Eckermann, Simon Delestre, Denis Lynch, and Jérôme Guery, who were all vying for top honors.

However, not all top riders made it to the LGCT Grand Prix. The individual qualifier saw major names fall short of earning their place in the headline event, including Simon Delestre, Wilm Vermeir, Thibeau Spits, and John Whitaker. Under the new rule allowing replacement riders from outside the top 40 to accept vacant spots, Jur Vrieling and Zasha Nygaard Lill stepped up to the challenge, making their mark in the LGCT Grand Prix of Mexico City lineup.

A Nine-Rider Jump-Off: A Battle Against the Clock

The course, designed to test precision and strategy, proved formidable in the first half, with clear rounds proving elusive early on. However, as the competition progressed, riders began to crack the code, setting up a fiercely contested nine-rider jump-off.

Opening the jump-off, home hero Arturo Parada Vallejo set an early benchmark but suffered three rails down, dashing local hopes for a Mexican victory. Christian Ahlmann was the first to produce a double-clear, setting a time of 44.41 seconds aboard Dourkhan Hero Z. One by one, the times dropped - Jörne Sprehe and Sprehe Hot Easy snatched the lead with an electric 42.31-second round, only to see it stolen by Camilli in the final moments.

With a daring gallop to the last fence and Chacco’s Girlstar’s enormous stride carrying him through the turns, Camilli edged out Sprehe by 0.32 seconds. Jérôme Guery and Great Britain V rounded out the podium, just fractions behind at 43.50 seconds.

Who had your heart racing in this head-to-head battle?

Championship Standings Shakeup

Beyond the victory, Camilli’s triumph triggered a major shift in the LGCT Championship standings. His 40-point haul propelled him to third place overall, with Edwina Tops-Alexander holding onto second (44 points) and Denis Lynch now leading the race with 59 points.

Meanwhile, several early championship favorites found themselves outside the top rankings after a tough Mexico City Grand Prix. Riders who previously sat in the top five before Mexico will now have to fight their way back up the leaderboard as the season progresses.

With Camilli securing his golden ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs, the battle for championship supremacy has intensified.

Looking Ahead: Shanghai Awaits

As the Tour moves to Shanghai from May 2-4, the fight for the 2025 LGCT Championship is wide open. Will Camilli’s breakthrough victory mark the beginning of a dominant run, or will another contender rise to the occasion? One thing is certain—the 2025 season is shaping up to be one for the ages.

📺 Watch the full replay of the LGCT Grand Prix of Mexico City now on GCTV!