VIDEO. Garcia opens 2026 EnduroGP season with victory in Sicily

The 2026 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship got underway in spectacular fashion in Custonaci, Sicily, with Josep Garcia taking the first overall win of the season after a fierce day-long battle with Steve Holcombe.

Dry, dusty and rocky conditions made the Italian opener a proper challenge, and with more than 120 riders on the entry list, the opening day delivered exactly what the championship promised: tight racing, constant position changes, and almost no margin for error.

Garcia and Holcombe set the pace

After already winning Friday’s AKRAPOVIC Super Test, Garcia wasted no time getting on the attack. The KTM rider topped the opening Extreme Test and immediately placed himself at the front of the fight, with Zach Pichon, Andrea Verona, Steve Holcombe, and Hamish Macdonald all right in the mix.

As the day developed, the battle narrowed down to Garcia and Holcombe. The Sherco rider looked strong throughout, especially in the Enduro Test, and kept the pressure high all the way to the final special. But Garcia responded when it mattered, extending his lead before the last test and doing enough to secure the first EnduroGP victory of the new season.

Holcombe finished a strong second on his debut EnduroGP weekend with Sherco, while Verona completed the podium in third after getting the better of Antoine Magain late in the day. Just behind them, Theo Espinasse ended a very encouraging day in fifth.

Josep Garcia said:
“I’m really happy to get the win today on the first day of racing. It was a great battle out there. It was close all day, but it worked out really well for me.”

Holcombe wins Enduro3, Verona tops Enduro2

Although he narrowly missed the overall win, Holcombe still came away with victory in the Enduro3 class, confirming a very strong return from injury. Espinasse took second there, with Albin Norrbin in third.

In Enduro1, Garcia doubled up with the class win ahead of Magain and Morgan Lesiardo.

In Enduro2, Verona claimed a convincing category victory with a 15-second advantage over Pichon, while Nathan Watson rounded out the top three.

Martel takes breakthrough Women’s Enduro win

One of the big stories of the day came in the Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship, where Justine Martel claimed her first-ever world championship victory.

After a close opening lap, the French Beta rider took control and gradually built a gap as the race went on. A penalty for Rachel Gutish reshuffled the fight behind, but Martel stayed focused and powered to a 48-second win. Gutish recovered for second, while Italy’s Sara Traini celebrated a debut podium on home soil and also secured victory in Junior Women’s Enduro.

Justine Martel said:
“It’s an amazing feeling to get my first race win. I kept pushing all I could and tried not to make any major mistakes. In the end I made it!”

Elgari and Scardina strike for TM MOTO

In the Tsubaki Junior Enduro class, Alberto Elgari delivered a standout ride to take victory on his debut in the category. After growing into the race, the TM MOTO rider came through late to beat Romain Dagna, with Maxime Clauzier completing the podium.

Alberto Elgari said:
“It was an unbelievable day for me. I struggled a little on the first lap, but then got better with each test. To win is amazing for my first time in Junior.”

TM MOTO also celebrated in the Putoline Youth Enduro class, where Pietro Scardina fought back from a slow start to take the win after late mistakes from his rivals opened the door.

Pietro Scardina said:
“I started the day a little bit slow, with each test I found a better feeling and was able to take the win.”

Strong start to the season

Sicily delivered exactly the kind of opening day EnduroGP needed. Garcia leaves round one with the first win of the year, Holcombe immediately looks competitive with Sherco, Verona is already on the podium, and several new names have announced themselves across the support classes.

Source: EnduroGP