Team Guatemala wins 2026 CFMOTO MT Challenge Global Final
CFMOTO has completed the second edition of its MT Challenge Global Final, bringing 20 teams and 80 riders to Huelva, southern Spain, for a distinctly international celebration of adventure motorcycling.
Staged from September 26-28, the event brought together riders of varying ages, genders and experience levels, with participants drawn from more than 20 countries and regions. Once organisers and CFMOTO personnel were added, almost 200 people formed the travelling circus.
The Spanish event followed the inaugural MT Challenge Global Final held in Melbourne in 2025, where Team New Zealand claimed the overall victory.
Entrants first competed in regional qualifying events across Asia, Latin America and Europe, which determined the teams that would make the trip to Spain.
While points, rankings and prizes were part of the equation, CFMOTO pitched the event as more than an outright competition, with the exercises intended to develop riding skills while bringing MT owners together.
Markus Ferch – CFMOTO VP Sales Europe
“We wanted to bring MT owners together to experience what the motorcycles can truly do, to take on new challenges and to share the adventure with not only the other finalists but online throughout the world. The MT spirit means pushing boundaries, inspiring one another and riding as a community.”
A new element for 2026 was the MT Dream Team, a four-rider professional squad led by CFMOTO Brand Ambassador and experienced competition rider, Mario Román Serrano. The quartet took part in the activities and provided a benchmark for the amateur competitors.
Technical challenges at Monteblanco
The first competition day centred on the off-road area of Monteblanco Circuit, where ten separate challenges tested balance, precision, judgement, throttle control and the ability to adapt as grip disappeared.
Some exercises were relatively conventional tests of low-speed motorcycle control. Others were considerably less so.
The SENA Blindfold Challenge returned after appearing at the 2025 event. One rider was required to negotiate the course without being able to see it, relying instead on instructions from a team-mate communicating through a SENA intercom.
The Tai Chi Challenge was another exercise built specifically around finesse rather than outright speed. Riders entered the centre of a large Yin-Yang-shaped course laid out on loose sand, reversed direction part-way through and then had to negotiate the remaining turns while maintaining control and momentum.
There was also a Natural Extreme Trial using the existing terrain around Monteblanco, along with the Figure 8 Plus Challenge and a Sand Crossing Challenge that placed further emphasis on balance, steering and throttle control on loose surfaces.
1000MT-X takes over from the 800MT-X
The other major change from the Australian event was the motorcycle underneath the competitors.
CFMOTO replaced the 800MT-X used in Melbourne last year with the 1000MT-X for the 2026 Global Final, giving riders the brand’s flagship adventure model for both the closed-course challenges and the longer second-day ride.
Day two breaks out of the circuit
The second day changed the nature of the competition considerably, taking competitors beyond the confines of Monteblanco and putting more emphasis on navigation, endurance and general adventure-riding skills.
A network of checkpoints split the route into sections of varying lengths and terrain, requiring teams to manage the distance and maintain concentration across a much longer day in the saddle.
The Time Gap Challenge added another wrinkle. Each team selected two riders, with points based on the difference between their respective finishing times rather than simply rewarding the fastest competitor.
By the time the final checkpoints were cleared and the scores calculated, Team Guatemala emerged as the 2026 CFMOTO MT Challenge Global Final winner.
Guatemala takes the 2026 honours
Team Spain finished runner-up on home soil, while Team France completed the team podium. That meant a new winner after Team New Zealand had taken the honours at the inaugural Melbourne event a year earlier.
Individual recognition was also awarded for performances across the various disciplines.
Khoun-Sith Vongsana from Team France and Franklin Noguera from the Dominican Republic received the MT Master awards, with the pair also featuring among the Best Technique recipients across three designated challenges.
Roberto Ungaro from Team Italy received the Best MT Spirit award, based on perseverance, enthusiasm, teamwork, and contribution to the event rather than outright competition results.
Two editions into the concept, the MT Challenge has now moved from Australia to Europe while retaining a format that deliberately mixes serious riding tests with a far less serious social element. CFMOTO has made it clear that the MT Challenge Global Final is intended to continue.
