FIM EnduroGP 2026
Round Six – EnduroGP of France
The 2026 EnduroGP of France kicked off with Zach Pichon thrilling spectators with the fastest Friday Akrapovic Super Test time for the TM MOTO Boano Factory Enduro Team, before winning the EnduroGP class for the first time on home soil on Saturday
Fastest in eight of the nine special tests, the TM MOTO rider dominated proceedings on day one, eventually claiming a 33-second margin of victory over Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia, with Garcia’s teammate Andrea Verona a further seven seconds back in third.
The second and final day of racing in Saint-Agrève was one for the ages with Garcia claiming the EnduroGP win to successfully defend his crown, while also scooping up the Enduro1 title. Garcia topped the day two timesheet, just 1.86-seconds clear of Pichon, with Steve Holcombe a more distant third.
Garcia has now stood on the overall EnduroGP podium at every race day this season, claiming eight victories, three second-place finishes, and one third, while completing a flawless 12-from-12 winning record in Enduro1. The championships also mark the eighth and ninth world titles of his remarkable career, moving him into joint third on the all-time list of EnduroGP World Champions.
Akrapovic SuperTest
Sherco Racing Factory’s Julien Roussaly helped to warm up the legions of French fans by putting himself at the top of the EnduroGP leaderboard with his timed run on home soil, when the Akrapovic SuperTest kicked off. However, it was clear everyone was waiting for Pichon to take his place, and he didn’t disappoint.
An incredibly precise and controlled lap put him straight into the hot seat with just the final Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Verona and Garcia left to go. An equally determined ride by Garcia saw him challenge Pichon’s time, but it would not be enough.
Fastest by 0.41 seconds, Pichon took a well-deserved victory as the crowd erupted into cheers and celebration. Garcia content with second place, Sherco Racing Factory’s Steve Holcombe closing out the top three, albeit 3.32 seconds behind Pichon.
In the Tsubaki Junior Enduro class, Triumph Factory Racing’s Leo Joyon had the crowd on their feet, with the young Frenchman setting the quickest time, in a French 1-2-3. Romain Dagna and Clement Clauzier finishing second and third, respectively.
The Putoline Oil Youth Enduro category saw Pietro Scardina claim a narrow 0.04 second margin of victory over Simone Cagnoni, Spain’s Hugo Cuesta edging out Yago Dominguez for third.
EnduroGP
Pichon dominates Saturday in home territory
With a legion of French fans lining the course in support, Pichon hit the ground running, winning the opening EXPOTRADE Cross Test. Fastest in the following GMOTO Enduro Test and POLISPORT Extreme Test completed a sensational lap one of three for the Frenchman.
Heading into lap two with an 11-second advantage over Sherco Racing Factory’s Steve Holcombe in second, with Garcia 1.46 seconds further back in third, Pichon continued to build on that lead with another clean sweep of special test wins on lap two. With two more fastest times on lap three, before ending the final POLISPORT Extreme Test with the third quickest time, the victory was his.
Behind him, Holcombe held onto second place as they reached the midway point in the day. Chased by Garcia and Verona, the pressure was on the Sherco rider. A mistake in the following GMOTO Enduro Test allowed Garcia to move up to second, a position he would hold.
On the final EXPOTRADE Cross Test, another mistake from Holcombe allowed Verona through into third. And with the Italian also upping his pace on lap three, it was a mistake Holcombe would be unable to recover from. With Verona third, Holcombe had to settle for fourth.
A fantastic ride by Julien Roussaly saw him finish fifth overall in his home Grand Prix, marking his best result of the season. With Hamish Macdonald ending his day sixth, it resulted in a Sherco Racing Factory 4-5-6 in what is also their home round.
Garcia fastest Sunday to claim titles
Starting out day two, Pichon continued his winning form from and led proceedings after the opening EXPOTRADE Cross Test and GMOTO Enduro Test. Garcia fought back to win the first POLISPORT Extreme Test and ended lap one of three with a 1.64 second lead over Pichon. Holcombe held third, but was already 13 seconds behind the leading duo.
Pichon had the edge on Garcia in both the second EXPOTRADE Cross Test and GMOTO Enduro Test to retake the lead, but on the following POLISPORT Extreme Test, a major mistake by the Frenchman saw Garcia win the test to take control of the race lead once more.
The final lap saw Pichon begin to charge back, closing the gap to 1.31 seconds with just the POLISPORT Extreme Test remaining. Garcia had a virtual grasp on the EnduroGP title, even if he finished in second. But the Spaniard wanted to clinch the title in style and gave it his all. Setting the fastest time, he kept Pichon at bay to win the day and with it become the 2026 FIM EnduroGP World Champion.
Pichon had to settle for second position, while a strong ride by Holcombe saw him complete the podium in third, albeit finishing 45 seconds behind Garcia. Beta Factory Team’s Brad Freeman took fourth, with Sherco Racing Factory’s Hamish Macdonald fifth.
While Garcia wrapped up the EnduroGP title a round early, just five points separates Verona and Pichon, 180-175, in the battle for runner-up, heading to the season finale in Wales. Holcombe is currently a more distant fourth on 136, with McDonald fifth (124) and Freeman (116) sixth.
Enduro1
Moving ever closer to clinching the Enduro1 title in France, Garcia recorded his 11th consecutive victory of the season on day one in France in the E1 class, Triumph Factory Racing’s Jeremy Sydow placing as the runner-up, with Triumph Italia Racing’s Morgan Lesiardo ending his day third.
It was only after a stunning day two ride however, when Garcia won the Enduro1 class for the 12th time this season, that he successfully defend his title with a round to spare. Triumph Factory Racing’s Jeremy Sydow took second, with Triumph Italia Racing’s Morgan Lesiardo completing the top three.
Josep Garcia – 2026 E1 & EnduroGP Champion
“It’s an incredible feeling to leave France as both the 2026 EnduroGP and Enduro1 World Champion. Winning both titles with one round still to go is something I’m really proud of, and taking the overall victory today made it even more special. I feel like I’ve taken another big step forward this season, both with my riding and as a racer, and that’s down to all the hard work from everyone around me. I’m incredibly grateful to the whole team for everything they’ve done this year. Now it’s time to enjoy these titles and head to Wales looking to finish the season on a high.”
Jeremy Sydow – P3
“I’m really happy with the weekend. Taking two second-place finishes in Enduro1 is a great result, and it was fantastic to race in front of such passionate fans – the atmosphere all weekend was incredible. I felt really good on the bike and I’m pleased with the progress we made, even though a few small mistakes today cost me a stronger overall result. We improved a lot throughout the weekend, especially in the Extreme Test, and that’s a big positive to take away. The whole team has done an amazing job, and I’m excited to keep building on this momentum heading into the final round in Wales. Racing the French Championship last weekend definitely helped with my preparation, and it showed how valuable race time can be.”
Lesiardo holds a strong lead in the E1 rankings in the runner-up spot from Magain, 34-points separating the duo heading into the season final.
Enduro2
Adding to the momentous occasion, Pichon also won the Enduro2 class on day one in Saint-Agrève. Pichon beating his championship rival, Verona, by 40 seconds, Macdonald rounding out the top three.
Pichon went on to claim his second class victory of the weekend in Saint-Agrève on Sunday, winning by over a minute from Macdonald in second, with Verona in third this time.
Andrea Verona
“It’s been a tough day here in France and not the result we were aiming for. I made too many mistakes during the first two laps, which cost me a lot of time, and after that it was difficult to recover. I kept pushing until the end, but sixth overall and third in Enduro2 was the best we could manage today. There’s still one round left with two important days of racing, so we’ll keep working hard and do everything we can to achieve our goal of securing the Enduro2 title.”
Verona currently sits on 218-points to Pichon’s 212 in the E2 standings, while McDonald is a more distant third on 184-points, with the battle to go down to the line in Wales.
Enduro3
The battle for Enduro3 class honours saw Holcombe secure his fourth win in a row to take victory on day one. It was a Sherco Racing Factory 1-2 in Enduro3, with Julien Roussaly taking second, Beta Factory Team’s Brad Freeman third.
Holcombe signed off on a competitive weekend in France by winning the Enduro3 class for the second time. Freeman pushing hard to claim second, with Holcombe’s teammate, Julien Roussaly third.
Steve Holcombe
“It’s been a really positive weekend, and I’m delighted to leave France leading the Enduro3 championship, which was our main goal. Saturday was a little eventful after one of the biggest crashes I’ve had in a long time, but thankfully I could carry on, win the class and finish fourth overall. On Sunday I focused on staying consistent and avoiding any mistakes after the crash. To finish on the EnduroGP podium again and take another Enduro3 win is a great result. It’s always special to do well at Sherco’s home GP, so a big thank you to the whole team for all their hard work. Now the focus is on the final round in Wales.”
Holcombe now takes control of the championship lead heading into the final round in Wales next month, with a six-point lead over closest competitor Freeman, 194 to 188, while Norrbin sits third on 177-points.
Junior
France had plenty of reason to celebrate in the Tsubaki Junior Enduro class with Fantic Factory Racing’s Thibault Giraudon and Triumph Factory Racing’s Leo Joyon finishing first and second, respectively.
Giraudon pushed the pace from the off, winning the opening EXPOTRADE Cross Test to build a five second lead over fellow countryman Team KTM Pro Racing Sport’s Romain Dagna in second, with NSA Racing’s Kevin Cristino third.
At the midway point in the day, Giraudon continued to lead by three seconds over Dagna, with Joyon moving up to third. With the three French riders split by only 10 seconds, the fight for victory was fierce.
Exiting the final GMOTO Enduro Test, with just the POLISPORT Extreme Test remaining, Giraudon led Joyon by three seconds as Dagna slipped out of contention for the win in third.
With the opportunity to claim his first win of the season within his grasp, Giraudon didn’t falter on the final special test and secured victory over Joyon. A change of position saw TM MOTO Boano Factory Enduro Team’s Alberto Elgari move ahead of Dagna to finish on the podium in third. With Dagna dropping back to fourth, Elgari’s teammate, Manuel Verzeroli completed the top five.
Sunday then saw Elgari fight back to the top step of the podium, having been clearly frustrated with his third place result on day one. The standings leader beginning day two in determined fashion, winning the opening EXPOTRADE Cross Test and POLISPORT Extreme Test, and ending lap one of three leading seven seconds ahead of day one winner, Giraudon, with Joyon in third.
Ending lap two, Elgari continued to lead by seven seconds over Giraudon, with Elgari’s teammate Manuel Verzeroli now up to third. Closing out lap three strongly, Elgari secured his sixth victory of the season by 11 seconds.
Behind him the battle for the remainder of the podium continued. An impressive final lap saw Joyon take second by just 0.01 seconds from Giraudon in third. Verzeroli placed two seconds behind the Fantic rider in fourth, with Team KTM Pro Racing Sport’s Romain Dagna rounding out the top five.
Leo Joyon
“Honestly, it was an incredible weekend. The French fans were amazing – I think they’re the best in the world, and I’m sure all the riders would say the same. I’m really happy with my riding overall, although I made a few mistakes today with three crashes, which made things harder than they needed to be. Even so, to finish second overall by just one hundredth of a second shows how close the racing was. It’s another strong result and it moves me up to second in the championship with one round to go. Now all the focus is on the final race in Wales, where I’ll be giving everything to finish the season on a high.”
Elgari holds a generous 21-point lead heading into the season final, sitting on 201-points to Joyon’s 180, with Dagna nipping on his heels on 175-points.
Youth
The Putoline Oil Youth Enduro class produced some incredibly close racing on day one in Saint-Agrève with the top three riders split by less than 19 seconds. After a titanic battle, Simone Cagnoni took the win to secure his first victory of the season.
That was despite strong competition from Pietro Scardina, with Yago Dominguez finishing third, the Spaniard pushing the Italian hard, and finishing just six seconds behind him.
Valentin Mersin ended his day nine seconds behind Dominguez in fourth, with Gabin Allemand a further nine second back in fifth.
Day two in France saw another close fight between Scardina and Cagnoni. Initially, Scardina held a strong lead as they exited the second GMOTO Enduro Test to complete the midway point in the race.
Behind him, Valentin Mersin and the duo of Gabin Allemand and Cagnoni were second, third and fourth, respectively, separated by less than one second.
Entering the final lap, Scardina still led by 20 seconds, with Cagnoni moving up to second, ahead of Allemand in third, and now, Mersin in fourth. Although losing time on the final two tests to Cagnoni, Scardina managed to hold on to win by six seconds over Cagnoni.
Allemand took his first podium result of the season in third, placing just 0.66 seconds ahead of Mersin, with Riccardo Pasquato completing the top five.
Scardina leads the Youth Enduro class on 202 points, Cagnoni currently second on 183, with Mersin third (170) and Dominguez fourth (160).
EnduroGP Day One Top 20
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| Pos | Rider | Cl. | Time |
| 1 | PICHON Zachary | E2 | 54:11.34 |
| 2 | GARCIA Josep | E1 | +32.83 |
| 3 | VERONA Andrea | E2 | +39.83 |
| 4 | HOLCOMBE Steven | E3 | +58.66 |
| 5 | ROUSSALY Julien | E3 | +1:26.04 |
| 6 | MACDONALD Hamish | E2 | +1:30.72 |
| 7 | FREEMAN Brad | E3 | +1:31.61 |
| 8 | SYDOW Jeremy | E1 | +1:37.30 |
| 9 | AHLIN Max | E2 | +1:59.68 |
| 10 | WATSON Nathan | E2 | +1:59.72 |
| 11 | LESIARDO Morgan | E1 | +2:00.40 |
| 12 | MAGAIN Antoine | E1 | +2:03.50 |
| 13 | ESPINASSE Theo | E3 | +2:08.58 |
| 14 | NORRBIN Albin | E3 | +2:19.93 |
| 15 | BACON Kyron | E2 | +2:27.25 |
| 16 | LE QUERE Leo | E2 | +2:43.77 |
| 17 | SEMB Axel | E1 | +2:49.39 |
| 18 | CAVALLO Matteo | E3 | +2:55.66 |
| 19 | BERNARDINI Samuele | E1 | +3:15.15 |
| 20 | MORETTINI Manolo | E1 | +3:29.49 |
EnduroGP Day Two Top 20
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| Pos | Rider | Cl. | Time |
| 1 | GARCIA Josep | E1 | 53:48.52 |
| 2 | PICHON Zachary | E2 | +1.86 |
| 3 | HOLCOMBE Steven | E3 | +45.75 |
| 4 | FREEMAN Brad | E3 | +56.76 |
| 5 | MACDONALD Hamish | E2 | +1:02.94 |
| 6 | VERONA Andrea | E2 | +1:08.92 |
| 7 | ROUSSALY Julien | E3 | +1:15.90 |
| 8 | AHLIN Max | E2 | +1:19.40 |
| 9 | SYDOW Jeremy | E1 | +1:28.44 |
| 10 | ESPINASSE Theo | E3 | +1:30.04 |
| 11 | BACON Kyron | E2 | +1:40.23 |
| 12 | LESIARDO Morgan | E1 | +1:48.53 |
| 13 | NORRBIN Albin | E3 | +1:50.30 |
| 14 | WATSON Nathan | E2 | +2:04.75 |
| 15 | ELOWSON Albin | E2 | +2:10.09 |
| 16 | LE QUERE Leo | E2 | +2:31.71 |
| 17 | MAGAIN Antoine | E1 | +2:48.11 |
| 18 | KOUBLE Krystof | E2 | +3:08.89 |
| 19 | MORETTINI Manolo | E1 | +3:31.91 |
| 20 | CAVALLO Matteo | E3 | +3:38.03 |
Class Podiums – Day One
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|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Enduro1 | Josep Garcia | Jeremy Sydow | Morgan Lesiardo |
| Enduro2 | Zach Pichon | Andrea Verona | Hamish Macdonald |
| Enduro3 | Steve Holcombe | Julien Roussaly | Brad Freeman |
| Junior | Thibault Giraudon | Leo Joyon | Alberto Elgari |
Class Podiums – Day Two
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|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Enduro1 | Josep Garcia | Jeremy Sydow | Morgan Lesiardo |
| Enduro2 | Zach Pichon | Hamish Macdonald | Andrea Verona |
| Enduro3 | Steve Holcombe | Brad Freeman | Julien Roussaly |
| Junior | Alberto Elgari | Leo Joyon | Thibault Giraudon |
Championship Standings After Round Six
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|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Leader | Second | Third |
| EnduroGP | Josep Garcia – 226 | Andrea Verona – 180 | Zach Pichon – 175 |
| Enduro1 | Josep Garcia – 240 | Morgan Lesiardo – 187 | Antoine Magain – 153 |
| Enduro2 | Andrea Verona – 218 | Zach Pichon – 212 | Hamish Macdonald – 184 |
| Enduro3 | Steve Holcombe – 194 | Brad Freeman – 188 | Albin Norrbin – 177 |
| Junior | Alberto Elgari – 201 | Leo Joyon – 180 | Romain Dagna – 175 |
Enduro GP Standings after Round Six
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| Pos | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | GARCIA Josep | ESP | KTM | 226 |
| 2 | VERONA Andrea | ITA | KTM | 180 |
| 3 | PICHON Zachary | FRA | TM | 175 |
| 4 | HOLCOMBE Steven | GBR | SHER | 136 |
| 5 | MACDONALD Hamish | NZL | SHER | 124 |
| 6 | FREEMAN Brad | GBR | BETA | 116 |
| 7 | NORRBIN Albin | SWE | HUSQ | 84 |
| 8 | ROUSSALY Julien | FRA | SHER | 81 |
| 9 | LESIARDO Morgan | ITA | TRIU | 79 |
| 10 | AHLIN Max | SWE | HON | 78 |
| 11 | MAGAIN Antoine | BEL | SHER | 59 |
| 12 | SYDOW Jeremy | GER | TRIU | 49 |
| 13 | ESPINASSE Theo | FRA | FAN | 46 |
| 14 | WATSON Nathan | GBR | BETA | 42 |
| 15 | BACON Kyron | AUS | KAW | 37 |
| 16 | CAVALLO Matteo | ITA | TM | 22 |
| 17 | SEMB Axel | SWE | HUSQ | 17 |
| 18 | BERNARDINI Samuele | ITA | HON | 14 |
| 19 | ELOWSON Albin | SWE | HUSQ | 4 |
| 20 | KYTONEN Roni | FIN | HUSQ | 2 |
| 21 | BAYLOR Steward | USA | KAW | 1 |
The 2026 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship concludes with the seventh and final round in Wales, Great Britain, on 7-9 August.
