2026 EnduroGP Season Preview: Riders and Teams to Watch

The 2026 EnduroGP season promises the closest championship battle in years, with established champions facing challenges from a generation of riders who've matured from promising juniors into genuine contenders. Factory support has expanded, the calendar visits new venues, and rule changes affecting fuel capacity may shuffle competitive order in unexpected ways. Here's our assessment of the key players and storylines heading into the opening round.

The E1 class remains KTM territory, but the margin has narrowed. Defending champion Andrea Verona faces renewed pressure from Husqvarna's Mikael Persson, who closed the gap substantially through 2025's second half after recovering from early-season injury. The Swedish rider's late-year form suggested mechanical improvements that KTM will need to match. Beta's development program has also accelerated, with their 200RR showing genuine factory-level competitiveness at selected rounds. Watch for Beta's Brad Freeman to challenge consistently if his fitness issues from 2025 are resolved.

E2 competition features the ongoing duel between Josep Garcia and Steve Holcombe that has defined the class for three seasons. Garcia's KTM 350 EXC-F and Holcombe's Beta 350 RR represent different development philosophies—KTM's refinement of proven architecture versus Beta's willingness to pursue radical solutions. Holcombe's switch to updated frame geometry mid-2025 produced immediate results, and a full winter developing the package should translate to championship-contending consistency. The dark horse is TM Racing's Wil Ruprecht, whose outright speed occasionally exceeds both leaders despite limited factory resources.

E3 presents the most open competition. Matteo Cavallo's departure to concentrate on Hard Enduro leaves a vacuum that multiple riders will attempt to fill. Sherco's investment in the big-bore class has produced machinery finally competitive with KTM and Husqvarna's established programs. Antoine Basset showed flashes of brilliance in 2025 that could become sustained performance with another year's development. The class might also attract crossover entries from Hard Enduro specialists seeking championship points—the expanded calendar creates scheduling that permits dual-series participation.

Calendar changes bring the championship to Portugal for the first time, with a venue near Coimbra that promises technical terrain unlike typical EnduroGP rounds. The South American rounds return after pandemic-related absence, though logistics remain challenging. Japanese manufacturers are rumored to be considering factory programs for 2027, making this season's results potentially influential for future investment decisions. Whether Yamaha or Honda commits resources may depend on viewership numbers and promotional value demonstrated this season.