Nine-time Enduro World Champion Steve Holcombe has officially signed with Sherco Racing to race the EnduroGP and Italian Enduro Championship onboard the SE300 two-stroke in E3 class.

The news is finally official as we tick past the New Year into 2026, we’ll see a new boy in blue challenging for the 2026 EnduroGP World Championship as Steve Holcombe is announced as a Sherco Racing Factory rider.

The British rider moves to the Italian-based CH Racing team, who are the official world enduro championship squad for Sherco, and jumps back onto a two-stroke to race the SE 300 in E3 class.

Signed for 2026 and 2027 seasons, Holcombe will race the EnduroGP World Championship, Italian enduro Championship, the ISDE, Trefle Lozerien and selected other events including in the UK.   

Enduro21 caught five minutes with the biggest mover and shaker in this off-season as he travelled from his base in Italy to begin training in Spain this week.

Steve, the news is finally official, you are a Sherco Racing rider, it must feel like a completely new start in so many ways: new team, new bike, but also after a long period off the bike with your knee injury in 2025.

Steve Holcombe: “It does, and is much needed after 2025. Last year gave me plenty of time to reflect on my career and understand how I see the later part of my career going. Having a supportive team and platform was one of priorities moving forward and it was the biggest driving force in moving to the CH Racing Sherco team.”

The deal is to race the EnduroGP World Championship and Italian Assoluti Enduro Championship? Any other race plans on the cards – we know Sherco like to have different riders racing in different countries.

“Yep. Enduro GP and Italian championship are the main priorities for me in 2026. We have a couple one-off races in the calendar such as Six days and Le Trefle. I would like to race more in the UK this year too where it fits in around the current schedule.”

A lot of things are new here, but it is also a return to the two-stroke 300 and E3 class. Was that a big part of the reason to sign with Sherco? To be able to get back on a big 2T?

“I’ve always admired the team that Fabrizio runs, the experience they have within the team and the desire to give the rider what they can has always made it appealing for me to go there. The decision to go back on the 300 2T was natural fit and I’m excited to get back into E3. 2019 seems a lifetime ago when I was last racing a big bore 2T.”

And how was it going from so many years on a four-stroke with both your previous teams back to a steel backbone frame and the Sherco? What were your first impressions of the SE300?

“At heart I feel like I’m a two-stroke rider but it’s strange to look back and see I’ve race almost twice as long on a 4T. First impressions were great, I loved getting back that torquey feeling and the move back to steel frame hasn’t been that much of an adjustment as I anticipated. I’m a big fan of the feel of KYB suspension and the stock Se300 is a great starting point for us to work with.”

Did it feel like putting on an old pair of boots, immediately comfortable, or does it feel like a completely new bike and challenge?

“⁠It did feel different, rider triangle between my old bike and the Sherco are quite different. It’s going to take a while to fully get comfortable, but I feel in a good point in a short time. It’s important for me to ease into the first few weeks, understand what areas I would like to improve and then we can work on a plan with the team for some testing.”

Either way it must be positive to get back on it and start again after so many months off the bike in 2025 – how is the knee and fitness back on a bike?

“⁠It is, I sure did miss riding and racing in 2025. I was in a really strong position to fight for the GP title last year and I’m disappointed to not achieve any of my racing goals.

“The knee is good and it’s been a good recovery, fitness is coming back and I’ve got a good base built up. It’s been just over 2 months back on the bike now and I’m keen to get my 2026 preparations under way!”

The SE300 is a proven winning bike with Hamish winning the E3 world championship so convincingly in 2025, you must be confident you can step it up another gear, take on Josep Garcia, Andrea Verona and Zach Pichon for the EnduroGP overall title?

“It was cool to see Hamish and the team win the 2025 E3 title, as well as Sherco locking out all three podium spots in E3. As good as I feel 2025 was for them our eyes are set on the top step of the Enduro GP podium. I have everything in place for me to be able to achieve that goal and I can’t wait until round 1 to start the season.”

Your first race will be in the UK we understand? How much are you looking forward to getting the ball rolling between the trees?

“⁠I will race an international race in Sardinia at the end of January. Shortly after I’d like to make it back to the UK and race an event called the Santon enduro. It’s going to be good for me to get back between the tapes a couple of times before our first Italian round in March.”

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi