EnduroGP World Championship riders officially kickstart their seasons this weekend as the Italian and Spanish national enduro championships welcome elite entry lists for their first timed tests of 2026.

The long winter months always drag on but the 2025/26 off-season for EnduroGP riders has felt longer than usual. With many top riders returning from major injuries, racing new bikes, or lining up with new teams and manufacturers, anticipation for the 2026 season is high.

The wait to see how they stack up is over as the season begins this weekend. The opening rounds of the Italian and Spanish national series will give the first chance to see a reshuffled and rebuilt line-up of big hitters between the tapes.

Italian “Assoluti” Championship

Beginning with a Friday prologue on March 6 in Viareggio, the Italian series will see riders including Steve Holcombe back from injury and returning to a 300 two-stroke as he joins reigning E3 world champion Hamish Macdonald — now on a 300 four-stroke — in the CH Racing Sherco Team.

Attention will also be on the lesser-spotted Beta riders Brad Freeman and Nathan Watson as they return after injury-hit 2025 campaigns.

Switching from red to orange, Andrea Verona makes his first major race appearance on the KTM 450 EXC-F since moving to the Austrian manufacturer’s linkage-less platform.

The TM Boano Factory Team again looks one of the strongest factory squads with 2025 Italian champion Zach Pichon leading the charge alongside Matteo Cavallo, Alberto Elgari and Manuel Verzeroli.

There is also a new French-flavoured line-up for Fantic Motor with Theo Espinasse, while Honda RedMoto Enduro Team brings Max Ahlin alongside Samuele Bernardini and veteran Thomas Oldrati.

Meanwhile Triumph Italia Racing fields Morgan Lesiardo among the potential podium contenders in the Italian series.

* Full entry list below.

Spain looking strong

The entry list is just as strong in Spain, where world champion Josep Garcia aims to reclaim his national crown from Antoine Magain in the Spanish Enduro Championship this weekend.

The Enduro de Valverde del Camino round will feature its own share of EnduroGP talent including Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team riders Mikael Persson and new teammate Jeremy Sydow in their first outing of the 2026 season.

Also lining up are KR69 World Enduro Team rider Roni Kytonen and fellow Scandinavian Albin Elowson from the WP Eric Augé Team.

Italian Assoluti Enduro Rnd 1 Entry List:

Stay tuned to Enduro21 for results and insight from the races.

Photo Credit: Enduro21 + Teams