GARCIA CROWNED 2026 ENDUROGP CHAMP

Three EnduroGP titles on the trot, four Enduro1 crowns in a row, and he’s done it again with a whole round of the season still up for grabs. Josep Garcia has been crowned the 2026 FIM EnduroGP World Champion after a last-test classic at the GP of France in Saint-Agrève – and this one went right down to the wire.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider had TM MOTO’s Zach Pichon for company all day on Sunday, the pair trading fastest times test after test with neither able to find any real breathing room. With both titles up for grabs and everything on the line in the final test, Garcia snatched the overall by a single second – the kind of ride that separates champions from the rest.

Here’s what KTM had to say about the weekend that sealed both crowns…

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia has been crowned the 2026 FIM EnduroGP World Champion after securing a dramatic victory on day two of the GP of France in Saint-Agrève. The Spaniard also successfully defended his Enduro1 crown, wrapping up both world titles one round early. Teammate Andrea Verona continued his consistent campaign with another overall podium on Saturday and remains firmly in contention to secure the 2026 Enduro2 World Championship heading into the final round.

Friday evening’s Super Test delivered a spectacular atmosphere as thousands of passionate French fans packed into Saint-Agrève. Garcia set the second-fastest time in the closely fought contest, while Verona opened his weekend with fifth place aboard his KTM 450 EXC-F.

Saturday’s opening day saw Garcia immediately establish himself among the frontrunners. With the pace at the front incredibly high throughout the day, the reigning champion pushed hard across every test and consistently matched the leaders. Despite narrowly missing out on the EnduroGP victory, Garcia claimed second overall while comfortably taking another Enduro1 class win, keeping his perfect class record intact and putting himself in the ideal position to fight for the championship on Sunday.

Knowing both world titles could be secured with a strong result on day two, Garcia delivered one of his finest rides of the season. Locked in a thrilling battle with Zach Pichon (TM MOTO) from the opening test, the pair traded fastest times throughout the day with neither rider able to establish a significant advantage. With everything on the line heading into the final test, Garcia responded under pressure, producing a stunning ride to claim the overall victory by just one second.

The result secured his third consecutive EnduroGP World Championship and fourth straight Enduro1 title, both with one round still remaining. 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.

Verona enjoyed another competitive weekend in France. On Saturday, the Italian remained in the fight at the front throughout the day, consistently matching the pace of the leading riders before ending proceedings in style by winning the final test. His efforts secured him third overall and second in Enduro2, collecting another valuable haul of championship points. Sunday proved more challenging as the demanding tests made finding a consistent rhythm difficult. Verona ultimately finished sixth overall and third in Enduro2, but retained second place in the overall EnduroGP standings while continuing to lead the Enduro2 championship heading into the season finale.

With Garcia’s championship ambitions now fulfilled, attention turns to the final round where the Spaniard will look to finish another dominant campaign on a high. Verona heads to Wales second in the overall EnduroGP standings and with the Enduro2 title still firmly in his hands, aiming to complete a successful first season in orange by securing the class championship.

Josep Garcia:
“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.”

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.”

Garcia and Verona now turn their attention to Rhayader for the season finale on August 7–9, with one still to play for.