The Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore (AusEnduro) returns for 2026 with rounds one and two set for Roma, Queensland on March 7–8, and with it comes a rare opportunity.
After the fierce battles of 2025, reigning Pro Enduro champion Daniel Milner has stepped away from full-time competition, leaving the sport’s most prestigious crown vacant. 2026 will see a new outright champion crowned, and the fight begins immediately in southwest Queensland.
The 12-round championship will span four states in 2026, blending five returning venues with one new location to deliver a calendar that reflects the depth and diversity of Australian enduro. From tight forest single trail and technical rock sections to fast, flowing grass tests, the series will again demand adaptability, consistency and resilience across every round.
At the heart of the championship sits the Pro Enduro category, the sport’s premier division and ultimate proving ground. This is where Australia’s elite — factory-backed and privateer alike — contest outright honours under relentless pressure. As seen throughout last year’s AusEnduro season, success in Pro Enduro is defined not by a single performance, but by sustained excellence across varied terrain and multi-day formats.
Claiming the Pro Enduro crown represents more than a class win — it signifies national supremacy at the highest level of off-road competition.
Roma: the ultimate proving ground
Roma has long been regarded as a true enduro test — a circuit that blends open, flowing sections with tight, technical challenges and ever-changing surfaces. As the sprint format unfolds across two days, the track will roughen, lines will deepen and consistency will become critical.
With valuable early championship points and Pro Enduro bragging rights on the table, the importance of a strong Roma performance cannot be overstated.
Blue charge: Yamaha’s powerhouse presence
Yamaha heads into 2026 with enormous depth across the paddock.
Former world champion Wil Ruprecht returns hyper-focused after an exceptionally strong finish to 2025. Leading the ShopYamaha Offroad Team, Ruprecht has redemption squarely in his sights and will spearhead the charge in both E2 and the outright Pro Enduro standings.
Joining him at the squad is New Zealander Maximus Purvis, who makes the switch from ProMX to contest E1. Purvis stunned many with a podium result at Kyogle last year and with raw speed and growing enduro craft, he looms as a genuine dark horse.
In the women’s ranks, 2025 EW champion Jess Gardiner returns determined to defend her crown. Alongside her is the hard-charging Madi Simpson who — having snatched round wins last season — ensures the battle will be anything but straight forward.
The BLU CRU Support Off-Road squad adds even more firepower in E1, with proven contenders Cooper Sheidow, Jett Yarnold and Fraser Higlett all capable of influencing both class and Pro Enduro results.
Orange reshuffle: KTM’s new era
Over at the KTM DM31 Racing Team, a significant shift has taken place. With Milner now focussing on managerial duties, leadership on track will fall to a hungry roster.
Korey McMahon enters 2026 aiming to defend his E3 title while stacking up Pro Enduro victories. Consistent and calculated, McMahon shapes as one of the early benchmarks.
Moving to KTM from Beta, Jye Dickson steps into E2 following a stellar 2025 campaign. Proven across varying terrain, Dickson’s adaptability could prove decisive in the hunt for E2 supremacy.
One of the most intriguing storylines surrounds emerging talent Jackson Versteegen. Dominant in his sole EJ appearance at Casterton last year, Versteegen now tackles the stacked E1 class under Milner’s guidance. This ensures he has the tools to immediately mix it with established names from the get-go.
Junior ranks brimming with talent
A new season also signals major class transitions.
After a fierce EJ rivalry in 2025, Kogan Lock and Will McInnes step up to E2, while Oliver Paterno makes her move into E3. Meanwhile, J4 standouts Marcus Nowland and Kai Austin graduate into the ultra-competitive EJ category.
The EJ class looms as a must-watch throughout 2026. Last season saw podiums and victories shared across multiple riders, underlining the depth of emerging talent. With new blood entering the mix and returning contenders hungry to assert dominance, expect the intensity to rise again.
Injury blows ahead of round one
Unfortunately, three riders tipped as major 2026 contenders will be sidelined for the Roma opener.
Beta Australia Offroad Racing’s Andy Wilksch, reigning E1 champion Jonte Reynders and Husqvarna’s Riley McGillivray — who claimed E3 honours at Roma in 2024 — have all sustained training injuries in the lead-up to round one.
Their absence reshapes the early championship picture and opens the door for rivals to capitalise.
A vacant throne and a statement to be made
With Milner’s exit leaving the Pro Enduro crown unclaimed, the championship narrative feels wide open. The shake-up in team rosters, class moves and fresh rivalries has only amplified the intrigue.
Roma will provide the first definitive answers.
By Sunday afternoon, early leaders will emerge, momentum will be established and the chase for Australian enduro supremacy will be well and truly underway.
The Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship is back and 2026 promises to be bigger, deeper and more fiercely contested than ever.
2026 AusEnduro classes of competition:
Senior championship
• E1: 120-200cc 2T and 150-250cc 4T
• E2: 220-250cc 2T and 275-450cc 4T
• E3: 290-500cc 2t & 475-650cc 4T
• EJ (Junior): All Powers (Rider must be under 18 years as of January 1, 2026)
• EW (Women): All Powers
• EV (Vets): All Powers (Rider must be 35-plus years of age before January 1, 2026)
• EM (Masters): All Powers (Rider must be 45-plus years of age before January 1, 2026)
Junior championship
• J2 (12-U15 years): 85cc 2T and up to 150cc 4T
• J3 (13-U15 years): 100-200cc 2T and 200-250cc 4T
• J4 (15 years): 100-200cc 2T and 200-250cc 4T
• JG (12-U16 years): 85-200cc 2T and 150-250cc 4T
Cup
• JJ (9-U12 years): 65cc
• J1 (9-U12 years): 85cc 2T and 150cc 4
• Sportsman: All Powers, state clubman riders
• EWD (Enduro Women’s Development): All Powers
• EL (Legends): All Powers (Rider must be 50-plus years of age before January 1, 2026)
