Four-time WMX World Champion Courtney Duncan is set to make a return to World Championship action this weekend in France after a lengthy spell away from the sport due to serious health issues. While she wasn’t initially listed on the official entry list, Duncan has now made the trip and will line up with support from Steve Dixon for the opening round of the series in what marks a hugely positive moment for both the rider and the paddock.
After spending months away from the bike while recovering from pericarditis, Duncan admitted it feels like a major achievement simply being back at the races again. Speaking to Lisa Leyland ahead of the weekend, the New Zealander opened up about the difficult period she has endured and her excitement to finally return to international competition.
“It’s good to be back. Man, it’s been a long time, it’s been two years since I’ve been racing here at the GP’s so I’m excited. I just can’t wait to get it started really”, Duncan revealed.
Duncan then revealed more details about the illness that forced her away from racing and training for such a long period.
“2025 was tough for sure. I got diagnosed with pericarditis; a lot of people probably don’t know what that is but it’s a virus on the heart – I just got forced to rest. I think I was off the bike for around nine months. I couldn’t train at all, it’s just a virus that come with some gnarly symptoms, kind of like EPB sort of thing. I just had to take my time, not push it and here we are, it feels good”.
Being sidelined while watching races from home proved mentally difficult for the former champion, especially knowing that any attempt to push too hard would only delay her recovery further.
“I watched a lot of races but it was definitely tough. It was very frustrating like you say, the more I did the worse I got so I kind of had to just let it come to me and just rest, sleep, – lots of sleep. Now here we are, it feels like an accomplishment to be back. I’m stoked and I just can’t wait to get started. I’ve never been here, but the track here looks amazing, the sun’s shining, what more could we ask for?”
Despite her incredible achievements in the sport, Duncan admits she still doesn’t fully know where her current level is after such a long period away from elite competition. With only a handful of club races under her belt, the focus this weekend will simply be on building momentum again.
“Honestly we really don’t know where I’m at. I haven’t done a whole lot of racing yet, I’ve done a few club races, but I haven’t done a whole lot so we’re just going to take it race by race. I will just go out there tomorrow and wherever I’m at, that’s the building blocks to get back to hopefully the top step”.
However, even after everything she has been through, Duncan’s competitive mindset remains unchanged.
“I mean, I’m a racer and I want to win. I come here to win, I leave home and it’s 24/26 hours on an aeroplane to come here. I don’t just do it just to come back and fill the gates but at the same time I haven’t raced internationally for so long. I have to be realistic and obviously just want to build from here on in”.
The comeback has not been completely straightforward either, with Duncan also suffering a broken rib in recent months which slightly delayed her preparation for the new season. Despite that setback, she always believed she would eventually make it back to the GP paddock.
“I think in the back of my mind I always knew I was going to be here, that was the plan from last year and we were kind of building and hoping we’d be back. Everything was kind of going to plan so in the back of my head I was going to be here. I had a little incident a few months ago and ended up breaking a rib so that kind of pushed us back a little bit but we’re here now and we’re ready to get racing. I mean it’s probably been 18 months since I’ve been at a GP so I just a solid weekend and getting on the box would be good”, Duncan concluded.
No matter where Duncan finishes this weekend, simply seeing her back behind the gate will already feel like a victory after such a difficult chapter in her career. One of the most successful riders in WMX history now begins the next stage of her comeback journey, and many fans throughout the paddock will undoubtedly be cheering her on.
