The wait is over as the new season of the MXGP World Championship kicks off this weekend in Argentina. A new campaign always brings fresh storylines, and in 2026 several highly rated riders step into the premier MXGP class for the first time. Some arrive with world titles, others with untapped potential, but all will be eager to make their mark against the sport’s elite.
In some ways, Tom Vialle doesn’t really feel like a rookie because he’s already achieved so much in his career. It’s never easy to win a world title, but to have won two, then head to America and go back-to-back in Supercross titles is very impressive. The French talent deserves a lot of respect.
For 2026, he has decided to return and compete in MXGP. It will be his first season racing the 450cc machine and, on paper, the bike should suit him perfectly with his smooth and technical riding style. In the US, the tracks are very fast and perhaps didn’t suit him the best, forcing him to be more aggressive. Vialle might not have the raw pace of riders like Lucas Coenen or Jeffrey Herlings, but he’s a strong starter and is always there or thereabouts. He shouldn’t be underestimated.
Making the move up to the MXGP class for the 2026 season is Kay de Wolf. The 2024 MX2 World Champion couldn’t defend his MX2 title last year, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying. He could have stayed in MX2 for another season if he wanted, but instead decided it was time to step up to MXGP. There’s no doubt that when he’s fully fit, he has the speed to be right at the sharp end.
At the moment, though, there are question marks about how fit he will be for Argentina—if he makes it at all. He finds himself in a similar position to Coenen last year, carrying an injury into round one. Coenen still ended up challenging for the title, so de Wolf will be hoping for a similar outcome.
Like de Wolf, Andrea Adamo could have stayed in the MX2 class for another year but decided to move up to MXGP. The Italian tends to be a slow burner when entering a new class and may need a season to fully settle. However, he has been very impressive in the pre-season races in Italy, looking fast and smooth on the bigger bike.
There’s often a lot of hype around Coenen and de Wolf—and rightly so—but Adamo will be motivated to run with them and remind everyone of his ability. He has a great mentality and thrives when there’s something to prove.
The 2025 season was a turbulent one for Oriol Oliver after being left without a ride just a few rounds into the MX2 World Championship. However, the Gabriel SS24 KTM team spotted his potential and snapped him up for the remainder of the season.
The Spaniard impressed enough that the team decided to keep him on board for his rookie MXGP season in 2026. Oliver will be keen to repay that trust and already showed promise with a strong ride in Alghero, where he made it onto the podium. MXGP will be stacked this year, but if he can regularly run inside the top ten, that would represent a very encouraging first season.
There’s no denying just how talented Thibault Benistant is, but the last couple of years in MX2 didn’t go how he would have wanted. Many tipped him to be the next big name in the class after Tom Vialle and Jago Geerts, yet things never quite clicked consistently.
He still had days where he could win motos, but he couldn’t truly mount a championship challenge. The move up to MXGP could relieve some of that pressure, and with the SR Motoblouz Honda team behind him, it might be the perfect environment. A moto win at Sommières during pre-season should also give him plenty of confidence heading into the year.
For Rick Elzinga, off-seasons just don’t seem to go smoothly. After signing with Beta Motorcycles, the Dutch talent was looking forward to a solid winter of preparation, but yet again picked up an injury which has limited his bike time. It’s a shame, because he could have benefited from those laps while adapting to the bigger bike. He sadly isn’t fit enough to make it to the opening round in Argentina.
Elzinga will likely be playing catch-up early on but hopefully he can make a return soon. He’s a rider who usually improves as the year progresses—and he’ll be hoping for the same trend in 2026 when he makes his return to racing.
Another rider who won’t be in Argentina is Nico Greutmann, although he will contest the European rounds of MXGP. The Swiss talent is one to keep an eye on. Even though he’s jumping directly from the EMX250 class to MXGP—which is quite unusual—it makes sense given his size and build, as he really needed a 450cc machine.
For Greutmann, 2026 will mainly be about learning and gaining experience, but he’s certainly a rider with plenty of potential for the future.
With so many new faces stepping into MXGP this season, the rookie storyline will be one to watch closely. Some may take time to adapt, while others could run at the front immediately—but all of them add another layer of intrigue to what already looks set to be a fascinating 2026 championship.
