The 2026 season got underway this weekend in Sardinia, where Gabriel SS24 KTM took to the track
for Round 1 of the Italian International Championship in Alghero. The team began their race campaign with Oriol’s first race in the MX1 class and Gyan’s first race in six months, following an injury during the 2025 season.
Gyan went on track, where he started building confidence during the qualifying session. He secured a solid third position with a lap time of 1:52.391 in Group Two, which put him in a very strong fifth overall combined. Oriol couldn’t find his flow in his session, rode tight and as a result, he ended the session in twelfth with a lap time of 1:53.952, finishing 1.5 seconds outside the top 10.
Unfortunately Gyan didn’t get a good jump out of the gate in race one, but he pushed hard into the first corner and came out inside the top six. It took a few laps for Gyan to settle into the race, during which he dropped back some positions while battling with strong riders. Ten minutes into the race, he found a good pace and his flow, making passes with consistent lap times. As the race came to an end, Gyan finished in a very comfortable seventh position.
It was Oriol’s first MX1 gate drop of the year, and what a start it was. He had a great jump out of the gate heading into the first corner right behind Andrea Adamo. Oriol held his line and completed the first lap in second position. Oriol dropped to third position on the second lap just seconds behind Factory Red Bull KTM riders Andrea Adamo and Lucas Coenen, which allowed him to settle into a good pace and look very comfortable. Halfway through the race, Oriol dropped back a position while struggling with some arm pump. With one lap to go, he moved back up into third place, where he finished at the end of the moto.
Race two saw Gyan return to the gate determined to continue his momentum. Unfortunately, going into the first corner he got caught up with a rider who crashed in front of him, leaving Gyan with nowhere to go. Emerging from the first corner almost last, he put his head down and fought his way up to 20th place before a crash brought an end to his charge with only two laps to go. Despite remounting quickly and his best efforts the bike wouldn’t restart. Even though it was a tough end to the day, Gyan finished eleventh overall thanks to his strong seventh-place finish in Race One.
MX1 Race two, Oriol had another strong start, running sixth on the opening lap before pushing hard and climbing into the top three. He rode a very consistent race and crossed the line in fourth, which, combined with his earlier result, secured an impressive third overall—claiming his first-ever MX1 podium in his debut race.
Oriol Oliver:
“I had a really good day on Sunday, especially as it was my first 450 race. It showed that all the hard work the team and I have put in during the off-season is paying off, and it proves I can do well this year. In timed practice I finished P12, quite far from P1, as I just couldn’t put a good lap together. In Race 1, I had a good start, which is exactly what you need. I had good pace, but I also suffered from a lot of arm pump, which I think is normal for my first race on the 450. I finished the race in P3, and I’m happy with that. In Race 2, I started third but got passed on the inside, so I had to make more passes during the race. Some riders crashed, and I made my way up to P4, which was good – I’m happy with my riding. I finished third overall on the same points as Tim Gajser, which is amazing. It was very special to do it with my new race number, 83, as it means a lot to me. I’m happy to start the season this way. I’m also very thankful to my team, we have had a really good pre-season, and I think this year will be a good one with them.
Gyan Doensen:
“This was my first race since my injury, and the first race of the season is now done and dusted.
Before practice, I was thinking about whether I should take a jet ski or my bike – haha. Timed practice went well with P3 in my group, and combined I was P5 going to the gate in very technical conditions. In the first moto, I had a bad start but stayed inside in the first turn.
From there, I rode a solid moto,even though I had a lot of arm pump, and I finished in seventh position. In the second moto, I had a better start, but I couldn’t turn into the first corner because someone crashed in front of me, leaving me almost last. The track was super difficult to pass on, and I worked my way up to 20th position before crashing, after which my bike wouldn’t restart.
It was nice to be back behind the gate again. I still have a lot of work to do, but I’ll be back swinging for Hawkstone. Thank you to my team and everyone around me. A big congratulations to my teammate for his first podium among the big boys!
Shaun Simpson – Team Manager:
“What a way to start our 2026 season in Alghero! Gyan started the day strong with great pace in qualifying and a really solid first moto, looking comfortable on the bike while racing among some strong competition. It’s a shame the second moto didn’t go to plan, but there are many positives to take away as we head into our next pre-season races.
Oriol—what can I say? I honestly didn’t expect a podium at the first race of the season. He looked tight in practice and wasn’t flowing, but great starts in both races gave him the opportunity to run with the leaders and settle into a strong pace. Standing on the podium beside Tim Gajser and Lucas Coenen was the perfect end to a great day.”
A huge thank you to KTM and all our valued sponsors for their continued support, none of this would be possible without them. The next stop for the team will be their second pre-season race international race on Sunday 15th February, at the world-famous Hawkstone Park in Shropshire, England.
