Wednesday May 6, 2026 at 5:39pm
Nieve Holmes delivered an outstanding performance at round two of the 2026 Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship in Oliana, Spain, claiming her fifth ever podium on Saturday before going one better with a career-best second-place finish on Sunday. Racing for ET James Sherco aboard her Sherco SEF 250 4T, Holmes enjoyed a standout weekend to move firmly into championship contention.
After placing sixth in Friday night’s Super Test on a highly technical course that caught out many riders, Holmes carried that strong momentum into Saturday’s racing. With a demanding 7.5km Enduro Test featuring endless narrow, technical climbs and tricky sections, she took a measured approach on the opening lap to adapt to the conditions. Building confidence as the day progressed, she found her rhythm on lap two by posting top-four times across all three tests, including a standout win in the Enduro Test. Heading into the final lap in podium contention, Holmes delivered when it mattered most, going fastest on the final Enduro Test and second on the last Extreme Test to secure third overall and register her fifth world championship podium.
Sunday proved even stronger for Holmes, who started the day in dominant fashion by winning the opening Enduro Test. Carrying that momentum throughout, she added two further runner-up test results and remained firmly in the fight at the front of the field. Riding high on confidence following Saturday’s podium, she entered the final test of the day lying second overall and produced a determined final effort despite fatigue from the demanding weekend to secure second place. The result marks her best-ever finish in the world championship and her first runner-up result at this level.
Following round two, Holmes now sits second in the championship standings after an impressive and consistent start to the season. The next round of the Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship takes place in Fafe, Portugal on June 12–14, but before that she returns to domestic action at round two of the Welsh Open Sprint Championship this Sunday, May 10.
Nieve Holmes: “I’m really happy with how the weekend went. The Super Test was tough and really technical, but it was a good way to start and the atmosphere was amazing with so many fans there. On Saturday I took a bit of time to get into things on the first lap, but once I settled in I felt really strong and was happy to get back on the podium. Sunday was even better and I felt confident right from the start, winning the first Enduro Test and just building from there. To come away with second overall, my best result in the world championship so far, is a really special feeling. The bike was working perfectly all weekend and I felt comfortable in the conditions, so a big thank you to the whole team and everyone supporting me.”