Team GB completed a challenging opening day at the 2026 FIM 6DAYS Enduro of Nations in Grândola, Portugal, with all three Trophy Teams having to contend with heat and difficult dust conditions throughout the six tests.
Words and Images by ACU Team GB ISDE
The Men’s Trophy Team faced particularly difficult conditions early in the day, with only the first two or three riders through each test benefiting from a relatively clear track. Those following were left battling extremely limited visibility as dust hung in the air.
Despite a difficult opening test, the four riders quickly began to climb the order as they settled into the conditions. Nathan Watson was the standout performer, producing a fifth-place finish in Test Five, while Brad Freeman was close behind in eighth. Jamie McCanney’s best result came in Test Three, where he finished 10th, while Jed Etchells also showed strong pace in the same test, finishing 11th.
Test Three was particularly impressive for the team, with all four riders finishing within the same second of each other and taking consecutive positions from eighth through to 11th. It marked the first top-10 test finishes of the day for the team.
Test Five was described by the riders as the worst of the day for dust, making Watson’s fifth-place finish and Freeman’s eighth even more impressive given their starting position, with more than 20 riders ahead of them on the track.
At the end of Day One, the Men’s Trophy Team lies fourth overall. In the individual standings, Watson sits ninth overall, with Freeman 13th, McCanney 19th and Etchells 24th.
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The Women’s Trophy Team enjoyed a strong start to the 2026 6DAYS, with Lucy Barker and Nieve Holmes both producing some excellent early test results.
Barker opened her first-ever 6DAYS with a pair of top-five finishes, taking fourth in the opening test and fifth in Test Two. However, her day took a difficult turn in Test Three when she crashed, losing almost a minute. The debutant responded impressively by maintaining her pace and avoiding any further time loss, going on to finish eighth in Test Four.
Holmes also enjoyed a consistently strong day, with her best result coming in the opening test where she finished fifth. She went on to deliver a series of strong results throughout the day and ultimately finished fifth overall, putting herself in an excellent starting position for Day Two.
Rowett’s best result came in Test Three, where she finished fourth. Despite finding the conditions challenging, she completed the day in 10th overall and will be aiming to move further up the order tomorrow.
At the end of Day One, the Women’s Trophy Team sits third in the team standings.
Holmes leads the Team GB women individually in fifth overall, with Rowett 10th and Barker 11th.
The Junior Trophy Team also faced the same challenging dust conditions, with their position further back in the starting order making visibility particularly difficult.
The three riders took some time to settle into the opening lap and work through some bike setup issues, but showed good pace throughout the day despite the conditions.
Jack Keenan produced his strongest test result in Test Five, finishing 14th, while Callum Hughes’ best result came in Test Three with 21st. Sam Hughes was the leading Team GB Junior in the tests, finishing 15th in the opening test.
It was a difficult opening day for the Juniors, particularly given their starting positions, but all three riders did well to manage the intense dust and heat and complete the day.
The Junior Trophy Team lies ninth after Day One. Sam Hughes finishes Day One as the leading Team GB Junior in 24th overall, followed by Keenan in 27th and Callum Hughes in 28th.
With similar starting positions expected today the riders will at least have the benefit of knowing the tests and having experienced the conditions once already. While dust is expected to remain a major factor, the team heads into Day Two better prepared for what lies ahead.
