Italian International MX: Ducati on the podium on debut, consistency and pace against KTM’s dominance

With the opening round of the Internazionali d’Italia MX EICMA Series 2026 in Alghero, the international motocross season officially got underway. Ducati immediately proved competitive, which bodes well for all of 2026.

Over 120 riders at the start, a constantly changing sandy surface, unstable weather, and deep ruts turned the race into a true test of reliability and development. An ideal context to understand how ready a project really is. And it’s precisely here that the Desmo450 MX showed it is already competitive.

Ferruccio Zanchi’s third place overall in MX2, in his official debut with the Ducati Beddini Racing Team, should be read as more than just a number. Putting a completely new bike on the podium at the first race of the season and on a track like Alghero means hitting the main target: validating the project in competition.

Ducati didn’t chase a headline-grabbing result, but focused on solidity. No mistakes, good pace, race management, and above all a bike that withstood without failures one of the most demanding tracks of the European winter. In a landscape dominated by KTM for years, Zanchi’s result takes on important symbolic value.

Alghero is an unforgiving track: deep sand, constant grip changes, and extremely high loads on the chassis, suspension, and engine. The Desmo450 MX displayed a technically mature base, with balanced behavior and effective traction even when the track became deeply rutted.

That’s no small detail: historically, new manufacturers’ debuts in motocross involve apprenticeship seasons. Ducati, instead, has chosen a gradual yet already competitive entry, confirming the philosophy seen in pre-season testing.

The work of Ferruccio Zanchi was also crucial, tasked not only with delivering results but playing a key role in development. The Italian rider approached the race intelligently, without over-pushing, yet always staying within podium contention.

The Beddini Racing Team carried out precise, methodical work, focusing on adapting to track conditions rather than chasing a fast lap. An approach that clearly reflects Ducati’s strategy: build solid foundations for the World Championship.

“It was a good first weekend of the season,” said Ferruccio Zanchi. “In qualifying I struggled a bit due to the track’s particular conditions, but in race one the bike responded well and I was able to keep a good pace without making too many mistakes. Race two was more complicated due to a goggle issue, but I still managed to come back and finish sixth. It’s a positive start with the team; the road is long, but it’s off to a good start.”

KTM’s dominance in MX2 remains evident, but Ducati’s presence on the podium at the first real head-to-head sends a clear message to the paddock: Borgo Panigale hasn’t entered motocross to gain experience, but to become a benchmark in the medium term.

The Internazionali d’Italia don’t award titles, but they set the tone for the seasons. And one certainty emerges from Alghero: Ducati MX is already a credible reality, not an experimental project.

The next and final round of the Internazionali, scheduled for February 8 in Mantua, will offer a completely different, harder and more technical terrain. Another crucial proving ground to gauge the growth potential of the Desmo450 MX and the development margin before the World Championship begins.

If Alghero was the toughest possible test for a debut, Ducati passed it. Now the question is how quickly it can close in on the class benchmarks.