March Madness 2026: Dialed in for Portimao

March wasn't just about waiting for the season to start—it was about putting in the relentless work to make sure I’m absolutely unstoppable when the lights go out.

Despite some dodgy weather trying to mess with my track time, the grind never stopped. I’ve been splitting my days between the 600 and the little bike, and the results are speaking for themselves. My lap times are consistently dropping, and I've unlocked a whole new level of technique and confidence on the bike. Honestly? I have never felt more ready for a season to begin.

Off the track, I went absolute beast mode on the bicycle—racking up a massive 800 km in just three weeks, plus squeezing in some heavy gym sessions to keep the physical and mental prep at peak levels.

A Quick UK Pitstop for Fresh Gear
Before heading down to Jerez to meet the team for Portimao, I had to make a quick tactical detour to the UK. The mission? Hitting up DRC Headquarters to pick up my new race suits for the season.

It had been a minute since I was last in the UK, but catching up and grabbing some good grub with Jay and his family made it an awesome overnight trip.

As for the new suits? They look sick. They are unbelievably comfortable, the fit is absolutely dialed in, and the overall look is just spectacular. Look good, feel good, race fast, right?

Friendly Rivalries & The Final Countdown
With the new gear secured, I hopped straight back on a flight to Spain for the final training push. The best part? My good buddy Josh Raymond arrived, giving me the perfect training partner before the season kicks off.

It’s always super cool to train with another American out here in Europe, especially a fellow MiniGP alumni I actually grew up racing against. It’s great having him around—even though he knows I’ve always got him beat when it comes to cycling! 😉

After one last day tearing it up on the 600 and two more on the little bike, the bags are packed, the mind is right, and all roads lead to Portimao. Let's get this season started!

The first official stop on the tour was down in Jerez for the ESBK weekend. Even though I wasn't lining up on the grid this time around, taking a step back to play the student turned into an absolute masterclass.

Instead of turning laps, I spent the weekend glued to my teammates’ track sessions and diving deep into the telemetry data afterward. I was a sponge—asking a million questions about the bike's feedback, what setup changes work, what to leave alone, and really dialing in my understanding of the machine. As a bonus, there were a few World Championship teams testing at the track, so I definitely did some scoping out to see what the competition's hardware was looking like!

Sure, I was itching to get a few extra days of seat time before the season opener, but the sheer amount of knowledge I soaked up made it 100% worth it. The biggest confidence booster of the weekend? Watching my teammate Risueño snatch a podium finish. Seeing that result firsthand proved exactly what I needed to know: our bike has some serious potential this year.

Beyond the garages, the weekend was a great chance to catch up with familiar faces from my time racing in ESBK last year. I also got to play the role of super-fan for fellow American Jase Dill, who rode an absolutely brilliant Race 2 to secure a hard-fought podium of his own.

Once the weekend wrapped, the team packed up the rig, and the energy instantly shifted. The homework is done, the data is crunched, and it's officially time to head down to Portimao for Round One. It's go time!

Going into the first round, I had some serious extra fuel added to the fire: my dad, my brother Grayson, and Coach Mike Torres were making the trip to Portugal! These guys have been in my corner since day one, so stepping into the World Championship with them by my side meant everything. Knowing they were on their way just made me feel even more locked in and ready to go.

Taming the Rollercoaster (Monday Test)
We rolled into Portugal on Sunday night, and by Monday, it was time for the official test day. I had six full sessions to learn a track I’d never ridden and get acquainted with the new bike. The bike felt completely different (and much better!) than when I rode it a few months ago in Guadix. We dialed in a solid base setup early on, which let me focus entirely on adapting my riding style.

And let’s talk about Portimao for a second... it is absolutely astounding. It is easily the best track I have ever ridden. The massive undulations and constant movement of the bike make it a pure test of trust—in yourself and your machine. I absolutely loved every second of it and wrapped up the test day sitting in a very solid P13.

Exploring Lagos & Recharging
Tuesday brought the ultimate reunion. It had been two months since I’d seen my dad and brother, and even longer for Coach Mike. After introducing everyone to the team and showing off the garage, we shifted into chill mode. Wednesday was all about taking a breather with a beautiful day trip down to Lagos. Between the stunning marina, the incredible beaches, and an amazing steak dinner, Portugal officially won me over as a beautiful country.

Media Day Magic & A Sneak Peek! 
Then came Thursday: Official Media Day. Standing on the grid, doing the TV and team photoshoots... that’s when it really hit me. I am in the World Championship. I grew up watching the big-time riders do these exact same grid shoots, and suddenly, I was the one in front of the lens. Surreal doesn't even begin to cover it; it was a literal dream come true.

Oh, and we also squeezed in a photoshoot for some brand-new merch that dropped during the weekend. You can order yours today from here: Juju 40 Collection

Link: https://www.edgedzns.com/shop-juju40

With the media duties out of the way, the dream phase is over and the real work begins. Friday brings one Free Practice session before we head straight into Superpole. Let’s get to work!

Friday kicked off on a high note. Free Practice went perfectly—I felt comfortable on the bike immediately and quickly got up to speed. I knew there were a few minor adjustments I needed to make on my end as a rider, but I was totally dialed in and ready to execute them in Superpole.

Disaster Strikes in Qualifying
Then, the chaos started. On my very first out-lap in Superpole, the bike completely cut out going up into Turn 13. I managed to pull off to the side, completely rebooted the system, and miraculously got it to fire back up. I pushed through one safety lap just to guarantee my spot on the grid and then rushed straight back to pit lane.

The diagnosis? The fourth gear in the transmission had shattered. With zero time to fix it, I had to go back out and ride the entire qualifying lap stuck in fifth gear. Miraculously, I didn’t qualify dead last, but P28 was definitely not the World Championship debut we were aiming for. It was a tough pill to swallow, but that’s racing. You regroup, you rebuild, and you get ready for the lights to go out.

Race 1: Going Rogue from the Back
After swapping out the entire gearbox on Saturday morning and confirming the issue was completely resolved in warm-up, a massive wave of relief washed over me. The bike was ready. Now, I just had to fight my way up from P28.

My strategy was simple: maximum aggression from the jump. The lights went out, the nerves completely vanished, and I went to work. I had a phenomenal start, carving my way through the absolute madness of the pack to hit P19 by the end of the second lap. I was flying—until the red flags came out. An Aprilia ahead of me blew up and dumped oil all over the track. My visor and bike were completely coated in it. I was incredibly lucky to keep the bike upright and make it back to pit lane in one piece.

After a frantic cleanup, we lined back up on the grid for the restart in P20. I was ready for a war. I managed to make up a few more positions right out of the gate, but eventually got stuck battling a single rider while the lead group managed to break away.

Pushing to the absolute limit to make a pass on the final lap, I made a slight error and blew Turn 13 wide. Just like that, my first-ever World Championship point slipped right through my fingers. I crossed the line feeling incredibly frustrated and disappointed in myself, but that feeling didn't last long. I knew the pace was there, I knew I could fight with these guys, and I was ready to get it done on Sunday.

Saturday night was all about sitting down with the team, diving into the telemetry data, and completely resetting. By the time Sunday warm-up rolled around, I was locked in. I finished the morning session in P11, and those first-race jitters from Saturday were completely gone. I wasn't just ready; I was prepared to attack this race at all costs.

Maximum Attack from P28
When the lights went out, I went into full aggression mode. I started making moves instantly, slicing my way through the pack to hit P19 by the end of Lap 3. I put my head down and started hunting the group ahead. Pushing that hard from the back row meant putting my tires through absolute hell, and by Lap 6, I could definitely feel the grip slipping away.

But even with fading tires, I was flying. I managed to drop a blistering lap time—a pace so fast that it would have put me 9th on the grid if there had been a Race 3!

The Ultimate Takeaway
I crossed the finish line in P16, coming up just one spot shy of scoring my first World Championship point. But honestly? I have never been more proud of a ride in my entire life. I fought tooth and nail, never gave up, and clawed my way up 12 positions purely on overtakes, with zero crashes ahead of me. They say everything happens for a reason, and I truly believe I was meant to start from P28 this weekend just to prove to myself that I belong on this World Championship grid. Mission accomplished.

The Village Behind the Dream
I am leaving Portugal feeling incredibly confident for the rest of the season, and I owe a massive shoutout to the people who make it happen.

To my team: Thank you for your relentless hard work and for never letting me down while we chased mechanical gremlins all weekend.

To Dani Valle and Coach Mike: Thank you for keeping my head in the game and having me as prepared as humanly possible.

To my Mom and Dad: Thank you for making this wild dream a reality. Having my dad and my brother Grayson in the box this weekend made it unforgettable.

And finally, to everyone reading and supporting me: thank you! I hope I made you guys proud this weekend. We proved we have the pace, but the grind doesn’t stop now. Let’s get it!