Can Debise and ZXMoto go all the way in World Supersport?
Written by Jordan Boyle
Ten races and five rounds into the 2026 World Supersport season, Valentin Debise has a 50% win ratio for the season thus far. Competing aboard the brand new ZXMoto machine, Debise and his Evan Bros team have done nothing but turn heads in 2026.
Despite leaving the season opener with no points on the board, Debise has bounced back to claim five race wins, and the Frenchman currently finds himself second in the championship standings – just nineteen points adrift of championship leader, Albert Arenas.
A double win at the second round, followed by a win in the opener in Hungary, before another double victory in Most sees Debise with easily the most wins of any rider so far this season – the nearest being Arenas with two wins. Had it not been for a technical problem ruling the Frenchman out of race two in Hungary, we could well have seen a different story at the top of the standings.
Nonetheless, Valentin Debise has well and truly staked his claim as a title contender for the 2026 season. Not only has the Frenchman shown himself to have excellent racecraft, but he has also shown strong consistency, which has previously been his Achilles’ heel. Barring the season opener and the DNF in Hungary, Debise has finished every race inside the top seven, with his worst result being a seventh place.
It has been a long way to this level of success for the now 34-year-old Frenchman, who made his full-time international debut in the 250cc World Championship back in 2009. After some difficult seasons in the 2010’s in Moto2 and World Supersport, a full-time return to international racing in 2023 has given Debise a new lease of life, with him claiming 13 podiums, including 7 victories, whereas before 2023, he had never stood on a world championship podium.
What makes this campaign even more impressive is that it’s being done on a completely unproven, brand-new motorcycle. Whilst other brands, such as Yamaha or Ducati, may be expected to have their new bikes go straight to the front of the supersport field, the form of the ZXMoto is from complete left field.
Formed as a breakaway group from the Kove factory, ZXMoto was founded in 2024 by Chinese engineer Zhang Xue. In contrast, they are taking on factories, such as Yamaha and Ducati, that have existed for the best part of a century.
Whilst the bike is clearly an excellent package, and Debise is riding the best he possibly ever has, a big factor in the success they have seen this season can be put down to the team running the bikes.
Evan Bros Racing have been a stalwart of the World Supersport championship for the last several seasons. The Italian squad entered the class in 2016, originally with Honda machinery, before switching to Yamaha, with whom they won back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020 with Randy Krummenacher and Andrea Locatelli. They also finished runner-up in the series with Steven Odendaal, Lorenzo Baldassari and Can Oncu, respectively.
Clearly, a trio made in heaven, Debise and team head to Aragon with the momentum well and truly behind them, having won three of the last four races.
There is still a long way to go in the 2026 season, where anything can happen. But if the first five rounds are anything to go by, we could very well see a brand new manufacturer and rider bring home World Supersport glory come the season finale.
