Cargill Claims Class Win for Triumph Motorcycles in NCES

Riley Cargill Clinches Historic National Club Enduro Series Podium for Triumph Motorcycles 

Riley Cargill (right) and Millen Cargill (left) topped their class in the NCES championship 2026.

Triumph Motorcycles has marked a major milestone in the New Zealand off-road racing scene, with rider Riley Cargill securing a class win and hard-fought third place overall in the championship standings at the final round of the National Club Enduro Series (NCES). 

Aboard the breakout Triumph TF 250-X, Cargill and brother Millen Cargill spearheaded a dominant campaign for the brand, locking out the front of their class and demonstrating elite pace and bulletproof reliability against the country's premier cross-country machinery. 

A Battle Down to the Wire 

The four-round series delivered intense drama from start to finish. The Cargill brothers traded blows at the front of the pack all season, turning the class into a definitive two-horse race. 

Going into the final weekend under intense pressure, Cargill believed every single point was on the line before learning of the series’ drop-round regulation. 

"I was coming into it thinking that it was all rounds count," Cargill admitted. "So I was a little bit stressed because I still had to win this one to beat Millen, but you know, it's good. I reckon the best I found the bike, to be honest—like this all-around confidence, and just how the bike felt. Everything flowed and was nice." 

The final round took an unexpected turn when Millen Cargill suffered a broken hand during a non-race related hill-climb accident. Despite misjudging a tree "with pace," Millen’s handguards prevented more severe damage, and his stellar performance in the opening three rounds guaranteed him enough points to secure second in class for the series. 

Riley Cargill had his own share of adversity to overcome earlier in the season. During Round 3, a collapsed wheel bearing threatened to derail his championship hopes entirely. 

"I was hoping to win that one, but my wheel bearing collapsed, so I had to do a quick wheel bearing swap, and it was quite a major," Cargill explained. "Luckily I somehow made it in time. I had a minute penalty, but luckily it was only that much, so I still got seventh in that one." 

Ultimately, Cargill's resilience paid off. He claimed a brilliant second overall at the Atiamuri finale, capturing third overall for the entire championship behind Callum Dudson in second and outright series winner Sam Parker. 

The Triumph TF 250-X has been dead reliable for the Cargills.

200 Hours, Zero Drama: Debunking the Rumours 

Securing a national podium on a 250cc four-stroke against a field heavy with 450cc machinery speaks volumes about the TF 250-X's performance. More importantly, the gruelling four-round series shattered online misconceptions regarding the bike's durability. 

Between the Cargill brothers, the team logged nearly 200 combined hours on their race bikes with zero mechanical failures. Riley’s personal bike has surpassed 80 hours of hard racing and training on the original gearbox and clutch, requiring nothing more than standard interval oil and air filter changes. 

"Had so many people come up to me as well, just in events, and just ask questions: 'Oh man, how's your gearbox going?' 80 hours, haven't had one problem," said Cargill. "I wouldn't trust what people say online. I've gone from bigger bikes, like a 350 down to the 250, so I'm having to clutch it more, obviously, and I haven't ever had problems. I was a bit worried about going back down to a 250 power-wise, but I was like, wow!, it's got some power." 

The Anatomy of a 4-Hour Enduro 

Enduro racing in New Zealand tests a rider's limits, requiring a delicate balance of speed, physical conditioning, and mechanical sympathy. 

The NCES format forces competitors to tackle roughly 120 kilometres over four hours of continuous, high-intensity riding. In a sport where a mere 10 seconds can separate the top riders on a single loop, execution must be flawless. 

"The NCES definitely isn't as gnarly as people probably say it is. It's more just because you're riding for like 120 ks, which is about four hours of all-round riding," Riley Cargill noted. "So I reckon it comes down to just how smooth you are and line choice. At the end of the day, you make 10 seconds on one loop... it comes down to being smooth and being fit, I suppose. So you can, after 120 ks, still pump out a fast lap." 

What's Next: Stepping Up to the 450 

With the 250cc chapter officially closed on a high note, Riley Cargill is already shifting his focus toward the premier classes. The champion rider is currently swapping his modified TF250-X setup over to the highly anticipated Triumph TF 450-C, preparing to enter the gruelling XE1 class. 

Cargill has already logged 10 hours of trail testing on the bigger machine as he targets a top-10 spot in the upcoming Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series against seasoned veterans. The team will also contest the popular Two-Man series kicking off on July 26th, before launching a full assault on the New Zealand Cross Country Championships in March 2027.