The four-time world champion has kept a low profile this year as she fights her way back from a heart condition which threatened to end her motocross career.
The 30-year-old was hospitalised with pericarditis and missed the entire 2025 season.
In February this year, she told the Otago Daily Times she had mostly recovered but had not secured a seat in the 2026 Women’s Motocross Championship (WMX).
Her career looked like it had stalled.
But the Dunedin rider has a proven track record of bouncing back from disappointments.
She found a way back and has climbed to third in the overall standings.
Duncan finished eighth overall in the opening round in France in mid-May, claiming a 12th-place finish in the first race of the season and then improving to fourth place in the second race.
A week later, she narrowly missed a spot on the podium at the German round.
She finished fourth overall, claiming a third-place finish in the first race and coming in tenth in the second race.
That has seen Duncan (58 points) rise to third in the championship standings.
She trails leader Daniela Guillen (97 points) and six-time world champion Kiara Fontanesi (91 points).
Duncan said it was ‘‘great to be back in the paddock’’.
‘‘It was a rough start to the season,’’ she said, adding it took some time to get back up to speed following her lengthy absence.
‘‘I was just a little off, a little rusty.
‘‘But I feel like ... in the six weeks [between races] I’ve been able to put a good stint in.’’
Duncan said she had to scramble to get a seat in the WMX after a late deal fell through.
‘‘I’m pretty much doing it privateer-style this year, which is a little tricky. But I’m just stoked to be back.
‘‘I’ve had a start and I’ve just got to build on that and hopefully get back to where I was.’’
Duncan became the first New Zealander to win the Women’s Motocross Championship when she collected the first of her four titles in 2019.
She won nine of her 10 races in an utterly dominant season.
That had followed three years of heartbreak. She had been the fastest rider on the circuit, but a run of bad luck had conspired against her success.
