The third round of the EnduroGP World Championship took place last weekend, with Andrea Verona and Josep García claiming victories at the EnduroGP of Romania in Bacau.

On the first day, Saturday, Verona (GasGas) was the fastest in seven of the 13 Special Tests, finishing with a time of 1h12m23.92s to surpass García (Red Bull KTM) by 13.62s, winning the Enduro 2 (E2) and Enduro 1 (E1) classes respectively. Steve Holcombe (Honda Racing RedMoto) came in third, 58.04s behind, followed by Brad Freeman (Beta) who won the Enduro 3 (E3) class.

On the second stage of the Romanian round, held on Sunday, García set the pace. He won six of the 12 Special Tests, but the battle with Verona was much closer: the two finished separated by just 22.59s. Freeman, winner of E3, was third, over a minute behind the top, followed by Nathan Watson (Beta) and Holcombe.

In the Youth category, Alberto Elgari (TM Moto) secured a double victory: on Saturday, he was 16.22s faster than Manuel Verzeroli (KTM), while on Sunday he finished 57.56s ahead of Pietro Scardina (Fantic Racing Junior). Max Bror elvis Ahlin (KTM) also achieved a double win in the Junior category, defeating Kevin Cristino (Fantic Racing) on the first day and Axel Semb (Fantic Racing) on the second. Cristino prevailed in Junior 1 on both days, ahead of Thibault Giraudon (Sherco).

In Open Senior, Andrea Beloti (MC Lago D’Iseo/KTM) beat Patrik Andersson (Yamaha) by over a minute on both days. Arvid Karlsson (KTM) won in Open 4s against Emanuel Gyenes (KTM) on both Saturday and Sunday, while in Open 2s Tim Louis (Sherco) defeated Jiri Hadek (Sherco) on Saturday, and Hadek beat Inbar Selinger (KTM) on Sunday.

O conteúdo Andrea Verona and Josep García Victorious in EnduroGP of Romania aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

This weekend marks a significant milestone for the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship as it makes a much-anticipated return to Romania after more than a decade. The city of Bacau is set to host the third round of the championship, reintroducing the thrilling competition to a region rich in motorsport history.

The championship heads into Romania with a fierce battle at the top. Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia are currently tied in the EnduroGP standings, each with two wins under their belt this season. The stage is set for a showdown that could see either rider take a definitive lead in the points race.

The Competition Heats Up

The AKRAPOVIC Super Test will kick off the racing on Friday evening near the Bacau Business and Exhibition Centre. Garcia, having dominated the previous Friday tests, aims for a hat-trick of wins in these critical opening challenges. The weekend will then unfold over two grueling days of racing, with each day demanding riders complete a 54-kilometre course three times, totaling six hours of riding daily.

The technical and physically demanding course includes several tests like the ACERBIS Cross test, the POLISPORT Extreme Test, and the MAXXIS Enduro Test. Each segment will challenge the riders’ endurance and skill, making for an exciting spectacle.

Key Players and Potential Outcomes

While Holcombe and Garcia are the headline acts, they are not without strong competition. GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona and Beta Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson have been close contenders, often finishing just seconds behind the leaders. Both are well-positioned to vie for the top spot in Bacau.

Injuries and illness have hampered some riders’ early-season performances, notably Brad Freeman from Beta, who is eager to return to form and compete for victories once again. Samuele Bernardini and Jamie McCanney are also ones to watch, as both have shown podium potential this season.

Class Battles and Championship Dynamics

The Enduro1 class also sees Holcombe and Garcia tied, with Jamie McCanney not far behind in third place. The Enduro2 class has Andrea Verona pulling ahead with three wins, though Nathan Watson and Samuele Bernardini remain strong contenders.

In Enduro3, TM Racing’s Matteo Cavallo leads but faces stiff competition from Hamish MacDonald and Brad Freeman, with mere points separating the top contenders.

Junior and Youth Competitions

The GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship is witnessing a tight race with Axel Semb leading a competitive group. The Enduro Youth category, led by Manuel Verzeroli, is equally contested, with several young riders proving they can challenge for the top spots.

As the EnduroGP World Championship revs up for an exhilarating weekend in Bacau, the stage is set not just for individual glory but for ongoing battles across various classes. With the championship’s return to Romania, the riders are not just racing for points but also making history in one of the sport’s most celebrated arenas.

O conteúdo EnduroGP Ignites as It Returns to Romania After 11 Years aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

 The 2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship is about to get started and Manuel Lettenbichler is excited to start his title defense in a week’s title, at Valleys Hard Enduro in South Wales. His wish is obvious after dominating in 2023: to replicate the powerhouse performance delivered.

The german that rides with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing showed how excited he is to get the action going: ‘I can’t wait to get the 2024 Hard Enduro season underway! I don’t even know what to say about last year, I went into the season with no expectations, but then after winning the first few rounds, I realized I had a shot at doing something unique. I had a perfect season, and to make history in our sport is so cool!’.

He then spoke about his preseason and how he got to prepare for his title defense: ‘There are a lot of different things we’ve done to get race ready during preseason. I have focused on my fitness a lot, but we also had a lot of bike testing to do too. I tried to ride as many different disciplines as possible like enduro, hard enduro and motocross, so I’m prepared for everything this season’.

And his goals are clear: ‘Going into this year, we have so much more experience with this bike and which settings work best for each race. Of course, I want to replicate what I did last year, but we are just going to start the season and see how it goes. I can’t wait to get the championship underway in Wales!’.

O conteúdo Manuel Lettenbichler can’t wait to get going in Hard Enduro: ‘We have much more experience and I want to replicate what I did last year’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Valpaços, in Portugal hosted the second round of the EnduroGP World Championship a week after, in the same country, Fafe welcomed the start of the season. Steve Holcombe this sunday, and Josep García the day before.

Stay with some of the best moments on each day of the competition in Portugal.

Best of day 1:

Best of day 2:

O conteúdo Video: Best moments of the EnduroGP in Valpaços – day 1 and 2 aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The second round of the EnduroGP World Championship had in Josep García and Steve Holcombe, again, the winners of each day, now again in Portugal in Valpaços.

On the first day of action in Portugal, counting for the second round of the EnduroGP, García (KTM) was the great winner beating Holcombe (Honda), while Andrea Verona (GASGAS) was third. Brad Freeman (Beta) was fourth and Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) closed the top five.

In the Junior category the highlight was Axel Semb, while on Youth it was Manuel Verzeroli. Francesca Nocera was the best among the Women, Tim Louis on Open2s, Alfie Webb on Open4s and Andrea Beloti on Open Senior.

Regarding the second day the fastest to conclude the day was Holcombe, Verona was second and García third, while Nathan Watson (Beta) and Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) closed to top five, in that order.

Axel was again the best on Junior, just like Verzeroli on Youth. Mireia Badia was the best among the Women, Louis and Webb repeated the first place on their category, just like Beloti.

Day 1 Results, top ten:

Day 2 Results, top ten:

O conteúdo Josep García and Steve Holcombe won day one and two at the EnduroGP in Valpaços, Portugal aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The EnduroGP had the first round of the season in Portugal, with the city of Fafe to welcome the world championship. The best overall on the second day of work was Steve Holcombe.

As usual there were plenty of intense and exciting moments, with the rider from Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team to make his debut on the wins with the team, beating Josep García (KTM) and Nathan Watson (Beta), who got to take the other podium places.

Stay with the best moments of the action in Portugal:

O conteúdo Video: Highlights of EnduroGP day 2 at Fafe, Portugal aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The EnduroGP world championship had the first round on Portugal, and Steve Holcombe (Honda) was the great winner after a very big battle with other big titans of the category.

Speaking on his sunday of competition at Fafe, the rider recalled the fight with his main rivals of the day, that lasted a lot of time: ‘I’m really pumped to take the EnduroGP win today [yesterday]. It was a heck of a battle all day between Josep (García), Nathan (Watson), and myself. I felt good in my riding and could really put the bike where I wanted to on track’.

Also, the seven time world champion of the EnduroGP got to make his debut winning with the new team, which left him quite happy with the upcoming season: ‘It feels awesome to win so soon with Honda, and also to get my first Enduro1 victory. I’m excited for the rest of the season!’.

In the overall standings García leads with 37 points, two more than Holcombe, while Andrea Verona is third with 30.

O conteúdo Steve Holcombe was the best on day 2 of the EnduroGP in Portugal: ‘It was a heck of a battle all day with García and Watson’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The final day of racing at the opening round of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Portugal saw Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe take victory. In what proved to be an incredible day of action at the ACERBIS GP of Portugal, Holcombe shone through to claim a hard-fought win over day one winner Josep Garcia (KTM), with Nathan Watson (Beta) close behind in third.

In the GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship, Fantic Racing Team’s Axel Semb collected his second victory of the weekend, with TM Racing’s Alberto Elgari winning Enduro Youth. RIEJU Factory Team’s Mireia Badia topped the Enduro Women’s class.

The final day of racing at round one of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship produced one of the most memorable races in recent times. Exceptionally close battles saw the world’s best enduro riders fight it out with just 10 seconds separating the top three on the EnduroGP podium.

As riders left the start ramp in Fafe, the rain soon cleared to produce bright, sunny skies. The drying weather ensured grip levels in the Portuguese dirt were at their best, allowing competitors to push the level even higher than the previous day.

Holcombe takes debut EnduroGP win in Honda colours

Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe fired the first warning shot to his rivals on the opening ACERBIS Cross Test by clocking in the fastest time. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia was right behind him in second, with Beta Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson shadowing them in third. A solid start from current Junior World Champion Jed Etchells (Fantic) slotted him into fifth, behind GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona in fourth.

On to the opening MAXXIS Enduro Test and Garcia immediately responded. Setting the quickest time saw him take over the lead from Holcombe. But it would prove short-lived. Holcombe answered right back on the POLISPORT Extreme Test. Taking the test win and capitalising on a mistake from the Spaniard put the Honda rider nine seconds ahead of his rival as they began lap two of three.

For the entire second lap, the pace was frantic at the front. Garcia, Watson, and Holcombe split the special test wins between them, with Verona, Samuele Bernardini (Honda), and the Fast Eddy Racing duo of Mikael Persson and Jamie McCanney right behind them.

Heading into the final lap, and Holcombe still controlled the race lead by a crucial eight seconds over Garcia. With Watson only four seconds behind the Spaniard in third, it was all to play for with only three tests remaining.

Watson powered his way to the final ACERBIS Cross Test win. Closing in on the duo, he looked the danger man. Persson took the final MAXXIS Enduro Test, while Garcia, Watson, and Holcombe were separated by two seconds.

With it all boiling down to the final POLISPORT Extreme Test, nine-time world champion Holcombe utilised every ounce of experience he had to stay cool under pressure. Taking the test win saw him secure his debut EnduroGP victory in Honda colours by just four seconds. Despite his best efforts, Garcia was made to settle for second on day two in Fafe. Putting in an incredible ride, Watson could be pleased with his day’s work of third.

Sitting on the fringes of the top three, Verona wasn’t quite able to join Holcombe, Garcia, and Watson in the battle for the victory and had to be content with fourth. Closing out the top five overall was Bernardini, with Persson just one second behind the Italian in sixth.

Badia claims top step of Enduro Women’s podium

The FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship produced a great battle between RIEJU Factory Team’s Mireia Badia and day one winner Team KBS Sherco’s Rachel Gutish. Badia had the measure of Gutish today and with four special test wins to her name out of a possible six, she took the win.

Gutish rode well but wasn’t able to show the same intensity as she had done on day one and placed second. Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Francesca Nocera finished seven seconds behind in third. Elodie Chaplot (Beta) and Marie Holt (KTM) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

With Holcombe and Garcia fighting it out for the overall EnduroGP victory, it was Holcombe who also snatched the Enduro1 class win. The Brit has now secured race wins in all three senior classes during his professional career. Fast Eddy Racing’s Jamie McCanney got the better of CH Racing Sherco’s Zach Pichon on day two to take third.

Putting the finishing touches to an incredible debut with Beta Factory Racing, Nathan Watson put his name on top of the Enduro2 results sheet on day two in Fafe. Verona and Bernardini joined the Beta rider on the podium in second and third respectively. Just missing a place in the top three by one second, Persson will look for more at round two next weekend in Valpacos. Etchells completed the top five.

In Enduro3, day one winner Brad Freeman (Beta) caused a surprise when he exited the race after the first special test due to illness. CH Racing Sherco’s Hamish MacDonald came through to take a memorable first victory in Enduro3. Matteo Cavallo (TM Racing) was second, with Julien Roussaly (Sherco) third.

Semb does the double in Enduro Junior

The GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship saw Fantic Racing Team’s Axel Semb make it two wins from two starts in Fafe. However, unlike his day one victory, his advantage was only 18 seconds this time around. Team Beta Oxmoto’s Antoine Alix kept him honest all day for second, while Thibault Giraudon (Sherco) was third. Leo Joyon (Beta) and Max Ahlin (KTM) rounded out the top five.

The Enduro Youth class saw a shake up in the results with a new winner emerging on day two in Fafe. TM Racing’s Alberto Elgari was on top form in the Portuguese special tests and powered through to take the first win of his young career. Manuel Verzeroli (KTM) rose his game as well to finish second. Third on day one, Clement Clauzier (Beta) returned to the podium on day two with another well-deserved top-three result.

After what proved to be an exceptionally exciting opening round of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Fafe, Portugal, the paddock now heads to nearby Valpacos in Portugal for round two next week on April 12-14.

O conteúdo Steve Holcombe takes day 2 win of EnduroGP in Portugal aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The EnduroGP World Championship is back and Fafe hosted the first round, with the first day of action being full of thrills in the north of Portugal! The strongest rider at the end of the day was Josep García (KTM), but the highlights didn’t stop there.

On social media, the organisation shared a video of some of the best moments of the day on Portuguese soil on its YouTube page, which ended with García getting the better of the competition, beating Andrea Verona (GASGAS) and Steve Holcombe (Honda).

Watch the video of the first day of competition in Portugal:

O conteúdo Video: Best moments from day 1 of the EnduroGP in Portugal aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Day one at round one of the 2024 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia claim victory in Fafe, Portugal. Putting in an impressive performance at the ACERBIS GP of Portugal, the Spaniard took the top step of the EnduroGP podium over GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona, with Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe in third.

After an exciting Friday night AKRAPOVIC Super Test, won by Garcia, overnight rain filtered through to greet riders on Saturday morning at the ACERBIS GP of Portugal. The rain would eventually ease off, but overcast skies ensured damp conditions remained for the duration of the day. However, despite the drop in temperatures, the action on track was very much red hot as the world’s best enduro riders got down to their first full day of racing in the 2024 season.

Garcia puts on a masterclass in EnduroGP

Determined to strengthen his early lead, Garcia came out swinging in the opening ACERBIS Cross Test and topped the time sheets. However, his advantage was slim, with Verona just six tenths behind in second. After his spill in the AKRAPOVIC Super Test, Holcombe was on a mission and set the third fastest time with Fast Eddy Racing’s Jamie McCanney and Beta Factory Racing’s Brad Freeman going fourth and fifth quickest, respectively.

Winning the following MAXXIS Enduro Test by four seconds, Garcia extended his advantage to eight seconds, proving he meant business in Fafe. Freeman went on to top the POLISPORT Extreme Test by one second over Garcia, but as they closed out the opening lap of three, Garcia was already 11 seconds clear of his rivals.

On the second ACERBIS Cross Test, it was the turn of Verona to top the time sheets. With a mistake coming from Garcia, his advantage was now just six seconds and it looked like that battle for victory was back on. However, Garcia was quick to resume normal service and won the second MAXXIS Enduro Test to stretch his lead out to 11 seconds.

Entering the final lap, Garcia was just 12 seconds clear of Verona, while Holcombe in third had an 11-second advantage over Nathan Watson (Beta) in fifth. With Freeman sandwiched between Holcombe and Watson, a place on the podium was all to play for.

Fastest in the ACERBIS Cross Test and MAXXIS Enduro Test, Garcia built a lead that couldn’t be caught. And with a strong ride on the final POLISPORT Extreme Test, he was able to end his day with a 32-second margin of victory in EnduroGP. Behind him though, the final steps of the podium went right to the wire.

Mistakes from Verona allowed Holcombe to close right in. Sensing an opportunity to claim second, the Honda rider pushed hard to win the final POLISPORT Extreme Test, but it wasn’t enough. Hanging on, Verona claimed the runner-up result by just one second, with Holcombe third. A titanic battle from the Beta pairing of Freeman and Watson saw Watson overhaul his teammate on the final lap to snatch fourth and push Freeman back to fifth.

Historic victory for Gutish in Enduro Women

Settling straight into her FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship debut, Team KBS Sherco’s Rachel Gutish took the win on day one. The victory sees Gutish become the first woman from the USA to take a race win in the championship.

RIEJU Factory Racing’s Rosie Rowett placed 22 seconds behind to take the runner-up result. Mireia Badia capped off a great day for RIEJU to finish on the podium in third. A consistent and strong ride from Nieve Holmes saw her place fourth, while Marie Holt Vilde (KTM) won the opening ACERBIS Cross Test to end her day in fifth.

In the Enduro1 class, Garcia effortlessly secured victory. Holcombe’s debut ride in Enduro1 earned him second place, indicating more potential from the nine-time world champion. In the battle for the final step of the podium, CH Racing Sherco’s Zach Pichon edged out McCanney on the final two tests to seal the deal.

Verona was best of the Enduro2 category on day one but faced a late charge from Watson in the latter stages of the race. Watson will aim to carry that pace into day two and challenge Verona from the off. While both Verona and Watson broke away from their classmates, Samuele Bernardini (Honda) and Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) fought it out for third. Bernardini got the better of Persson by just half a second to finish on the Enduro2 podium.

Brad Freeman kicked off the defence of his Enduro3 crown with a 22-second win on day one in Portugal. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) placed second in his debut Enduro3 ride. MacDonald took four test wins to Freeman’s five on day one and will look to apply the pressure some more tomorrow. TM Racing’s Matteo Cavallo completed the top three.

Semb dominates Enduro Junior on day one

The GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship saw Fantic Racing Team’s Axel Semb dominate the opening day of racing in Fafe. The Swede was a level above his rivals in the challenging Portuguese terrain and claimed a commanding 62-second margin of victory.

Reigning Enduro Youth champion Kevin Cristion (Fantic) made good his debut in Enduro Junior to place as runner-up to teammate Semb. Manolo Morettini (Honda) fended off attacks from both Thibault Giraudon (Sherco) and Leo Joyon (Beta) to claim third.

The Enduro Youth class saw Romain Dagna (Sherco) come through to take the win on day one. Dagna headed an all-French podium in the category. It was a special day in the Clauzier family, with Beta-mounted twin brothers Maxime and Clement finishing second and third, respectively.

O conteúdo Josep García takes impressive EnduroGP victory on the first day of EnduroGP of Portugal aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.