2024 FIM EnduroGP World Championship
Round One – Portugal
The 2024 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship kicked off over the weekend in Fafe, Portugal.
Josep Garcia (KTM) held off Andrea Verona (GASGAS) and Steve Holcombe (Honda) for the Day One win.
Holcombe wouldn’t let that stand however, the Brit made a come-back on Sunday’s Day Two, claiming the top spot and regulating Garcia to second, while Nathan Watson (Beta) was third.
The Friday night AKRAPOVIC Super Test had been won by Garcia, and 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.
Day One – Saturday
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. Fast Eddy Racing’s Jamie McCanney and Beta Factory Racing’s Brad Freeman were 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 Verona’s turn to top the time-sheets. Garcia’s mistake reduced his advantage to just six seconds, and it looked like the battle for victory was back on. However, Garcia was quick to resume normal service and won the second MAXXIS Enduro Test, stretching his lead 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. With a strong ride on the final POLISPORT Extreme Test, he ended 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.
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.
Josep Garcia – 1st EnduroGP
“My goal was to start the season with a win and I managed to get that done today. It’s something I’ve been pushing to do for a while now because I wasn’t able to do it last year. The conditions were tough out there, but I enjoyed it a lot and could ride hard.”
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.
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.
Rachel Gutish – 1st Enduro Women
“The world championship is a lot different than the ISDE. It’s a tough, long day, but I enjoyed it a lot. I wasn’t expecting to win, so to take the top step of the podium is a proud moment for me for sure. I’m looking forward to tomorrow now and another good battle.”
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.
Romain Dagna – 1st Enduro Youth
“I had a great day and good feeling with the bike. I really liked the extreme test and enjoyed the technical challenges. It’s only my third time in EnduroGP, so to take a win in Youth is amazing. I’m so happy!”
2024 EnduroGP of Portugal Day One Highlights
Day One Results – Top 20
| Pos | Rider | Cat | Bike | Time | Gap |
| 1 | GARCIA Josep | E1 | KTM | 56:17.60 | – |
| 2 | VERONA Andrea | E2 | GASGAS | 56:49.70 | +32.10 |
| 3 | HOLCOMBE Steve | E1 | Honda | 56:50.87 | +33.27 |
| 4 | WATSON Nathan | E2 | Beta | 57:01.82 | +44.22 |
| 5 | FREEMAN Brad | E3 | Beta | 57:14.38 | +56.78 |
| 6 | MACDONALD Hamish | E3 | Sherco | 57:36.98 | +1:19.38 |
| 7 | BERNARDINI Samuele | E2 | Honda | 57:51.72 | +1:34.12 |
| 8 | PERSSON Mikael | E2 | Husqvarna | 57:52.24 | +1:34.64 |
| 9 | PICHON Zachary | E1 | Sherco | 58:07.57 | +1:49.97 |
| 10 | MCCANNEY Jamie | E1 | Husqvarna | 58:10.81 | +1:53.21 |
| 11 | CAVALLO Matteo | E3 | TM RACING | 58:48.60 | +2:31.00 |
| 12 | ETCHELLS Jed | E2 | Fantic | 58:56.77 | +2:39.17 |
| 13 | PAVONI Matteo | E2 | Husqvarna | 59:04.39 | +2:46.79 |
| 14 | SYDOW Jeremy | E1 | Sherco | 59:04.99 | +2:47.39 |
| 15 | ESPINASSE Theo | E1 | Beta | 59:06.86 | +2:49.26 |
| 16 | MAGAIN Antoine | E3 | Sherco | 59:11.22 | +2:53.62 |
| 17 | ROUSSALY Julien | E3 | Sherco | 59:12.40 | +2:54.80 |
| 18 | MACORITTO Lorenzo | E1 | TM RACING | 59:27.59 | +3:09.99 |
| 19 | BETRIU Jaume | E3 | KTM | 59:29.53 | +3:11.93 |
| 20 | KOUBLE Krystof | E2 | Husqvarna | 59:32.43 | +3:14.83 |
Day Two – Sunday
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.
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.
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.
Steve Holcombe – EnduroGP P1
“What a day! 1-1 in EGP and E1. Couldn’t ask for better. Today just felt good from the get-go. Overnight I figured out a bit more of the 250f puzzle and put it into practice. It was one of those days were the bike just went exactly where I wanted it to. Magic. It was such a good fight for the win too between Josep, Nathan and myself. Overall, it was a cracker of a day and I can’t wait to go again next weekend. Big thanks to Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team, we’re up and running now lads!”
Josep Garcia – E1 P2
“I’m very happy with how the weekend has gone and it feels good to get the championship underway with strong results like this. Day one was perfect. I hardly made a mistake and won by quite a lot. Day two started good, but I had a big crash in the first extreme test that cost me a lot of time. I pushed hard and made most of the time back. It was frustrating to miss the victory by so little, but it shows just how tight the racing is. Overall, with a 1-2 result in EnduroGP it’s been a very strong start to the season. Next weekend I’ll give it my all again.”
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.
Andrea Verona – E2 P2
“I’m pretty happy with how my weekend went. On Saturday, I was well in the fight for the EnduroGP win and was happy with how I rode and my E2-class win. On Sunday, things didn’t quite go to plan – I felt my speed was good but each test I was losing just a couple of seconds to the other guys. I didn’t make any big mistakes, I just struggled to find my rhythm. Fourth in EnduroGP and second in E2 isn’t bad, but I was really hoping for better. Overall, my weekend has gone well – I’m really happy with the bike, and the team have done a great job as always. Now, I have to get focused again and then full gas for next weekend and hopefully I can improve things a little more here in Portugal.”
Wil Ruprecht – E2 P12
“Wild weekend in Portugal. Sub par results but healthy and ready to fight another day. Regroup and go again next weekend. Cheers Sherco CH Racing for keeping us going.”
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.
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.
Mireia Badia – 1st Enduro Women
“I’m super happy with my riding. It’s been a great result today in tough conditions. The fight was good between Rachel (Gutish) and myself and it’s so nice to take the win here in Fafe.”
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.
Axel Semb – 1st Enduro Junior
“It’s been the perfect start to the season, winning both days. I’m so happy with how things went and how I felt on the bike in these conditions. Thank you to the team for all their support.”
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.
Alberto Elgari – 1st Enduro Youth
“It’s been an incredible day for me. It’s just my second ever world championship race and now I have my first victory. I have no words to explain how happy I am.”
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.
2024 EnduroGP of Portugal Day Two Highlights
Day Two Results – Top 20
| Pos | Rider | Cat | Bike | Gap |
| 1 | HOLCOMBE Steve | E1 | Honda | 53:32.40 |
| 2 | GARCIA Josep | E1 | KTM | +4.39 |
| 3 | WATSON Nathan | E2 | Beta | +9.55 |
| 4 | VERONA Andrea | E2 | GASGAS | +22.05 |
| 5 | BERNARDINI Samuele | E2 | Honda | +44.78 |
| 6 | PERSSON Mikael | E2 | Husqvarna | +46.29 |
| 7 | MACDONALD Hamish | E3 | Sherco | +1:15.73 |
| 8 | MCCANNEY Jamie | E1 | Husqvarna | +1:20.28 |
| 9 | CAVALLO Matteo | E3 | TM RACING | +1:24.01 |
| 10 | PICHON Zachary | E1 | Sherco | +1:45.16 |
| 11 | ETCHELLS Jed | E2 | Fantic | +1:51.76 |
| 12 | ROUSSALY Julien | E3 | Sherco | +2:08.68 |
| 13 | BETRIU Jaume | E3 | KTM | +2:11.41 |
| 14 | SYDOW Jeremy | E1 | Sherco | +2:20.94 |
| 15 | LESIARDO Morgan | E3 | Husqvarna | +2:23.68 |
| 16 | ESPINASSE Theo | E1 | Beta | +2:27.83 |
| 17 | NORRBIN Albin | E3 | Fantic | +2:41.81 |
| 18 | PAVONI Matteo | E2 | Husqvarna | +2:45.43 |
| 19 | MAGAIN Antoine | E3 | Sherco | +2:49.67 |
| 20 | KOUBLE Krystof | E2 | Husqvarna | +2:52.26 |
EnduroGP Standings
| Rank | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | GARCIA Josep | ESP | KTM | 37 |
| 2 | HOLCOMBE Steve | GBR | Honda | 35 |
| 3 | VERONA Andrea | ITA | GASGAS | 30 |
| 4 | WATSON Nathan | GBR | Beta | 28 |
| 5 | BERNARDINI Samuele | ITA | Honda | 20 |
| 6 | MACDONALD Hamish | NZL | Sherco | 19 |
| 7 | PERSSON Mikael | SWE | Husqvarna | 18 |
| 8 | MCCANNEY Jamie | GBR | Husqvarna | 14 |
| 9 | PICHON Zachary | FRA | Sherco | 13 |
| 10 | CAVALLO Matteo | ITA | TM RACING | 12 |
| 11 | FREEMAN Brad | GBR | Beta | 11 |
| 12 | ETCHELLS Jed | GBR | Fantic | 9 |
| 13 | ROUSSALY Julien | FRA | Sherco | 4 |
| 14 | SYDOW Jeremy | GER | Sherco | 4 |
| 15 | BETRIU Jaume | ESP | KTM | 3 |
| 16 | PAVONI Matteo | ITA | Husqvarna | 3 |
| 17 | LESIARDO Morgan | ITA | Husqvarna | 1 |
| 18 | ESPINASSE Theo | FRA | Beta | 1 |
E1 Standings
| Rank | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | HOLCOMBE Steve | GBR | Honda | 37 |
| 2 | GARCIA Josep | ESP | KTM | 37 |
| 3 | MCCANNEY Jamie | GBR | Husqvarna | 28 |
| 4 | PICHON Zachary | FRA | Sherco | 28 |
| 5 | SYDOW Jeremy | GER | Sherco | 22 |
| 6 | ESPINASSE Theo | FRA | Beta | 20 |
| 7 | MACORITTO Lorenzo | ITA | TM RACING | 18 |
| 8 | SORECA Davide | ITA | Kawasaki | 15 |
| 9 | HALJALA Hermanni | FIN | Beta | 13 |
| 10 | SCOTT Jordan | GBR | TM RACING | 11 |
| 11 | OLIVEIRA Luis | POR | Yamaha | 9 |
| 12 | KYTONEN Roni | FIN | Yamaha | 8 |
E2 Standings
| Rank | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | WATSON Nathan | GBR | Beta | 37 |
| 2 | VERONA Andrea | ITA | GASGAS | 37 |
| 3 | BERNARDINI Samuele | ITA | Honda | 30 |
| 4 | PERSSON Mikael | SWE | Husqvarna | 26 |
| 5 | ETCHELLS Jed | GBR | Fantic | 22 |
| 6 | PAVONI Matteo | ITA | Husqvarna | 20 |
| 7 | KOUBLE Krystof | CZE | Husqvarna | 18 |
| 8 | ELOWSON Albin | SWE | Husqvarna | 15 |
| 9 | RUPRECHT Wil | AUS | Sherco | 12 |
| 10 | LE QUERE Leo | FRA | TM RACING | 12 |
| 11 | NAVARRO HUERTAS Se… | ESP | Husqvarna | 10 |
| 12 | HERRERA Benjamin | CHI | GASGAS | 10 |
| 13 | HOUGHTON Harry | GBR | GASGAS | 7 |
| 14 | VAGBERG Lucas | SWE | Husqvarna | 4 |
| 15 | BRACIK Aleksander | POL | Kawasaki | 2 |
E3 Standings
| Rank | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | MACDONALD Hamish | NZL | Sherco | 37 |
| 2 | CAVALLO Matteo | ITA | TM RACING | 32 |
| 3 | ROUSSALY Julien | FRA | Sherco | 26 |
| 4 | BETRIU Jaume | ESP | KTM | 23 |
| 5 | MAGAIN Antoine | BEL | Sherco | 22 |
| 6 | FREEMAN Brad | GBR | Beta | 20 |
| 7 | LESIARDO Morgan | ITA | Husqvarna | 20 |
| 8 | NORRBIN Albin | SWE | Fantic | 18 |
| 9 | WILLEMS Erik | BEL | TM RACING | 15 |
| 10 | SANS SORIA Marc | ESP | Yamaha | 13 |
FIM Junior Enduro Standings
| Rank | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | SEMB Axel | SWE | Fantic | 35 |
| 2 | GIRAUDON Thibault | FRA | Sherco | 30 |
| 3 | ALIX Antoine | FRA | Beta | 26 |
| 4 | CRISTINO Kevin | ITA | Fantic | 26 |
| 5 | MORETTINI Manolo | ITA | Honda | 25 |
| 6 | JOYON Leo | FRA | Beta | 24 |
| 7 | AHLIN Max Bror elvis | SWE | KTM | 21 |
| 8 | EDMONDSON Harry | GBR | Beta | 17 |
| 9 | RINALDI Enrico | ITA | GASGAS | 15 |
| 10 | FONTOVA SALVIA Albert | ESP | GASGAS | 13 |
| 11 | KALNY Jaroslav | CZE | Sherco | 8 |
| 12 | PUHAKAINEN Samuli | FIN | Beta | 8 |
| 13 | SKUTA Matej | CZE | Beta | 7 |
| 14 | BERGSTROM Lucas | SWE | Husqvarna | 3 |
| 15 | MEI Davide | ITA | Beta | 3 |
| 16 | DAVIES Sam | GBR | GASGAS | 1 |
FIM Women’s Enduro Standings
| Rank | Rider | Nat | Bike | Total |
| 1 | GUTISH Rachel | USA | Sherco | 37 |
| 2 | BADIA Mireia | ESP | Rieju | 35 |
| 3 | ROWETT Rosie | GBR | Rieju | 27 |
| 4 | NOCERA Francesca | ITA | Honda | 23 |
| 5 | CHAPLOT Elodie | FRA | Beta | 23 |
| 6 | HOLMES Nieve | GBR | Sherco | 22 |
| 7 | HOLT Vilde Marie | NOR | KTM | 22 |
| 8 | MARTEL Justine | FRA | Beta | 17 |
| 9 | BORG NILSSON Emelie | SWE | Sherco | 14 |
