Cycle News Staff | October 4, 2023
Spain’s Josep Garcia was perfect at the FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Paulo Duarte, Portugal, over the September 30 – October 1 weekend.
Photos by Future7Media
After the first day of competition, which included 11 special tests totaling more than 70 miles, the top three riders were separated by just eight seconds. GasGas rider Andrea Verona was second and Beta’s Steve Holcombe was third. Sherco’s Zach Pichon was fourth and Honda rider Samuele Bernadini rounded out the top five.
“It feels so good to win again,” Garcia said after Saturday’s win. “I worked so hard during the summer break to get back fit and healthy. But you never know how it goes until you race. So, to get this win and know I have the speed to race with the best is amazing. I’m excited for tomorrow!”
Garcia and Holcombe battled it out on day two, with the KTM rider nipping the Beta rider by just one second to claim the day’s overall win. However, Holcombe maintains the EnduroGP points lead with one round to go next week, also in Portugal.
Verona was also in the hunt all day and ended up rounding out the day’s podium. Honda’s Nathan Watson was fourth and Pichon fifth.
“Going 1-1 in Portugal is an incredible weekend and is the perfect comeback from injury,” Garcia said. “Today the battle with Steve was awesome. We were pushing so hard in every test. To get the win today by just one second shows how good it was.”
“I think that was one of the hardest fought second-place results I’ve had,” Holcombe said. “The battle all day with Josep and Andrea was brilliant. To come one second short of winning sucks a little, but the racing was so, so close.”
“The racing was good today,” Verona said. “I was battling with Steve and Josep, but a crash in the final enduro test forced me to slow down. I lost some time to the guys then, but I’m happy to save the day with a podium and get ready for next weekend.”
Holcombe leads Verona in the EnduroGP Championship by 19 points, 196-177. Garcia, who was injured earlier in the season, is another seven points back in third. CN
Day 1
Enduro1
1. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 1:12:01.87
2. Zachary Pichon (FRA), Sherco, 1:13:29.06 +1:27.19
3. Jamie McCanney (GBR), Husqvarna, 1:13:48.49 +1:46.62
4. Theophile Espinasse (FRA), Beta, 1:14:12.04 +2:10.17
5. Matteo Pavoni (ITA), TM Racing, 1:15:06.38 +3:04.51
EnduroGP
1. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 1:12:01.87
2. Andrea Verona (ITA), GASGAS, 1:12:08.24 +6.37
3. Steve Holcombe (GBR), Beta, 1:12:10.45 +8.58
4. Zachary Pichon (FRA), Sherco, 1:13:29.06 +1:27.19
5. Samuele Bernardini (ITA), Honda, 1:13:42.94 +1:41.07
Day 2
Enduro1
1. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 1:11:51.62
2. Zachary Pichon (FRA), Sherco, 1:13:32.23 +1:40.61
3. Jamie McCanney (GBR), Husqvarna, 1:13:39.47 +1:47.85
4. Theophile Espinasse (FRA), Beta, 1:14:10.64 +2:19.02
5. Matteo Pavoni (ITA), TM Racing, 1:15:15.06 +3:23.44
EnduroGP
1. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 1:11:51.62
2. Steve Holcombe (GBR), Beta, 1:11:53.52 +1.90
3. Andrea Verona (ITA), GASGAS, 1:12:50.45 +58.83
4. Nathan Watson (GBR), Honda, 1:13:16.32 +1:24.70
5. Hamish MacDonald (NZL), Sherco, 1:13:27.40 +1:35.78
Championship Standings (After Round 6)
Enduro1
1. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 209 points
2. Theophile Espinasse (FRA), Beta, 177 pts
3. Zachary Pichon (FRA), Sherco, 167 pts
4. Jamie McCanney (GBR), Husqvarna, 166 pts
5. Matteo Pavoni (ITA), TM Racing, 143 pts
EnduroGP
1. Steve Holcombe (GBR), Beta, 196 points
2. Andrea Verona (ITA), GASGAS, 177 pts
3. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 170 pts
4. Brad Freeman (GBR), Beta, 162 pts
5. Hamish MacDonald (NZL), Sherco, 127 pts