The EnduroGP season kicked off with the first of two consecutive GPs in Portugal. The FIM EnduroGP World Championship started last weekend in the city of Fafe with an outstanding performance from all Galfer riders, especially Steve Holcombe, Nathan Watson, Mireia Badia, and Brad Freeman, who claimed the top spot on the podium.
On the first day, participants in the Portuguese GP faced a challenging start with fog and slippery stones. However, this was no excuse not to give their best, showcasing their talent and effort in preseason training. Steve Holcombe, this year with the colors of Honda Racing RedMoto in the E1 category, secured a double podium with a victory in the second heat, securing second place in the overall Enduro GP standings. Once again, trusting in Galfer for his brakes, he equipped the grooved fixed disc along with Racing pads at the front and the rear wheel, the definitive Shark® disc model developed during the previous season with which he won the world championship title, also combined with Galfer’s Racing pads. His teammate, Samuele Bernardini, had a more than remarkable performance, finishing third in both heats and fifth in the overall Enduro GP standings. Manolo Morettini, a Honda rider in the Junior category, finished third in the first heat and sixth in the second. In the women’s category, Honda Racing RedMoto’s Francesca Nocera, although she didn’t have her best day in the first heat finishing eighth, showed all her potential in the second, managing to climb to the podium in third place.
The Beta Factory team led by Nathan Watson achieved a double podium in the E2 category and a victory in the second heat, placing Watson in fourth position in the overall Enduro GP standings. His teammate and 2023 E3 world champion, Brad Freeman, ended the weekend with a bittersweet feeling after winning the first heat on Saturday and being unable to finish the race on Sunday, placing eleventh in the overall Enduro GP standings.
The Sherco CH Racing Enduro team riders achieved excellent results, with Hamish Macdonald achieving a double podium and a victory, leaving him in sixth position in the overall Enduro GP standings. In the same E3 category, Antoine Magain achieved fourth and seventh place. Zachary Pichon in the E1 category climbed the podium on Saturday in third place and finished fourth on Sunday, securing ninth position in the overall Enduro GP standings. Jeremy Sydow, also in the same E1 category, achieved a solid fifth place in both heats. Finally, the rider Wil Rupretch finished 8th and 12th.
Matteo Cavallo in the TM Boano team had a remarkable weekend, finishing third and second in the respective heats. His teammates, Lorenzo Macoritto, finished seventh in both heats and Leo Le Quere tenth. In the women’s category, rider Mireia Badia climbed the podium twice with a victory in the second heat. The Rieju team rider achieved an exceptional result, leading throughout the weekend. On the other hand, her teammate Rosie Rowett climbed the podium in second place on Saturday and finished sixth on Sunday.
The next event will also take place in Portugal, this time in the city of Valpaços, on April 13 and 14.
