The Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship will see the fight for supremacy heat up this weekend as the title contenders head to Valpacos in Portugal for the penultimate round of the 2023 series. With all classes in this year’s championship yet to be decided, round six in Portugal starts the countdown to the crowning of our 2023 Enduro World Champions.
- EnduroGP arrives in Portugal for the penultimate round
- Steve Holcombe holds a narrow point lead in EnduroGP
- All classes to be decided over next two weekends
Always an exciting time in any championship chase, the penultimate round of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Valpacos, Portugal is set to be a thrilling one. With the AKRAPOVIC Super Test scheduled to get proceedings underway on Friday night, competitors will then face three tough and distinctively Portuguese special tests – JUST1 Enduro Test, ACERBIS Cross Test and Polisport Extreme Test – throughout Saturday and Sunday. Factoring in forecasted temperatures of about 30 degrees, round six could prove to be a race of attrition.
Holcombe heads EnduroGP title fight
Moving into the championship lead at round five in Slovakia, Beta Factory Racing’s Steve Holcombe finds himself with a slender 13-point advantage over teammate Brad Freeman. Steve has been nothing short of impressive this season, steadily building as the year has progressed. Now in the right place at the right time, the British rider is focused on hunting down his eighth world title.
After crashing out of the GP of Slovakia on day one, Brad Freeman lost his championship lead. The Brit remained quiet during the summer break, but has hopefully fully recovered to ensure his title fight goes down to the wire.
With a win last time out in Slovakia, defending EnduroGP champ Andrea Verona has put himself back in the mix. The GASGAS Factory Racing rider is third overall and only 19 points behind Holcombe with four full days of racing left. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia sits fourth overall. CH Racing Sherco’s Hamish MacDonald completes the top five and is the only other rider with a mathematical chance of clinching the EnduroGP title.
Leading the way in Enduro1, Josep Garcia will look to build on his lead in Portugal. The Spaniard has proved the rider to beat with six wins to his credit. Sitting 18 points behind him is Theo Espinasse (Beta) in second. The fight for third remains hot between Fast Eddy Racing’s Jamie McCanney and Sherco’s Zach Pichon.
In Enduro2, Steve Holcombe tops the standings by 18 points over closest rival Andrea Verona. The duo have proved the strongest so far this year having won all 10 races to date between them. Although now 23 points behind Verona, Hamish MacDonald holds a healthy 21-point advantage over Honda’s Nathan Watson in fourth.
Despite a non-score in Slovakia Brad Freeman still hangs on to the Enduro3 lead by four points thanks to his eight race wins. Sweden’s Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) will be feeling a sense of déjà vu entering Portugal as the Enduro3 title fight once again looks set to be decided between the two riders, as it was in 2022. Sherco-mounted Antoine Magain completes the top three.
Etchells aims to keep Norrbin at bay in Enduro Junior
The GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship battle continues with Fantic’s Jed Etchells holding the championship lead. The Brit has held the upper hand for the majority of 2023, but Albin Norrbin (Fantic) has gained both some ground and confidence thanks to his recent run of victories. Newly crowned British Enduro Champion Etchells will need to answer back if he wishes to keep the Swede at bay. Rookie Jeremy Sydow (Sherco) leads Max Ahlin (KTM) by one point in the battle for third.
Italy’s Kevin Cristino (Fantic) is the rider to beat in Enduro Youth. With eight wins from 10 starts, Cristino has built up a 13-point lead over Sherco’s Thibault Giraudon. Beta’s Leo Joyon sits a further eight points behind in third.
Round six of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship takes place in Valpacos, Portugal this weekend. Racing begins on Friday with the AKRAPOVIC Super Test.
