The penultimate round of the 2023 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship got underway with the AKRAPOVIC Super Test taking centre stage on Friday evening in Valpacos, Portugal. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia laid down a supremely fast time to top the classification. CH Racing Sherco’s Zach Pichon was just over half a second behind the Spaniard in second, with GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona third quickest.
- EnduroGP of Portugal gets underway with AKRAPOVIC Super Test
- KTM’s Josep Garcia set the fastest time of the night
- The action was fast and frantic under the floodlights in Valpacos
Roaring back into life after its summer break, round six of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship got under way in Valpacos with the action-packed AKRAPOVIC Super Test. Eager to show who’d been working hard during the time off, it was Josep Garcia (KTM) who immediately set the pace heading into this weekend’s racing.
Under the floodlights the Spaniard mastered the fast course best and stopped the clock with the quickest time. Clearly back on top form following his injury from round five, the KTM rider is hungry to keep that momentum rolling tomorrow and Sunday.
Frenchman Zach Pichon was next best on his Sherco. Unafraid to let it all hang out, he came within half a second of beating Garcia.
With the top two finishing on the same second, it was Italy’s Andrea Verona (GASGAS) and Samuele Bernardini (Honda) in third and fourth respectively. The duo were split by less than two tenths of a second, proving just how tight the competition is in Valpacos.
Beta Factory Racing’s Brad Freeman quickly showed exactly where his pace is this weekend by placing fifth. The Brit who crashed out of round five in Slovakia had been quiet during the summer break but looks to be back firing on all cylinders as he continues his fight for the EnduroGP title.
GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship points leader Jed Etchells (Fantic) got his race off to a flying start by placing sixth overall tonight.
Results – Round 6, GP of Portugal
AKRAPOVIC Super Test
1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:28.17; 2. Zach Pichon (Sherco) 1:28:76; 3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:29.46; 4. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) 1:29.62; 5. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:30.82; 6. Jed Etchells (Fantic) 1:31.03; 7. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:31.20; 8. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:31.48; 9. Sergio Navarro (Husqvarna) 1:31.58; 10. Albert Fontova (GASGAS) 1:31.64…
Full AKRAPOVIC Super Test results here
