2025 EnduroGP of Portugal II Results & RAW Highlights: Garcia means business in Friday Super Test
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EnduroGP
EnduroGP World Championship Friday Super Test results from the 2025 GP of Portugal in Vila de Rei where Red Bull KTM’s Josep Garcia showed he means business with the fastest time from Zach Pichon and Andrea Verona.
EnduroGP of Portugal, Vila de Rei, Friday Super Test in a nutshell:
- In the absence of any riders from the Open World Cup or Women’s World Championship classes, the Friday Super Test in the heart of host town Vila de Rei (actually, famously also the dead centre of Portugal) was just about the quickest ever.
- It was an interesting little track, a bit techy overall but for the bold who could piece it together, it was a sweet treat – Billy Bolt would have loved it.
- Running in reverse order, it was the Youth 125s who filled the air with dust and blue smoke first. And it is going to be a dusty weekend.
- We thought Aleix Saumell had thrown down a blinding time with a 3:08.49 but then came the final Youth class pairing on track, Alberto Elgari and Romain Dagna, and it was a scene from Chain Saw Massacre.
- A blur of dust and screaming two-stroke saw the French rider Dagna clock in two seconds faster than his Italian rival but miles clear of the best of the rest in class. It was an impressive start to the night and the weekend for the championship leader.
- Kevin Cristino is on a roll right now in Junior class, the Fantic rider is chasing down the Junior points leader, Axel Semb, with a solid run as the Youth champ gets to grips with the Junior upgrade.
- But the Swedish rider was fast in our first visit to Portugal in May and he’s fast again here this weekend, clocking the first under three minutes time to go quickest in EY class.
- Cristino was second ahead of the usual barrage of French Juniors which included Diego Haution, who sounds Spanish but has made a name for himself in Portugal with a top five tonight.
- The senior classes were last of all on track and quickly showed the technique and skill levels step up when you step up to the big boys.
- Like we said, Billy would have excelled here and you can rely on a SuperEnduro specialist going well in a Super Test. That in mind, it is not the first time Dominik Olszowy has thrown down the gauntlet to the EnduroGP boys over the logs and techy terrain.
- We often see small margins in the Super Test and the Rieju rider’s 2:53.47 looked hard to beat until the final few lined up and Andrea Verona clocked 2:52.74.
- Josep Garcia and Zach Pichon lined up last of all in front of an appreciative crowd and failing light, and the championship leader, rider in form and ISDE winner was the one to go fastest of everyone with Pichon P2 and Verona third with Olszowy and Theo Espinasse completing the top five.
- Ok, it is one test of a further 18 across the two days of racing this weekend, but Josep Garcia went over three seconds faster than his nearest championship rival here. He means business.
EnduroGP of Portugal II Super Test result scratch overall:
Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi