2025 EnduroGP of Portugal Results: Super-competitive day 1

2025 EnduroGP World Championship results from day one in Portugal, where reigning champion Josep Garcia defied the books for the win on a fiercely competitive opening day of the season.

EnduroGP Rnd 1, Portugal in a nutshell:

Two Triumphs in tjhe top 10, a full Sherco podium in E3, Garcia defying the odds, an Aussie on a Kawasaki topping the Juniors, Verona and Holcombe throwing it away with crashes...it was a dramatic opening day in Portugal. Although it might look like the same old result with Josep Garica on top, it was anything but...
Making his intentions clear from the off, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia came out swinging but Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe, and GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona made it a very familiar top to the timesheets. The trio would quickly also be joined by TM Moto Boano Factory Enduro Team’s Zach Pichon contending test wins.
Reigning Enduro2 champion Andrea Verona claimed two consecutive tests to round out the second lap with an overall lead of seven seconds, a healthy one in this company. But a crash and a huge time loss shortly after threw it away for the Italian this year riding the 450.
Pichon clocked the fastest time on two of the three tests on lap three, with Holcombe closed out the day’s racing with a victory on the final Enduro Test, but it was not enough as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star claimed his first victory of the 2025 season by nearly five seconds, across what was an incredibly close day of racing.
Josep Garcia (KTM): “It doesn’t feel real! One month ago I was in hospital having surgery on my collarbone, so I didn’t get on the bike until five days ago. My expectations weren’t this high so I’m very pleased, and I know I can do even better as I still made a lot of mistakes today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow as I’m feeling better on the bike with every hour I ride. I’m really happy!”
Thanks to consistent top-three results and his last-lap test wins, Zach Pichon was claimed second place overall on day one, just three seconds ahead of Holcombe.
Verona missed a podium by over 10 seconds but had a comfortable lead over fifth placed Hamish Macdonald, who got the better of his Sherco teammate Antoine Magain placed sixth, followed by Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Samuele Bernardini in seventh and Fantic Factory Racing Team’s Albin Norrbin in eighth. Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team’s pairing of Mikael Persson and Jamie McCanney finished ninth and tenth, respectively.
The Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship saw Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Francesca Nocera race clear to victory, ending day one with five test wins and a lead of over one minute. The Italian held off RIEJU Factory Racing’s Rachel Gutish and Nieve Holmes (KBS Sherco), who both claimed two test wins but finished second and third.
Francesca Nocera (Honda): “So that’s the first day done and I’m super happy to be back on the top of the podium! After a tough 2024 season, it feels amazing to win now. It was a great day and I pushed hard the whole time, even though the tests were quite tough in the changing weather.”
Day one in Portugal marked the first full day of racing for the newly-formed Junior Women category. Elizabeth Tett (TM), Lorna Lafont (Sherco), and Matilda Ahlstrom (Husqvarna) all claimed three test wins each, but it was Tett who ultimately came out on top. Elizabeth finished the day with a two-minute lead over Lafont, with Ahlstrom a further three minutes behind in third.
The Enduro Junior category proved to be as competitive as ever, with five different winners across the nine tests on day one in Fafe. MGR Kawasaki’s Kyron Bacon and Fantic Factory Racing Team’s Kevin Cristino both clocked three wins each, but it was the Tasmanian rider Bacon who ultimately came out on top by just over two seconds. Cristino was forced to settle for second as Leo Joyon (Beta), winner of the opening ACERBIS Cross Test, completed the top three.
Kyron Bacon (Kawasaki): “It’s great to get a win at round one, not just myself but for the team too. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point and I’m feeling very comfortable with the bike, my riding is a lot smoother which has helped me make less mistakes. I’m looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow!”
In the Youth class it was Romain Dagna (KTM) who dominated, claiming seven out of nine test wins and building up a lead of half a minute. TM Moto Boano Factory Enduro Team’s Alberto Elgari ended his day in second, with two test wins in the bag, followed by Fantic Factory Racing Team’s Pietro Scardina in third.

Day 1 RAW highlights: 2025 EnduroGP of Portugal: Day 1 RAW highlights