2026 EnduroGP of Finland results | Day 1: Verona beats García by a whisker in the final Cross Test

Andrea Verona claimed his first overall win of the season on day 1 of the GP of Finland, round 3 of the 2026 EnduroGP World Championship, beating Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Josep García by less than one second in Vierumäki. The Italian completed his comeback in the final Cross Test of the day, with TM Moto’s Zach Pichon completing the overall podium.

After Friday night’s rain-hit Super Test, Vierumäki woke up to blue skies, although the fresh spring temperatures meant plenty of riders lined up wearing jackets. Red Bull KTM duo Josep García and Andrea Verona, first and second in the 2026 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship standings, were the first to roll under the start arch. It was about the only calm moment of a day packed with intensity, as the pair went head-to-head in a fight that went all the way to the final special test.

García came out swinging. The Spaniard topped the opening run through the short and explosive Polisport Extreme Test, ahead of Steve Holcombe and Antoine Magain. He then backed it up with the fastest times in both the Gmoto Enduro Test and the Expotrade Cross Test, two longer tests that allowed him to build a lead of just over eight seconds on Verona at the end of lap one.

On lap two, Holcombe and Verona split the wins in the first two special tests, before García responded with the fastest time in the third to stay in control of the overall classification. However, the Catalan lost four seconds in the Enduro Test and ended the lap with a 7.14-second advantage over his teammate.

Everything changed at the start of the third and final lap. Verona won the Extreme Test and capitalised on García’s problems to slash the gap to just 0.36 seconds. The EnduroGP leader managed to hold him off in the next special test, leaving the fight wide open with only 0.23 seconds between them before the decisive Cross Test. There, Verona completed the comeback and sealed his first overall victory of the season, beating García by less than a second.

“I’m really happy to take my first win of 2026 and my first with KTM,” said Verona after a day decided by the smallest of margins. “It was a really tight fight with Josep all day. He was faster in the first half, but then I found a good rhythm and was able to put in a really fast final lap, which gave me the win. Thanks to the team and to everyone who made this possible. Now, let’s go for day two.”

Behind the KTM duel, Pichon was best of the rest and finished third overall, 48.69 seconds behind Verona, ahead of Sherco riders Steve Holcombe and Hamish Macdonald, who completed the top five. Sweden’s Albin Norrbin and Max Ahlin finished sixth and seventh, with Morgan Lesiardo, Antoine Magain and Brad Freeman rounding out the top 10.

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EnduroGP: Verona, García and Holcombe take E2, E1 and E3 wins

In E2, Verona also topped the class ahead of Pichon and Hamish Macdonald, fifth overall. García, meanwhile, took his fifth E1 victory of the season, joined once again on the podium by Belgium’s Antoine Magain and Triumph’s Morgan Lesiardo.

Steve Holcombe’s fourth place overall, 1:07 behind the winner, was enough for the British rider to claim his second E3 win of the year. Sweden’s Albin Norrbin, on Husqvarna, finished second in class, while Beta’s Brad Freeman completed the podium, already more than two minutes off the leading pace on this opening day of the GP of Finland.

Junior: Romain Dagna sets the pace in Vierumäki

In the Junior overall classification, Farioli rider Romain Dagna took victory with a 20-second advantage over Husqvarna’s Kevin Cristino and Fantic’s Thibault Giraudon. The same three riders repeated those positions in Junior 2. In Junior 1, Triumph’s Leo Joyon claimed the win ahead of TM Moto’s Alberto Elgari and Beta’s Clément Clauzier.

Romain Dagna: “It was a really good day for me. I started fast from the first lap, when the race was already getting difficult. I’m not completely happy with my final lap, but I know the direction I need to work in for tomorrow. The Extreme Test is getting harder and harder, but I’m happy and I’ll try to win again tomorrow.”

Youth: Valentin Mersin takes his first win of the year

In Youth, France’s Valentin Mersin claimed his first victory of the year on his Fantic 125. Italy’s Pietro Scardina finished second and moved into the category lead following Riccardo Pasquato’s injury absence, while Gabriele Melchiorri completed the podium.

Valentin Mersin: “It was a fantastic day for me. The bike worked perfectly and the team did a great job. It’s a dream come true, so I want to thank everyone and my family in France. I really liked all three tests, especially the Cross Test, which was very fast, and also the Enduro Test.”

Open: Galera, Bernini and Puotsaari win in Finland

In Open 2S, Spain’s Jordi Galera put his Rieju on the top step of the podium, joined by Czech rider Robert Friedrich and Poland’s Kacper Baklarz. In Open 4S, Italy’s Lorenzo Bernini took victory, with Sweden’s Robin Wiss and Anton Lindgarde finishing second and third.

In Open Senior, the home riders locked out the podium, with Juha Puotsaari taking the win ahead of Janne Mukkala and Arto Kallioinen.