As the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship returns to action for the Forsiteservices GP of Wales next week, the fight for victory in the Akrapovič Super Test is heating up.
So far, we’ve witnessed three winners from the three rounds held, proving just how competitive the action is. And at the head of the standings, it’s TM MOTO Boano Factory Enduro Team’s Zach Pichon who leads the way, despite not yet taking a win in 2025.
At the opening round of the season in Fafe, Portugal, it was a super wet and rainy start to the Akrapovič Super Test series. While the early categories of the Friday night show stayed dry, the sky broke to torrential rain just as the EnduroGP competitors began to line up.
Fresh off his successful FIM SuperEnduro World Championship campaign, RIEJU Factory Team’s Dominik Olszowy was determined to make his mark. Best mastering the slippery, wet rock garden, the Polish ace set a time that ultimately couldn’t be beaten.
Despite their best efforts, none of his EnduroGP classmates could better him. Pichon came closest as runner-up but was still 0.11 seconds shy. Sherco Racing Factory’s Hamish Macdonald slotted into third by the narrowest of margins, denying Triumph Italia Racing’s Morgan Lesiardo a top-three result by just 0.02 seconds. Clocking the fastest time in the Junior Enduro class, Spain’s Alex Puey made it two RIEJUs inside the top five in Portugal.
Moving on to round two in Oliana, Spain, eyes were on Olszowy to see if he could deliver the goods again. However, a small slip-up denied him that opportunity. Eager to make amends from his own mistakes in Fafe, home favourite Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia had only thoughts of victory on his mind. In a head-to-head pairing with Pichon, and as the final two riders to take to the track, Garcia gave it everything he had. A truly incredible performance saw him win by an astonishing 1.57 seconds.
While unable to match the pace set by Garcia, Pichon still put in an impressive ride to place second, finishing 1.47 seconds ahead of GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona in third. In the fight for fourth and fifth, Macdonald and Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Samuele Bernardini could not be split on time. A tie-breaker ultimately ruled in Bernardini’s favour, awarding him fourth.
Three weeks later the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship headed north to Sweden for round three. Cool weather and a slippery course made for a highly challenging Akrapovič Super Test.
Competing in the Enduro Open class, Germany’s Tim Apolle took up early residence in the hot seat. The Beta rider proved tough to beat, with those in the Youth Enduro and Junior Enduro classes falling short. Finally, it was Olszowy who managed to topple his reign. As the remaining riders filtered through, Olszowy’s hopes of a repeat victory were growing strong, with Pichon failing to better the Pole.
In Sweden, Verona and Garcia were last to start. Proving doubters wrong, Verona showed just how capable his 450 four-stroke was on the mixture of sand and concrete surfaces, taking the win over Olszowy by 1.58 seconds. Pichon and Garcia completed the top four, while Apolle enjoyed one of the rides of the night to seal fifth.
Thanks to his supreme consistency, Pichon has earned himself a strong eight-point lead in the Akrapovič Super Test standings ahead of round four’s Forsiteservices GP of Wales next week. However, the Frenchman has yet to write his name on the series trophy with a win, and so, will be going all out in Rhayader to achieve that.
Comfortable in second, Olszowy holds a five-point advantage over Verona and Garcia in third and fourth, respectively. Shadowing the duo, Macdonald is just one point behind in fifth. A strong performance by the New Zealander in Wales could leapfrog him up the classification to third.
The Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship returns from its summer break for round four at the Forsiteservices GP of Wales in Rhayader on 1-3 August.
Akrapovič Super Test standings (after round 3 of 7)
1. Zach Pichon (TM) 49pts
2. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 41pts
3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 36pts
4. Josep Garcia (KTM) 36pts
5. Hamish Macdonald (Sherco) 35pts
6. Mikael Persson (Triumph) 15pts
7. Albin Norrbin (Fantic) 14pts
8. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) 13pts
9. Morgan Lesiardo (Triumph) 13pts
10. Julien Roussaly (Sherco) 13pts
2025 Information
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2025 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship
Round 1: GP of Portugal – Fafe – 4-6 April
Round 2: GP of Spain – Oliana – 2-4 May
Round 3: GP of Sweden – Skövde – 23-25 May
Round 4: GP of Wales – Rhayader – 1-3 August
Round 5: GP of Portugal – Vila de Rei – 12-14 September
Round 6: GP of Italy – Darfo Boario Terme – 26-28 September
Round 7: GP of Germany – Zschopau – 17-19 October
2025 Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship
Round 1: GP of Portugal – Fafe – 4-6 April
Round 2: GP of Wales – Rhayader – 1-3 August
Round 3: GP of Portugal – Vila de Rei – 12-14 September
Round 4: GP of Germany – Zschopau – 17-19 October
