Verona Strikes Back on Day Two, Garcia Holds the Championship Lead. EnduroGP Portugal 2025

The fifth round of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Vila de Rei, Portugal, served up everything – dry and dusty terrain, fierce battles for the podium, and a head-to-head fight between two of the sport’s biggest names: Andrea Verona and Josep Garcia.

Day 1 – Garcia Masterclass

Coming straight off his historic fifth consecutive ISDE individual victory, Josep Garcia (Red Bull KTM) arrived in Portugal flying. He set the tone in Friday’s Super Test with his third win of the season and carried that form straight into Saturday.

Dominating the Enduro tests and winning six out of nine special tests, Garcia delivered a clinic. On his KTM 250 EXC-F, the Spaniard finished the day 18 seconds clear of second place, while also extending his unbeatable streak in Enduro1 – where he’s now won every single test this year.

Garcia:

“It’s been a great weekend! The racing has been super close both days with Andrea Verona and Zach Pichon, so even a small mistake could make a big difference. I’ve enjoyed the fight, and to take the win on Saturday and remain unbeaten in Enduro1 is amazing.”

Day 2 – Verona Fights Back

If day one belonged to Garcia, day two was all about Andrea Verona (GASGAS Factory Racing). After finishing runner-up in EnduroGP on Saturday, the Italian came out swinging. Locked in a three-way battle with Garcia and Zach Pichon, Verona won the crucial Cross Test to close in on the lead.

It all came down to the final Enduro Test. There, Verona dug deep, smashing the section by six seconds to secure the EnduroGP victory on Sunday, along with back-to-back wins in Enduro2.

Verona:

“It’s been a really strong weekend for me in Portugal. The dry and dusty conditions seemed to work well and I could keep a good rhythm. To get the EnduroGP victory is mega, and with two Enduro2 wins I’ve closed the gap in the title fight. Now I’m looking forward to my home round in Italy.”

Championship Picture

With the weekend split between the two heavyweights, the points battle stays intense:

• Garcia extends his Enduro1 dominance and maintains a 29-point lead in EnduroGP overall.
• Verona jumps to second in EnduroGP standings and moves to within just four points of the Enduro2 lead ahead of his home GP in Italy.

Meanwhile, France’s Zach Pichon kept the pressure on both days, showing he’s more than capable of challenging the two frontrunners.

Looking Ahead

The championship now heads to Darfo Boario Terme, Italy (Sept 26–28) – Verona’s home soil and the same region where Garcia just celebrated his ISDE success. With only a handful of rounds left, the showdown between the KTM and GASGAS aces is set to light up the second half of the season.