At the highly anticipated Assoluti d’Italia, Fantic Factory Racing Enduro will line up its riders for the first time in 2024: Albin Norrbin will debut the new Fantic XE 300 with Minarelli engine in the Foreigner class and Overall, together with the newcomers Jed Etchells and Axel Semb. Kevin Cristino will try to win the Junior class on the Fantic XEF 250, while Fantic Junior Racing Enduro is chasing the title in the 125 class with Pietro Scardina and Valentino Corsi.
The wait is almost over. On Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th March 2024, the small town of Cavaglià in the province of Biella, just a few steps from Lake Viverone, will host the first two rounds of the Assoluti d'Italia di Enduro.
Fantic is going into this prestigious Italian Enduro Championship with two official teams aiming to fight for more podiums and victories this season: Fantic Factory Racing Enduro managed by Team Manager Simone Albergoni, and the new Fantic Racing Enduro Junior Team under the expert guidance of Antonio Specia, who will carry on the young talent project.
Cavaglià also marks the debut of the new injection Fantic XE 300 with Minarelli engine under race conditions. The bike, which was presented at the latest Eicma exhibition in Milan, immediately aroused great interest among insiders which was confirmed by the positive outcome of the press event held in January where Italian journalists and international media had the opportunity to test the bike for the first time. The new Fantic XE 300 is currently available at the best dealers.
It will be Fantic Factory Racing Enduro’s Albin Norrbin, reigning champion of the Junior2 class, to race with the new bike after having shown a great feeling with the new project since the first pre-season tests. The Swedish rider will compete in the Overall and Foreigner classes at the Assoluti, while he will aim for the podium in the hard-fought E3 class at the Enduro World Championship.
In the Foreigner class, and obviously in the Overall class as well, newcomers Axel Semb and Jed Etchells will also line up. The British rider, coming from an amazing season in Fantic colours crowned with the Junior class world title and the Junior 1 class title, will switch category this year and take part in the Enduro World Championship with the new Fantic XEF 310 in the E2 class.
His new teammate, Axel Semb, riding the new XEF 310, will compete at the Assoluti in the Foreigner class while he will aim for the podium in the Junior and Junior 2 classes on world championship level.
The reigning champion in the 125 class at the Assoluti and the Youth World Champion 2023, Kevin Cristino, will make his debut on the Fantic XEF 250 in Cavaglià. This season the Piemonte-based rider will line up in the Junior class at both the Italian and the EnduroGP World Championship. The winter tests have been very successful and Kevin Cristino will start the season in perfect shape.
Also in action in Cavaglià, the Fantic Junior Racing Enduro structure managed by Antonio "Tony" Specia: Fantic has entrusted the team to grow young and promising enduro riders. The 2024 line up of this new Fantic project features Pietro Scardina and Valentino Corsi who will compete in the 125 class at the Assoluti d'Italia di Enduro and in the Youth class of the Enduro World Championship. Both riders will be aiming for the final podium in both championships this season.
Coming from a strong 2023 with five world titles secured by Kevin Cristino, Jed Etchells, Albin Norrbin and Woman class champion Jane Daniels, the two Fantic teams will be looking to impress again and chase more glory in Italy and on the world stage.
ALBIN NORRBIN
“During the winter I have been training a lot, both physically and with the new bike, the injection Fantic XE 300 with Minarelli engine. After some tests we managed to find the perfect set up and for sure in this long racing season we will aim to get on the podium as many times as possible.”
JED ETCHELLS
“I am happy with the title I won in the Junior class and also in the Junior 1 class last season. With the new bike, the Fantic XEF 310, I immediately felt very comfortable. This year we should get good results both at the Assoluti and the World Championship in the E2 class.”
KEVIN CRISTINO
“After winning the Youth World Championship I immediately focused on the 2024 season. This winter I have been training a lot and I am convinced that I will do good races both at the Assoluti and the World Championship in the Junior class.”
PIETRO SCARDINA
“Last year I took part in a few rounds of the Enduro World Championship, but this year we have to aim high and be competitive and successful both at the Assoluti in the 125 class and in the Youth World Championship, where the competition is fierce.”
