It’s official! Fantic Factory Racing Enduro will field Théo Espinasse, Thibault Giraudon and Riccardo Pasquato in the 2026 EnduroGP campaign. A new and exciting line-up, led by Team Manager Antonio Specia and Alex Salvini, the Italian brand’s Enduro Supervisor.
Building on the experience and successes of recent years, Fantic’s Enduro programme stands on solid foundations with the confirmed team structure led by Antonio Specia. Fresh momentum comes from the arrival of new faces within the Fantic Factory Racing Enduro family. Another key point: two of the three factory riders will compete aboard the XE 300 with a fuel-injected Minarelli engine, the benchmark model of Fantic’s Enduro range.
Leading the line-up is EnduroGP rider Théo Espinasse, the 28-year-old Frenchman and former E1 Vice World Champion, as well as World Trophy Champion with Team France at the 2024 Six Days. In 2026, Espinasse will take on the E3 class. Fantic also confirms its commitment to young talent by choosing Thibault Giraudon, a French rider born in 2003. Also aboard the XE 300, Giraudon will represent Fantic Factory Racing Enduro in the Junior class, which was dominated by the Italian brand in the 2025 season. The line-up is completed by Riccardo Pasquato on the Fantic XE 125: the 19-year-old Italian has progressed through the Team Specia Academy structure and is now ready to wear the Fantic Factory Racing Enduro colours in the Youth World Championship.
Alongside the World Championship campaign, with the 2026 EnduroGP season kicking off from 10 to 12 April in Sicily, Italy, Fantic Factory Racing Enduro riders will also compete in their respective national championships in France and Italy. The first official outing of the all-new line-up will be the opening round of the Assoluti d’Italia on 7–8 March, where the trio will be joined by factory-supported rider Matteo Pavoni. The reigning Italian 300 champion, Pavoni will switch to the Fantic XEF 310 and focus his programme on the top Italian championship in 2026.
Théo Espinasse:
“I am very happy to begin this new chapter with Fantic. My first impressions of both the team and the bike are extremely positive. The team is professional, supportive, and passionate, which makes it really exciting to be part of this project. The bike feels strong and precise, and I am already very comfortable with its handling. My goal for the season is to push myself to the limit, improve race by race, and aim for consistent top results.”
Thibault Giraudon:
“I am very excited about this new challenge and would like to thank everyone at Fantic Factory Racing Enduro for this great opportunity. My first impressions of the bike have been super positive, and I can’t wait for the races to start. My motivation is at its peak heading into 2026!”
Riccardo Pasquato:
“It feels amazing to become part of a Factory team, and I would like to thank Fantic and everyone who made this opportunity possible. I already have a great feeling with the bike, having ridden a Fantic for the past three years. Looking ahead to 2026, our goal is to achieve top results both at the Assoluti d’Italia and in the World Championship. I can’t wait to get the season started.”
Antonio Specia, Fantic Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager:
“I am very pleased to continue this journey with Fantic, carrying forward the brand’s factory project in the EnduroGP World Championship. We will take on the 2026 season with three factory riders. We are delighted to welcome Théo Espinasse, who will compete in the E3 class aboard the XE 300, the reference model of Fantic’s Enduro range. We have also taken another step forward in its development thanks to close collaboration with Fantic’s entire R&D department.
In the Junior class, we will field Thibault Giraudon, who has already shown great potential, while Riccardo Pasquato enters his fourth year with the team. Having grown within the Team Specia Academy, he will line up in the Youth class aboard the factory Fantic XE 125. At the Assoluti d’Italia we will also see Matteo Pavoni, once again supported by Fantic.
We have been working hard throughout the winter, carrying out extensive testing to be as prepared as possible for the opening round of the World Championship. This year the season will be very intense, with all rounds concentrated into a few months, so being ready from the outset will be crucial. The competition will be strong, but we are confident we can perform well.”
Alex Salvini, Fantic’s Enduro Supervisor:
“Building on the confirmed team structure led by Tony Specia and the arrival of new riders within our project, we are ready to continue our journey in the EnduroGP World Championship, which has already brought great success to Fantic. In 2026, we return to EnduroGP with the two-stroke 300 entrusted to Théo Espinasse, and we are confident he can deliver a high-level season.
Also on the Fantic XE 300, we have the young French rider Thibault Giraudon, with the aim of once again being in the fight in the Junior World Championship. At the same time, we take the next step with Riccardo Pasquato, who made significant progress last season, achieving two podiums and finishing fifth overall in the Youth World Championship. The goal is to help him progress even further.
Alongside the XE 125, a benchmark in its class, we field the XE 300 with a fuel-injected Minarelli engine in both E3 and Junior: a strategic choice that further enhances the close cooperation between the technical, racing and product development departments. We will compete in all three classes with a young, motivated team, aiming for strong results.”
