A thrilling weekend at the EnduroGP of Germany put the finishing touch on a World Championship campaign packed with excitement and victories for Fantic. The Italian brand dominated the Junior class with a season-long duel between Axel Semb and Kevin Cristino, while Pietro Scardina claimed the Youth Vice World Champion title thanks to a brilliant double win in the final round of an exciting season.
The final round of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship took place this past weekend, from 17th to 19th October, in Zschopau, a small town in Saxony, hosting the seventh and last round of the 2025 season. The MSC Rund um Zschopau e.V. im ADAC club organised a top-level event that drew a large and enthusiastic crowd, fuelled by the region’s deep-rooted enduro tradition and passion.
Friday night’s SuperTest played a key role in making the final GP of the season spectacular and adrenaline-filled, with a stadium-like atmosphere and a huge turnout – over 10,000 paying spectators – setting the stage for a promising start for Fantic, with Albin Norrbin finishing fourth.
Over the two days of racing, riders faced a challenging course featuring a 5.8 km Enduro Test through a natural, technical forest with soft ground and slippery stones; followed by a 4.8 km Cross Test 1 inside a motocross circuit; then, after a stop at the paddock for service, a demanding yet spectacular 1.4 km Extreme Test set in a quarry with steep climbs and descents. The lap concluded with the final special test, a fast 2.3 km Cross Test 2 across an open grassy field with slippery terrain.
In the Junior class, the Fantic Factory Racing Enduro teams dominated the entire season, winning 12 out of 14 races, and delivered plenty of excitement right up to the final special test. Arriving in Germany as the provisional series leader, Kevin Cristino endured a difficult Day 1 that ended his impressive winning streak – three consecutive double victories in Wales, Portugal, and his home GP in Italy – aboard his Fantic XE 300 with a fuel-injected Minarelli engine. His bike was damaged in a crash in the second Enduro Test, forcing him to retire and take a costly zero in the standings.
With Axel Semb in superb form, this twist turned the championship on its head. The Swede riding the Fantic XEF 310 took the lead by winning Saturday’s race – his fifth Junior overall victory of the season.
The title was decided in a nail-biting finale on Sunday. Cristino gave it everything, taking his seventh GP win of the season, but Semb held his nerve to be crowned Junior World Champion with a strong second place on the day.
A 1-2 finish for Fantic said it all – and the same result was mirrored in the J2 World Cup, with Semb taking gold and Cristino silver.
There are two new Vice World Champions in the Fantic ranks: in the Youth class, Pietro Scardina impressed aboard his Fantic XE 125. He dominated both days in Germany, claiming his fourth and fifth wins of the season and securing second place in the final championship standings.
Among the EnduroGP riders, Albin Norrbin wrapped up his season with sixth and fifth-place finishes in the E2 class aboard the Fantic XEF 310, narrowly missing out on the top 10 overall. He concludes a solid campaign fifth in his class standings.
In E1, Jed Etchells finished the German GP eighth and seventh, while in E3, factory-supported Team Specia rider Matteo Pavoni closed the season with sixth and fifth-place results on his Minarelli-powered Fantic XE 300.
Pietro Scardina:
“It was a really positive weekend – I managed to win both days. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough to take the title, but I am very happy with this second place – we are Vice World Champions – and especially with the performance we showed at the end of the season. I felt great with the team and the bike, and I want to thank my whole crew and everyone at Fantic for their fantastic work.”
Kevin Cristino:
“As always, I gave it everything I had, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to take the title after a very unlucky Saturday. It is hard to accept, but we are going home as Vice Champions and with a valuable life lesson. I want to congratulate Axel and his whole team – it has been a great battle all season. Finally, I just want to apologise and thank my amazing team for the huge passion they have put into this season.”
