In Gelnica, Kevin Cristino returned to the podium on Sunday with a second place in Junior 1 and a third in Junior overall. Axel Semb scored a top 3 in the Junior 2 category on day two. In the E3 class, Albin Norrbin collected two top 5 finishes. Fantic Junior Racing Enduro’s Pietro Scardina stepped onto the rostrum in the Youth class on Sunday.
Gelnica, a small village in the northwest of Slovakia, hosted the fifth round of the 2024 EnduroGP World Championship on Saturday, July 13th, and Sunday, July 14th.
As in the previous two editions, the Moto Club GL Moto Team designed a demanding and varied race course that the riders had to tackle three times a day, for a total of 19 high-level and very technical special tests, including the Super Test. The race day included: an Enduro Test of about 5.8 km inside a forest with muddy terrain, a 5.3 km Cross Test, which was very technical and characterized by counter-slopes, jumps, and motocross-style banks, and finally, a natural Extreme Test of about one and a half kilometers in length.
In the E3 class, Albin Norrbin had a solid weekend, finishing fourth on the opening day and fifth on Sunday. Riding the new fuel-injected Fantic XE 300 with Minarelli engine, the Swede currently holds the provisional fourth position in the championship in E3. It was an unlucky weekend for the reigning Junior 2023 class champion Jed Etchells, who finished eighth in the E2 class on a tough Saturday, while he had to retire due to a small technical issue on Sunday.
Reigning Youth class champion Kevin Cristino finished sixth in the Junior class and fourth in Junior 1 on the opening race day. On day two, the Fantic Factory rider showed off all his skills and achieved a third place in the Junior class and a second place in Junior 1 on his Fantic XEF 250, regaining the championship lead in the J1 class.
For Axel Semb it was a more complicated GP. On Saturday, he finished fifth in Junior 2. On Sunday, the Swedish rider on the new Fantic XEF 310 managed to claim the third step of the podium in his class after a strong comeback, finishing sixth in Junior overall.
Fantic Junior Racing Enduro’s Pietro Scardina collected a fifth place on the opening day in the Youth class. On Sunday, he was fighting for the top spot on his Fantic XE 125, eventually finishing in third after setting impressive times in almost all the special tests. His new teammate Riccardo Pasquato continues to gather experience and came home in eight and sixth place in Slovakia.
After the Slovakian GP, the EnduroGP season is now taking a short break before the trip to Rhayader in Wales where the sixth and penultimate round of the season will take place from Friday, 2nd to Sunday, 4th August.
Kevin Cristino:
“Gelnica might not have been my best weekend of the 2024 World Championship, but in many special tests I managed to set very good times and on Sunday I was able to get on the podium in both categories, Junior and Junior 1.”
Albin Norrbin:
“I am happy with my results in Slovakia, a fourth and a fifth place in the hard-fought E3 class on a weekend where it was not easy to race, both due to the very demanding and technical course and the heat and humidity.”
Pietro Scardina:
“On Saturday, I made too many mistakes and was not able to show my best, but on Sunday I got off to a strong start and set some good times all day long. Unfortunately, I made a mistake in the end. However, I am happy with the third place in the Youth class.”
