2024 EnduroGP World Championship results from day two at the GP of Wales where a last test decider saw Red Bull KTM’s Josep Garcia snatch victory from Beta Racing’s Brad Freeman by 0.15s, the closest finish in EGP history – Andrea Verona claims 2024 E2 world title.

 

EnduroGP Rnd 6, Wales Day 2 in a nutshell:

  • The closest finish in the history of the EnduroGP World Championship modern era, Andrea Verona and Manuel Verzeroli crowned 2024 champions wasn’t a bad way to conclude the inaugural EnduroGP of Wales.
  • With the beaten up tests familiar after a long day one, Josep Garcia and Andrea Verona began day two knowing they needed to level with the marauding Brits, Steve Holcombe and Brad Freeman.
  • Just like day one, these four ran clear of the rest of the EnduroGP elite and pieced together three laps of the Mid-Wales countryside with near identical test times with a couple of crucial exceptions.
  • Day one winner Holcombe dropped seconds in tests one, Freeman fell off in the mud in test two but they were all so close and pushing so hard it was bound to come down to who wanted it the most or who made a mistake.
  • Andrea Verona, who began the day fastest in the first Cross Test, had a disaster one lap later on losing 20-plus seconds to drop him out of contention in a blink.
  • Meanwhile Freeman was maintaining the lead by a margin three to five seconds as the tests ticked over with Garcia and Holcombe trading test times within fractions of each other.
  • The Extreme test caught many riders out with tiem time-costly errors and in the last visit Brad Freeman saw his lead cut from almost five to just under two ahead of Garcia with Holcombe 6.76s adrift.
  • As is so often the case it came down to the final test and quite obviously each rider gave it everything. Riding first, Freeman had an agonising wait while Garcia completed his run behind. Clocking in fastest of all in that final test, the Spaniard took two seconds out of Brad’s time and with it the overall by just 0.15s – the closest ever finish in world enduro history.
  • How much it matters to these guys was laid bare at the end of the final test – in equal measure Garcia’s joy side-by-side with Freeman’s despair at losing his home GP and his first overall of the season by such a tiny margin.

 

  • That decisive final test means Josep leaves the UK with a 17-point lead in the standings. With one round remaining and two points scoring days to call, the Spaniard could finally be looking at the overall title for the first time in his career.
  • Steve Holcombe was philosophical in his disappointment knowing just a few seconds lost on were all it took. Third overall and P2 in E1, the ’23 EGP champion has to win and hope at the final French GP in September.
  • Andrea Verona’s costly error at the start of lap two took the shine off his day but the GASGAS rider leaves the GP of Wales with the E2 crown he becomes EnduroGP’s first world champion of 2024.
  • Behind those guys Zach Pichon had a one of his best days of the season to complete the top five overall. He got the better of his Sherco teammate Wil Ruprecht by just 1.86s. Nathan Watson was 3.2 further back after snatching P7 from Samuele Bernadini on the last test.
  • Gus Riordan grabbed the headlines yesterday with a maiden win in the Juniors but had a harder time from the Swedish today. Fantic’s Axel Semb took the lead but championship leader Max Ahlin followed the pattern of many senior riders above by ripping a fast final test to claim the win, relegating the Australian to second with Axel Semb once again on the podium.
  • The 2024 Youth World Championship was also decided today with Italian KTM rider Manual Verzeroli sealing his season with the win ahead of Romain Dagna and Pietro Scardina. Along with Verona’s E2 win, Verzeroli’s victory brings the infamous Italian Farioli team another trophy to their countless tally of world titles.
  • It’s not all about the Italians though with Spain’s Mireia Badia ruling the Women’s class today, just like she did yesterday and for most of the year.
  • That’s five wins on the bounce for the Rieju rider who is within a whisker of an unassailable leads heading to the final GP in France in September.
  • Nieve Holmes and Rachael Gutish battled it out for the EW podium places today with the American steeling P2 also in the final test, relegating Holmes to third but still a best-ever result for the KBS Sherco team.
  • The Open World Cup class scratch results was dominated by David Knight. The veteran remains a larger than life figure and claimed a 1m21s victory advantage over Alfie Webb and Gethin Humphreys on this second day.

2024 GP of Wales Day 2 results, EnduroGP overall:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_enduro_gp-1endurogp_wales_2024_results_enduro_gp-2

E1 class:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_enduro_1

E2 class:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_enduro_2

E3 class:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_enduro_3

Junior overall:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_junior-1endurogp_wales_2024_results_junior-2 

Youth 125 class:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_youth

Open class scratch:

endurogp_wales_2024_results_open_sratch

 

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi