A Weekend With Our Sponsored Riders At The EnduroGP of Wales 2025
AS3 Performance were at The EnduroGP in Rhayader, Wales, UK
Last weekend, we attended the EnduroGP of Wales, supporting PAR Homes Enduro team's Jack Edmondson racing his Gas Gas MC 250 F, Fast Eddy Racing's Harry Edmondson racing his Triumph TF 250-X, as well as Kiwi Bike Shop's Nieve Holmes racing her Sherco SE-F 250. We will feature Jack, Harry and Nieve's bikes and results in future blog posts, but in this blog post we will cover the EnduroGP race weekend in general, descriptions of the different "tests" the riders had to race, as well as some results. On the Thursday evening before the event, we were treated to a Rider Convoy through the centre of Rhayader, which included burnouts and wheelies, similar to what they do at Erzberg Rodeo.
EnduroGP of Wales Race Format
The EnduroGP of Wales followed a structured race format, starting with the Super Test on Friday evening at Cwmythig Hill. This short prologue style race involved head-to-head racing and the times achieved by the riders set the starting order and initial standings for the weekend. After the Super Test, every rider's bike goes into Parc Fermé overnight. On Saturday and Sunday, riders faced multiple timed challenges across two full race days, including the Cross Test - a technical loop near the paddock at Cwmythig Hill, the longer Enduro Test, as well as the Extreme test, both based in Saintswell (approx. 16km away). Between tests at Cwmythig Hill and Saintswell, competitors then returned to the base (paddock) area riding their own bikes, with an off-road time-check control positioned at certain points to ensure the full course was followed - Like in all the EnduroGP events, this checkpoint isn’t timed like the tests, but is essential for verifying route integrity. Scoring follows a “moto-style” format, where times from all tests on each day are added up, with final rankings based on the combined times from both days - Moto 1 (all test times from the Saturday) and Moto 2 (all test times from the Sunday). Missing time checks or attempting shortcuts can result in penalties or disqualification and split times are used to ensure fairness and monitor progress throughout the course. The Cross Test was completed 4 times each day and the Enduro and Extreme tests were completed 3 times each day, with each test forming an approx. 66km race loop. This loop was ridden 3 times per day!
EnduroGP of Wales Super Test
The Super Test took place on Friday evening at Cwmythig Hill and although we don't have the exact track length, featured a short, technical course built near the paddock area. Designed in a SuperEnduro style layout, it included man-made features such as logs, tyres, and jumps. Riders competed head-to-head on this fast-paced, prologue-style test and the best time overall was set by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Josep Garcia. Much to the delight of the home crowd, our supported Sherco rider Nieve Holmes set the overall fastest Women's time!
EnduroGP of Wales Cross Test
The Cross Test was held at the Cwmythig Hill paddock area, which also served as the venue for the Super Test and event HQ. This stage featured a technical, fast-paced loop with field section, motocross jumps, a deep quarry section, as well as logs and tyres! This test was tackled four times on the Saturday as well as on the Sunday. Saturday conditions were very dry and dusty, but Sunday was wet, skiddy and the field section got particularly boggy. Gas Gas's Factory rider Andrea Verona and TM rider Zach Pichon crashed and made mistakes, while KTM's Josep Garcia completed clean runs on both days. Although no official length was published for the Cross Test, it was likely up to 5km in length.
EnduroGP of Wales Extreme Test
The Extreme Test was located within the Saintswell enduro and mx complex, about 16km from the Cwmythig Hill paddock and this formed part of the 66 km full race lap that riders completed three times per day. This test featured a demanding 1.3 km natural-terrain loop which included rocks, ravines which were very boggy in the bottom, wood piles, logs and steep, slick inclines. Throughout the weekend, the Extreme Test delivered challenging moments and unexpected shifts. On the Sunday, deeper mud and waterlogged bog sections due to the rain, caused trouble for many riders, including GasGas's Enduro 2 World Champion Andrea Verona, who crashed and lost his place on the podium for the first time this season.
EnduroGP of Wales Enduro Test
The Enduro Test also took place in Saintswell, like the Extreme Test. The Enduro Test lap was approximately a 4.5 km loop combining fast, hard-packed sections with muddy bog areas, forest, some technical hills and added grass-track sections with ditches. With the Sunday being wetter due to the rain, the Enduro Test played a crucial role in shaping the race outcome - KTM's Josep Garcia gained valuable time over his rivals, especially TM's Zach Pichon in the final Enduro Test, where the latter lost approximately 20 seconds, allowing Garcia to secure the overall win by a narrow margin.
What did the different sections of the Enduro Test look like?
Below we have some pictures of how varied the terrain was on the Enduro Test. We have an example of a boggy, forest section and the grass-track section on the hillside.
Why do you see most riders changing their own wheel(s) after EnduroGP Day 1?
EnduroGP riders are given a 15-minute work window at the end of Day 1 to service their bikes before they are placed in parc fermé for overnight impound. This short but critical window allows riders to perform essential maintenance, repair any damage, change tires etc. The riders themselves must change their own tyres and air filters but their mechanics can help with other things. Once the 15 minutes are up, no further work can be carried out until the start of Day 2. All tools and parts used during this time must comply with FIM regulations, and outside assistance is restricted unless permitted. This maintenance period is especially important, as the bikes remain untouched in parc fermé overnight, making it the last opportunity to ensure the machine is in optimal condition for the following day's competition. If the 15 minute time period is exceeded there is a time penalty, typically 60 seconds added on to their time for each minute over the time limit!
Who won the 2025 EnduroGP of Wales overall?
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Josep Garcia dominated both days of racing. On Day 1 (Saturday), Garcia topped the EnduroGP overall standings with a time of 1:02:38.98, followed by TM's Zach Pichon in P2, just 20.57 seconds behind and the Gas Gas of Andrea Verona in P3, 26.09 seconds back. Garcia repeated his performance on Day 2 (Sunday), winning again with a time of 1:09:54.81. Pichon secured another P2 finish, 32.46 seconds behind, while Honda's Samuele Bernardini claimed P3, 1 minute 7.56 seconds behind - this was Bernardini's first career EnduroGP overall podium. The top 5 was rounded out by Triumph Factory Racing's Mikael Persson in P4 and KTM's Max Ahlin in P5.
What were the Women's results at the EnduroGP of Wales 2025?
Rieju's Rosie Rowett claimed her first-ever Grand Prix win on Day 1 after a close battle with teammate Rachel Gutish, who finished P2. Honda's Francesca Nocera secured P3 to complete the podium. On Day 2, Rowett continued riding well, getting a double victory on home soil. Gutish once again took P2, while Nocera remained consistant with another P3. Rounding out the Elite Women's top five were KTM's Justine Martel and our supported Sherco rider, Nieve Holmes.
Are there any videos from the EnduroGP of Wales?
We have a video of the Rider's Convoy through Rhayader village on the Thursday evening, footage of Friday's Super Test, as well as video footage from the various Enduro Test sections on the Saturday and the Sunday at the EnduroGP of Wales. We also have an EnduroGP highlight reel. We will wrap this article up with a few additional photos from the event.
