The EnduroGP circus remained in Fafe for the fifth round of the 2026 World Championship, tackling a gruelling 50 km course featuring a highly technical Extreme Test, a dusty Enduro Test and a blisteringly fast Cross Test on hard ground.
In a race dominated by heat and dust, Brad Freeman managed the situation with great maturity with the championship in mind. After finishing 4th on Day 1 in the E3 class, the Briton responded on Sunday with a valuable 3rd place in class (7th overall in EnduroGP), a crucial result that allows him to retain the lead in the E3 world championship standings.
“It was quite a challenging weekend. On Saturday I struggled to find the right rhythm, but on Sunday we managed to take a step forward. The positive thing is that we’re leaving Portugal whilst retaining the E3 lead,” analysed Freeman.
It was a more lacklustre weekend, however, for Nathan Watson, who failed to find the right feel for the Portuguese special stages, finishing with two 6th places in the closely contested E2 class. A special mention goes to Beta thanks to the exceptional performances of the Moto Espinha team in the national category: Xoel Fernandezdominated Day 1, whilst Lucas Espinha took the first position on Day 2, securing a splendid Beta one-two at the top of the national standings.
The World Championship now takes a break ahead of the sixth round at Saint-Agrève, in France, in mid-July.
