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.
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 2023 Junior 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.
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.”
