Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship returns to action for EnduroGP of Wales

The Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship heads to the Forsiteservices GP of Wales with HRC Honda’s Francesca Nocera leading the way.

With the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship gearing up for round four next weekend in Rhayader, Wales, 1-3 August, it will also mark the welcome return of the Women’s Enduro and Junior Women’s Enduro categories for their second outing following the GP of Portugal in April.

With many regarding Wales as a traditional home of enduro, its mountainous landscape, rough and rooted forest tracks, mixture of boggy terrain and slick grass fields, plus unpredictable weather conditions, provide a fitting test for the world’s best enduro riders.

The spectacular Cwmythig Hill will act as the central hub for the majority of the action, hosting the race paddock, Friday evening AKRAPOVIC Super Test and ACERBIS Cross Test. Leaving the start ramp in Cwmythig Hill, riders face a 66-kilometre course, which immediately includes the ACERBIS Cross Test before navigating the Welsh mountains to the GMOTO Enduro Test and POLISPORT Extreme Test at nearby Saintswell. A liaison back to Cwmythig Hill completes the challenging lap. With the Women’s classes set to complete three laps on day one and a further two laps on day two, it will prove a real test of attrition for all.

Nocera leads the charge to Wales

At the series opener in Portugal, competition for the top step of the Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship podium was fierce. Returning to competitive action following an injury-curtailed 2024, HRC Honda’s Francesca Nocera made it a dream start to her 2025 campaign.

The Italian was in her element on the rough Portuguese terrain, winning both days of racing. Day one was a dominant performance by the Honda rider, who comfortably won by one minute and 11 seconds.

Claiming victory on day two to maximise her points haul, the results sheets show that she didn’t have things all her own way. With a winning margin of just two seconds, Nocera was pushed hard and will need to be at her very best in Wales to remain on the top step of the podium.

Vice-champion in 2024, the United States’ Rachel Gutish has returned to the Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship for 2025 with the goal of becoming world champion. A late signing to the RIEJU Factory Team left her with limited time to prepare for Fafe.

Needing the opening day of racing to find her feet with the new machinery, she still put in an impressive ride for second. On day two, she looked more like her old self and duly brought the fight to Nocera. Managing to lead a large part of the day and finish a close second, she left Portugal with plenty to be pleased about.

Team KBS Sherco’s Nieve Holmes raced her way to a pair of third-place results in Portugal. Claiming four special test wins throughout the weekend, while rarely falling outside of the top three times, the British rider showed that she’s certainly capable of getting into the mix with Nocera and Gutish. Welcoming a home round, Holmes will be eager to strengthen her position on Welsh soil.

Lying fourth overall, RIEJU Factory Team’s Rosie Rowett is another rider who will be looking forward to competing at her home round in Wales. The British rider secured a podium result at the Forsiteservices GP of Wales in 2024 and will naturally use that as motivation to finish inside the top three in Rhayader.

In Portugal, we saw France’s Marine Lemoine (KTM) complete the top five in the Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship standings, with two sixth-place finishes. Unfortunately, the French rider crashed heavily at a recent round of the French national championship and may not be fighting fit to defend her placing in Wales.

Close behind Lemoine in the championship, Marie Vilde Holt (KTM), Joana Goncalves (Husqvarna) and Justine Martel (Beta) are just three riders who could capitalise. With only two points separating all four riders, it’s likely we’ll see the positions change in Wales.

Tett aiming for victory in Junior Women’s Enduro World Cup

New for 2025, the Expotrade FIM Junior Women’s Enduro World Cup made its debut in Fafe, Portugal. For riders under the age of 23, it offers them a stepping stone into world championship-level racing.

At round one, we saw Electraction TM’s Elizabeth Tett stamp her authority on proceedings. Winning day one by a substantial two minutes, before going on to win day two by 40 seconds, she immediately established herself as the rider to beat. With the Forsiteservices GP of Wales also marking a home round for Tett, she will be aiming for the top step of the podium once again.

Behind her, it was France’s Lorna Lafont (Sherco) and Matilda Ahlstrom (Husqvarna) who joined her on the podium in second and third, respectively. Just missing out in Portugal, Welsh rider Delun Davies (Fantic) would love to finish inside the top three at her home race.

The Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship continues with the Forsiteservices GP of Wales in Rhayader on 1-3 August.

Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship (after round 1 of 4)

1. Francesca Nocera (Honda) 40pts

2. Rachel Gutish (RIEJU) 34pts

3. Nieve Holmes (Sherco) 30pts

4. Rosie Rowett (RIEJU) 24pts

5. Marine Lemoine (KTM) 20pts

6. Marie Vilde Holt (KTM) 19pts

7. Joana Goncalves (Husqvarna) 19pts

8. Justine Martel (Beta) 18pts

9. Elizabeth Tett (TM MOTO) 14pts

10. Maria San Miguel (RIEJU) 14pts

Expotrade FIM Junior Women’s Enduro World Cup (after round 1 of 4)

1. Elizabeth Tett (TM MOTO) 40pts

2. Lorna Lafont (Sherco) 34pts

3. Matilda Ahlstrom (Husqvarna) 30pts

4. Delun Davies (Fantic) 13pts

5. Lea Meier (Sherco) 11pts

2025 Information

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2025 Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship

Round 1: GP of Portugal – Fafe – 4-6 April
Round 2: GP of Spain – Oliana – 2-4 May
Round 3: GP of Sweden – Skövde – 23-25 May
Round 4: GP of Wales – Rhayader – 1-3 August
Round 5: GP of Portugal – Vila de Rei – 12-14 September
Round 6: GP of Italy – Darfo Boario Terme – 26-28 September
Round 7: GP of Germany – Zschopau – 17-19 October

2025 Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship

Round 1: GP of Portugal – Fafe – 4-6 April
Round 2: GP of Wales – Rhayader – 1-3 August
Round 3: GP of Portugal – Vila de Rei – 12-14 September
Round 4: GP of Germany – Zschopau – 17-19 October