Round 1
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BETAMOTOR : Brad Freeman and Nathan Watson back on track for the first round of the Italian Championship in Viareggio
The weekend of March 7 and 8 kicked off the 2026 Italian Enduro Championships in Viareggio (Lucca), the venue for the inaugural race valid for the first and second rounds of the Championship. The program began on Saturday afternoon with the „Prologue,“ held on the beach in front of a large crowd of spectators.
The course, designed by the Motoclub Versilia Corse under the supervision of track inspector Mario Rinaldi, covered approximately 40 km and consisted of four special stages repeated four times on Saturday and three times on Sunday, for a total of 28 stages. The race saw a 4 km Cross Test on the beach, a second 3 km Cross Test, followed by a 5 km Enduro Test on hard, rocky terrain and, in conclusion, a 1.5 km natural Extreme Test, which was as challenging as it was spectacular.
Brad Freeman, returning to competition after last season’s injury, put in an excellent performance, delivering a solid and fast race. The English rider took the second and third position in the Foreigners Class, accompanied by a third and fifth position in the Overall Standings. Freeman showed great speed in all the special stages over the weekend, consistently posting very good times. His final result was slowed down by a mistake in the second pass of the Enduro Test, where he lost almost a minute, an episode that inevitably affected Sunday’s classification.
„I’m happy with Saturday’s race: I felt good on the bike and set excellent times throughout the day. On Sunday, unfortunately, a crash in the Enduro Test cost me almost a minute and compromised my final result. It’s a shame because the pace was good, but I’m still taking away positive feelings from the weekend,“ commented Brad Freeman.
It was also a positive weekend for Nathan Watson, who returned to competition after last season’s injury. The British rider completed two days of racing on the up, showing consistency and good pace. Watson finished seventh and tenth in the overall standings, while in the Foreigners class he took third and fifth position, thus completing an encouraging weekend on his way back to full fitness.
„It was a positive weekend for me. After last season’s injury, the goal was to get back to finding rhythm and consistency, and I think I had two consistent days of racing. Lap after lap, I felt better and better on the bike, so I’m happy with this comeback and the work done over the weekend.“ These were Nathan Watson’s words at the end of the race.
After the opening round of the 2026 season, the Beta Enduro Factory Team is turning its attention to the next round of the Italian Enduro Championship, which will be held on March 28 and 29 in Pomarance (Pisa).
Results
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Quelle / Source / Pictures / Bilder: Betamotor,
