Due to an arm injury, the Fantic Factory Racing Enduro rider and current Youth World Championship leader won’t be able to defend his red plate at the third Grand Prix of the season, taking place this weekend in Salpausselkä, Finland.
A dream start to the season – featuring two victories and a total of four podium finishes across the opening rounds in Sicily and Spain – had propelled Riccardo Pasquato and his Fantic XE 125 to the top of the Youth World Championship standings, with a six-point advantage over his closest rival.
During a training session ahead of the next EnduroGP round, the Fantic youngster crashed and suffered a fracture to his right radius. After careful evaluation of his condition together with the medical staff and team management, Pasquato had to withdraw from the EnduroGP of Finland in order to focus on his recovery, avoid unnecessary risks and protect the remainder of the season.
Fantic Factory Racing Enduro will therefore field two riders at round three of the 2026 FIM EnduroGP World Championship: Théo Espinasse and Thibault Giraudon, competing respectively in the E3 and Junior classes, both aiming for podium finishes aboard their Fantic XE 300 machines.
Riccardo Pasquato:
“I am obviously very disappointed about this forced stop. A minor crash unfortunately resulted in a fracture that will prevent me from racing in Finland. We are doing everything we can to speed up the recovery process, but this GP still comes too soon. We also need to think long term and prioritise a full recovery. The goal is to return in a condition that will allow me to pick up right where we left off. Of course, it is frustrating to miss a race during such a positive moment of my career, but this is also part of the game sometimes. I would like to thank my team, the medical staff, my physio Emanuele Farina, everyone at Fisiolab 8.14 and Pianeta Sport gym, as well as all the people supporting me at this time. We are already working to come back stronger than before!”
Antonio Specia, Fantic Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager:
“After a fantastic start to the season, unfortunately, we have much less positive news to share this time around. It is a pity that Ricky won’t be able to compete in Finland. Missing a race is never an easy decision, even less so when you are leading the standings, but we carefully considered every aspect of the situation and came to the conclusion that this was the only sensible option. We have to avoid any risk, as the effort of a race weekend could compromise his physical condition and, as a consequence, the entire season. We would rather make sure he recovers properly ahead of Portugal. The season is still long, and we will continue working hard and keep believing until the very end.”
