On his comeback weekend at the Assoluti d’Italia, Fantic Factory Racing Enduro’s Riccardo Pasquato secured two third-place finishes aboard the Fantic XE 125. Factory-supported Team Specia rider Matteo Pavoni added another second-place finish in the 450 class.

After a long break, the Italian Championship returned with the penultimate round of the season in Pianello Val Tidone.

The 55 km course featured three special tests: a 2.5 km artificial Extreme Test on hard, dusty terrain, followed by a 4 km Cross Test that was technical and fast with numerous off-camber sections, and finally a demanding 7 km Enduro Test run through woodland with a rocky and loose stone surface. Riders completed four laps on Saturday and three on Sunday, for a total of 21 special tests over the weekend.

In the 125 class, Riccardo Pasquato returned to racing following the arm injury he sustained in May, which prevented him from defending his lead in the Youth World Championship. At the Assoluti d’Italia, the young Italian enjoyed a successful comeback aboard the Fantic XE 125, securing two third-place finishes in his class.

Further success came courtesy of factory-supported Team Specia rider Matteo Pavoni, who claimed yet another second-place finish in the 450 class on day 1 before a minor issue forced him to retire on the second day of competition. There will be a chance to bounce back: the final round of the 2026 Assoluti d’Italia is scheduled for September 26-27 in Fabriano.

Riccardo Pasquato:

“I am back, finally! The most important takeaway is that I felt pretty good. I was focused on avoiding mistakes and getting back into race rhythm, and we can be satisfied with how the weekend went. Now we have two more weeks to get ready for the French GP. The goal is to do well in the World Championship and finish the Italian Championship in Fabriano in the best possible way.”