Josep Garcia: The fastest man in enduro eyes up his home NOCO FIM 6DAYS®

That is a tall accolade to bestow the twenty-seven-year-old, but it is hard to deny that the Spaniard is riding a tidal wave of momentum as the ninety-eighth edition of the NOCO FIM 6DAYS® heads to Galicia in Spain this October.

A stellar 2024 season has so far seen Garcia clinch the FIM EnduroGP World Championship, and with this year’s NOCO FIM 6DAYS® marking a home edition for the Spaniard, the icing on the cake would be a fourth-consecutive outright victory while leading Spain to their first FIM World Trophy win.

As Garcia agrees, that is the dream scenario to what has so far been a fairytale year. Although his focus is simply on taking the FIM ISDE one day at a time, while soaking in all the emotions that go with it too.

“For sure, the last three FIM ISDE races were great,” says Garcia. “I’m super happy to have won three in a row because it is not an easy thing to do. But like always, I will go to Galicia focused on making a good job, fighting to win, but keeping it fun.

“To have the FIM ISDE return to Spain after Navarra in 2016 is so nice. I know the Galicia region well and feel good on a bike there. For everyone, this will be a special race.”

While the NOCO FIM 6DAYS® is a celebration of the world’s best enduro riders battling for national glory, the individual aspect cannot be ignored. With three outright wins from the last three editions, Garcia has certainly made his mark.

Racing closely with Italy’s Andrea Verona (GASGAS), the duo have set the bar high, delivering some spectacular battles.

“To fight for the victory with Andrea, like we’ve done for the past three years, is amazing. The FIM ISDE has a different sort of pressure than EnduroGP because you only have six days to make it happen. If you feel bad in the first two days, you can lose everything.

“Of course at the time I would have loved a bigger gap over Andrea to ease the pressure, but I enjoyed the intensity, and I think the spectators did too.”

Heading into the ninety-eighth edition, that rivalry with Verona is expected to resume. However, with the world’s best enduro riders all assembled in Galicia, he knows it will likely be much more than a two-horse race for individual honours.

“Coming into an FIM ISDE you have a feeling of who will be fast, and there will always be a surprise. Many riders raise their game for this race when the national jersey goes on.

“Also, in 2016, I was the surprise. The previous year I was a junior, maybe top-twenty at best. That year it all clicked, and I was battling for the podium. I’m sure it will happen for someone this year too.”

As this chat concludes, one question cannot go unasked. Will the ninety-eighth edition finally be the golden one for Spain and see them win a debut FIM World Trophy?

“I hope so, I really do,” smiles Garcia. “It’s the one thing we miss. Every year we try and we give one hundred percent. But it’s not easy. Let’s hope it finally goes our way in Galicia. To do it on home soil would be incredible!”