THE WEEKLY FEED: HARD ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP • ENDUROCROSS GALLERY • VIDEO CARNAGE

BLAST FROM THE PAST: MIKE BELL ’75 HOPETOWN GP

How about a killer shot of Mike Bell racing a Bill Bell built Long Beach Honda at the infamous Hopetown GP in 1975? Thanks Mark Kiel for the great photo.

 

NEWS

 

Billy Bolt Crowned FIM Hard Enduro World Champion!

Mani Lettenbichler wins GetzenRodeo Hard Enduro
Billy Bolt won the inaugural WESS hard Enduro World Championship with a second place finish at the German GetzenRodeo round.

 

Britain’s Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) has won the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at the season-ending 24MX GetzenRodeo in Germany. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider is the sport’s first FIM Hard Enduro World Champion.

Despite winning the eighth and final round of the championship, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler ended his season as vice-world champion, while Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young joined them on the championship podium for third overall.

After an incredible inaugural season of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, it all came down to 24MX GetzenRodeo to decide the sport’s first world champion. The math was simple. If Manuel Lettenbichler won his home race, Billy had to finish in second place to clinch the title on a tiebreaker.

The WESS final round winner was Mani Lettenbichler, who won it for the third time. He and Bolt finished in a points tie for the championship, with Bolt getting nod via a second place finish that broke the tie.

 

The two-hour morning GetzenRace featured 60 riders starting to the deafening sound of a cannon, the fight was on to earn one of the top-15 qualifying positions. Bolt and Lettenbichler meant business and after a race-long battle, Lettenbichler just beat Bolt across the line to win.

Heading into the GetzenChamp race, with the Red Bull TV cameras rolling, the history books were waiting to be written following the next 80 minutes and one lap of racing. Lettenbichler was the first rider flagged away, with Bolt in his shadow, four seconds later. Next came Young, Mario Roman (Sherco), Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna), and Jonny Walker (Beta).

Midway through lap one, Bolt caught and passed Lettenbichler and built a gap of 10 seconds. But then things appeared to unravel for the Brit. A mistake on a technical climb sparked a catalogue of errors and as Bolt dropped down as far as sixth, Lettenbichler took the lead and suddenly looked champion elect. Bolt had to regroup.

Sherco’s Wade Young finished third overall for the series, fourth at the Getzen race.

 

For Mani, it was a near flawless performance as he crossed the finish line to win the 24MX GetzenRodeo for the third time in succession. However, this time around it wasn’t enough to win the title. Dropping out of the final Red Bull X-Loop, Bolt reached the checkered flag in second and with it became Hard Enduro’s first FIM World Champion.

Results: GetzenRodeo – GetzenChamp

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 11 laps, 1:29:20.433
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11 laps, 1:30:16.852
3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 11 laps, 1:32:05.524
4. Wade Young (Sherco) 10 laps, 1:31:29.066
5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 1:31:52.822
6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 1:32:37.808
7. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 8 laps, 1:30:46.348
8. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 8 laps, 1:31:42.006
9. Sonny Goggia (GASGAS) 8 laps, 1:33:45.546
10. Travis Teasdale (GASGAS) 8 laps, 1:35:23.269

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (Final Standings)

1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 104pts
2. Manuel Lettenbichler 104pts
3. Wade Young (Sherco) 83pts
4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 76pts
5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 66pts
6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 63pts
7. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 46pts
8. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 36pts
9. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 29pts
10. Dominik Olszowy (KTM) 24pts

 

This video showcases the technical side of the GetzenRodeo and just how good the top guys are at getting through traffic and conquering inhuman obstacles!

SOCIAL POKES

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING EVENT

HOT PICS

Here’s a few pics from the Denver EnduroCross from Diahann Tanke. Enjoy, we did. 
Cody Webb missed the first four rounds while recuperating from an injured wrist. He came in hungry, and gave Haaker something to think about by winning both nights at Denver.

 

Cooper Abbott came into his own at the EnduroCross series with a second place in the championship.

|

Colton Haaker wrapped up his fifth EnduroCross championship. When you combine this with his three SuperEnduro World titles he pretty much owns discipline.

 

Max Gerston raced a GasGas to a third place finish in the series, his best results in decade long career.

 

Shelby Turner has five Women’s EnduroCross championships!

 

VIDEO JUKEBOX

More WESS Hard Enduro World Championship video from the GetzenRodeo round~

 

WOLF: BACK IN THE DAY

This is the Mesquite GP, a brutal Best in the Desert event that featured miles of blow sand and hard edged whoops. This race kicked my caboose every year I raced it. This is 1994 and I’m racing a Husaberg 501. I loved this bike, it had a great engine, started easy, made huge boost on top and was light. I ended up racing it in the AMA Reliability Trials (Qualifier series), won the 40 class championship and made the ISDE team.
You might also like More from author

Comments are closed.

edit