Second stage of the Hard Enduro World Championship. The race in Serbia rewards Manuel Lettenbichler on his return after a long convalescence. On the podium also the new entry Kabakchiev and the “senator” Jarvis. “Green” phenomenon
May 23, 2022
ZlatiborSerbia, May 22, 2022. A podium that is a snapshot of the greatness of the Hard Enduro World Championship. Manuel Lettenbichler winsKTM, at his side, right in second place for the first time, Teodor KabakchievKTM, and on the left the legend, Graham JarvisHusqvarna.
The World Cup in the second season passes from Israel to Serbia for another new entry in the circuit promoted by FIM and WESS, and after the Minus 400 on the shores of the Black Sea it is the turn of the Xross Hard Enduro Rally of Zlatibor, 200 kilometers southwest of Belgrade not far from the borders with Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina. It’s a completely new scenario, and the Race is also set up in a very personal way. An Original, in short, in many ways. As he has already shown since the first season of being able to do, the Hard Enduro World Championship moves with great decision, courage and inventiveness.
Xross is a Hard Enduro Rally. It is spread over three days full of competition, on routes and formula inspired by Enduro, but naturally with a marked emphasis on the difficulties proposed and the commitment required. The scenario lives up to expectations and the caliber of the world championship tournament. As usual, the spirit of the Race is suited to the exploration of corners that are at least difficult, but always suggestive, of the most rugged, “wild” nature. From Tuesday to Saturday, the first two days of bureaucracy and small events on the approach march, checks, qualifications, prologue, the spectacular straight rhythm knockout, then three days at a hammer, the same merciless formula: 100 kilometers of hard Enduro, divided into special stages and jumps in the darkness of the impossible. Show in rivers. Sweat ditto. It is called “Rally” because, instead of the tapes, there is a little bit of “Navigation” to the GPS.
THEday ONE it is also that of general surprise. A 24-year-old Bulgarian named Marcantonio Teodor Kabakchiev, already seen sowing panic as a Junior in the Super Enduro and in the “classics” of the Hard Enduro galaxy, wins the stage and puts everyone in line and in silence. Not that there was not to expect a result outside the historical framework, but the power of the Bulgarian is evident, especially in the afternoon. It is the first time of Kabakchiev e the first of a Bulgarian pilot, so it’s history. Behind the Bulgarian another small surprise, the second place of Michael Walner, GasGas, little brother of the better known Dakar Champion Matthias. On the third here Manuel Lettembichler, KTM, which returns to the Championship after the necessary convalescence after the operation on the meniscus of the left knee, in February. For the sum of the preliminaries, prologue, and the count of the Stage penalties, however, Billy Bolt is still leading the racethe reigning World Champion, less than a minute ahead.
G.iorno TWO. It is battle. Six month ago Lettenbichler he had been forced to stop, but he had promised that when he got back he would start having fun again. That is to win. The second stage of the Xross Hard Enduro is his, of talent and strength. The shape is back, class and competitiveness intact. “Mani” builds the victory of the day by winning the first special, the longest, two and a half hours of hell. Another return to victory, Graham Jarvis wins the remaining two and finishes in third place behind the aching Wade Young, the South African who was “injured” on the first day and who will grit his teeth to the finish. Lettenbichler takes command of Xross.
G.iorno THREE. It is the grand final. Three more Specials for a total of almost three hours (for the first) of exciting… torture. The three protagonists of the Race share the stakes equally. Lettembichler wins the first, longest special, Jarvis the second and Kabakchiev the third. Time to draw conclusions and find out that the overall winner is Manuel “Mani” Lettenbichler, KTM. On the podium of Zlatibor therefore also rise Teodor Kabakchiev, KTMAnd Graham Jarvis, Husqvarna. Admirable the fifth place of Wade Young, Sherco, and Michael Walkner’s “decent” sixth, GasGas. Scrolling through the ranking, however, Cyprian, Gomez, Ohare, in tenth place we find …
… there. A separate discussion. World Hard Enduro is also Junior World Cup, starting this year. Two dozen abundant attendees, an increasingly clear ruler. It is about Matthew Greenthe South African who runs with the Marco Rigo’s team and which has been noted for the exponential growth of its pressure on the Hard Enduro group. Green won the category and is first in the world rankingamong other things, with a fantastic fourth place overall in the last Xross Special, or now in the very restricted elite of the champions of the discipline.
At the head of the World Championship Graham Jarvis joins Billy Bolt at 30 points, and now… Pause. Less than a month and the Hard Enduro World Championship faces the third appointment in the infernal and legendary basin of the mine ofErzbergRodeo. Austria, from 16 to 19 June. Also for the Juniors.
© Images Red Bull Content Pool – Future7Media – HEWC – KTM – Husqvarna – GASGAS
F.IM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 2
Xross Hard Enduro Rally
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 11:10:04; 2. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 11:20:07; 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 11:28:35; 4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11:37:27; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 11:37:27; 6. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 11:47:10; 7. David Cyprian (KTM) 12:07:55; 8. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 12:23:55; 9. Will Hoare (GASGAS) 12:27:10; 10. Matt Green (GASGAS) 12: 45: 20 …
Championship Standings after 2 Races
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 30pts; 2. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 30pts; 3. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 27pts; 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 25pts; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 22pts; 6. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 21pts; 7. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 20pts; 8. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 18pts…
THEl Calendar of the 2022 Hard Enduro World Championship
Round 1: Minus 400 – Israel, April 5-7
Round 2: Xross – Serbia, May 18-21 (Also FIM Junior World Cup)
Round 3: Red Bull ErzbergRodeo – Austria, June 16-19 (Also FIM Junior World Cup)
Round 4: Red Bull Abestone – Italy, July 9-10 (Also FIM Junior World Cup)
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 26-30
Round 6: Red Bull TKO – USA, August 13-14
Round 7: Red Bull Outliers – Canada, August 27-28
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 7-9 (Also FIM Junior World Cup)
/s3/static.nrc.nl/images/gn4/stripped/data87724241-a8b32c.jpg?resize=360,180)
