Lettenbichler and Brightmore retain FIM Hard Enduro world titles
By Team TMX on 28th Oct 24
The final round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler secure his third consecutive world title in a race that was won by Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt. An impressive ride by TTR Squadra Corse’s Mitch Brightmore at 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro ensured he successfully defended his FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM crown.
With a 16-point lead in the championship going into Sunday, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler looked to put the finishing touches to his season in Aguilar de Campoo. However, with title rivals Red Bull Leader Tread’s Wade Young and Sherco Factory Racing’s Mario Roman determined to fight him all the way, along with Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt hungry for victory, the final showdown was set to be an explosive one.
As the top qualifier from Saturday, Bolt took the top start position for the two-hour, multi-lap El Camino Perdido race. With the top 10 qualifiers all lined up inside the cave, both Bolt and TTR Squadra Corse’s Mitch Brightmore were waved away first, with Young and Lettenbichler next to follow.
Persistent rain ensured challenging conditions during the opening laps as riders battled for position. Bolt was determined to keep his Husqvarna out front and lead. As the race pushed on, Bolt put on a riding clinic in the rain.
Pulling ahead, Bolt completed the two hours distance with a healthy lead. Knowing he had a good cushion over his rivals, he tackled the final hillclimb with maximum attack to take a well-earned victory.
Behind him, Roman had fought his way into a strong second position, distancing himself from Lettenbichler in third. With the strength of his home support behind him, the Spaniard crossed the finish line in second.
Meanwhile, Lettenbichler was keeping an eye on the championship, and having suffered a heavy crash midway, was in damage limitation mode. Knowing he just needed to finish, Lettenbichler incredibly controlled his position of third during the final laps. Scaling the final hillclimb, he became the 2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Champion, securing his third consecutive world title.
From ninth position, Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) chipped away, climbing the leaderboard with each passing lap. Moving past Young, he ended his race in fourth.
For Young, the race result didn’t quite go to plan. In tough conditions, he was unable to stay on the pace of a charging Roman and finished fifth. But it was enough to see him cement his position of vice-champion in the final championship standings over Roman, much to the delight of the South African.
In the FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM, it was TTR Squadra Corse’s Mitch Brightmore in the driving seat of clinching the title. The young Brit, spurred on by his runner-up position in qualifying, was enjoying the wet and slippery terrain. Finishing sixth, he won the Junior category, and with it, was crowned the 2024 FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Champion.
Finishing four minutes behind Mitch, TTR Squadra Corse’s Ashton Brightmore took seventh overall, to ensure a Brightmore one-two in the final championship standings. Completing three laps, Robert Crayston (KTM) rounded out the top three.
“World champion! I’m happy to come away with the podium. It was a tough race. I had a huge crash and hurt my ankle a lot. I really had to dig deep just to finish,” explained Lettenbichler. “But with the title within reach I kept going and got the job done. It’s been a tough year, so to win my third championship in a row is massive for me. I want to give a huge thank you to KTM and everyone backing me, it’s been a huge team effort to be world champion again!”
Junior Champion Mitch Brightmore was equally as ecstatic. “I’m super happy with my performance today,” he said. “The wet and slippery conditions really suited me today. From my front row start with Billy I wanted to capitalise on that as best I could. I enjoyed the ride, just missed the chance to climb the final hill by a couple of seconds, but overall, I’m pleased. To go back-to-back with Junior titles and end the season fifth overall is incredible.”
