Manuel Lettenbichler, the Hard Enduro World Champion, finished the year with a victory at Getzenrodeo after a fierce battle with Billy Bolt. Lettenbichler said, “That was such a hard race. We had to dig so deep to keep going. Billy was riding really well, and we had to help each other out at times. He made a small mistake, and that’s when I finally passed him. After that, I focused and rode as smoothly as possible to the finish.”
The single-day GetzenRodeo was the final round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. In the morning, 60 riders competed in the two-hour GetzenRace qualifier to earn a spot in the afternoon five-lap GetzenChamp final. The main race day at Getzen consists of two races: the initial race is less intense, with all racers on the circuit. The main event is reserved for the top 20 riders, who face a more challenging course in the reverse direction for a one and a half hour race. The final includes a Joker Lane or X-Loop that each rider must go through once.
Lettenbichler and Bolt started strong and took the Joker Lane early, helping each other and setting a faster time than anyone. Mario Roman briefly took the lead, but halfway through the race, Lettenbichler had a small advantage over Billy Bolt. In the end, Letti and Bolt lapped the entire field.
Billy Bolt finished a close second to Lettenbichler at the Getzenrodeo and runner-up in the Hard Enduro Championship. Bolt said, “I gave it my all today. I felt like I had what was needed to win. In the final, I was riding well and feeling comfortable with the track. When I got into the lead, I pushed as hard as I could to build a gap. But this course is so technical that if you make a mistake, you get punished hard. Missing that rock climb let Mani back into the lead, and I just couldn’t catch up again. I’m happy though. I rode well here and gave it everything. Congrats to Mani on an incredible season too. I’m excited to shift the focus indoors and race SuperEnduro now!”
Bolt stayed strong and closed the gap, eventually overtaking the German with 20 minutes remaining in the race. Ultimately, it came down to a rock step-up, which Billy failed to overcome, allowing Mani to pass him and maintain the lead until the end. Lettenbichler had an outstanding season, winning his fourth Getzenrodeo.
Sherco’s Mario Roman led for a while and finished third overall in the event.Alfredo Gomez took his factory Rieju to a 6th overall, 2 laps down from the leaders.
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