Categorie: FIM HARD ENDURO

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Billy Bolt Lands Red Bull Knockout Win In Tennessee

Tennessee, USA – August 15, 2021 — Britain’s Billy Bolt has bounced back to win round five of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Red Bull TKO in Tennessee, USA. Leading home a stacked field of world-class Hard Enduro talent, Bolt topped the podium following an intense battle with Germany’s Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM), while Canada’s Trystan Hart (KTM) was best North American rider in third.

Hot on the heels of round four in Romania, the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship headed to the new ground of North America for the iconic Red Bull TKO in Sequatchie, Tennessee. High humidity mixed with an intense race format and rough, rocky terrain, ensured round five was anything but an easy ride.

A Saturday evening Straight Rhythm prologue kicked things off. Immediately on pace, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt was up to speed as he topped the multi-heat format over GASGAS Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak, with Vision Track Beta’s Jonny Walker third.

A Sunday morning Hot Lap qualifier determined the starting order for the first of two TKO races, where the field of 60 riders would be whittled down to 30 and then finally down to 15 for the 45-minute Final Knockout.

While Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler was fastest in the Hot Lap, Bolt had the measure of everyone by comfortably winning both times out in the TKO Races. The opening TKO Race didn’t deliver many surprises as the top riders safely made it through, but second time out, Blazusiak was one of the top players not to make the 15-rider cut for the final, ending his day earlier than expected.

Lining up for an intense Final Knockout, Lettenbichler quickly got his wheel in front and led the opening lap before Bolt took over. The duo were close throughout until a tricky hill climb caught Bolt out, letting Lettenbichler back in front. With just one lap to go, Lettenbichler had the victory in his grasp, but Bolt refused to back down, and with time running out he made one last push to secure the win by just two seconds.

Behind the leaders, FMF Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart was enjoying a solid ride. While in a strong position early on, he wasn’t able to match the pace Bolt and Lettenbichler were setting, yet nevertheless ended his race on the podium in third.

Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young put in a strong ride to take fourth, with his teammate Mario Roman in fifth.

The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round six at Poland’s Hero Challenge on September 11/12.

Billy Bolt (Husqvarna): “After winning the two qualifiers, I got out to a good lead in the final and felt in control until I messed up the hill climb in the closing stages. Then it got intense! At that stage I didn’t have much left in the tank to charge back at Mani. I got back up to him and just managed to get it done on the final lap. It’s been tough in this heat too, something I’m not that used to. But the crowd didn’t disappoint, the noise and atmosphere was wild for the final. Overall, this win has been great for my championship and now I’m sitting just one point behind Mani.”

Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM): “It got pretty close for the win with Billy. I got the hotshot in the final and he passed me, but we stayed quite close and rode almost together after that. I was leading on the last lap when I made a mistake and caught my foot peg on a rock and got stuck, so he passed me back. But it was close until the end. This race is a cool format. It’s nice to do something different and with the terrain here and the humidity, it makes it really hard work.”

Trystan Hart (KTM): With the full Hard Enduro roster here, third is my best ever result with these guys so although I didn’t win, I’m pretty happy with that. In the final the top guys just sprinted right off the bat and I didn’t, so I lost that early tow and rhythm. But I gave it my all today and when I crossed the finish line I had nothing left in the tank. To be on the podium with the best riders in the world is pretty cool.”

Round 5: Red Bull TKO

Final Knockout

1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 37:30.546
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 6 laps, 37:32.895
3. Trystan Hart (KTM) 6 laps, 38:30.120
4. Wade Young (Sherco) 6 laps, 38:46.299
5. Mario Roman (Sherco) 6 laps, 39:18.418
6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 39:33.066
7. Jonny Walker (Beta) 6 laps, 40:17.224
8. Cody Webb (Sherco) 6 laps, 40:41.959
9. Ryder LeBlond (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 42:47.513
10. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 44:11.917

Provisional standings – FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (after 5 of 8 rounds)

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 54pts
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 53pts
3. Wade Young (Sherco) 40pts
4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 37pts
5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 34pts
6. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 26pts
7. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 24pts
8. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 21pts
9. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 19pts
10. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts

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FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Heads Stateside For Red Bull TKO

Wels, Austria – August 11, 2021 — It’s all systems go as the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship travels to the USA for round five and Red Bull TKO in Tennessee.

Breaking new ground, the championship is set to travel to North America this weekend for the prestigious Red Bull TKO. After a hectic round four at Red Bull Romaniacs just two weeks ago, the world’s best riders will once again go head-to-head as the championship’s leading competitors face off against the best of American talent.

Set for its 11th edition, the Red Bull TKO operates a multi-race knockout style format. From Saturday’s 400 amateur rider qualifier, the best riders then progress through to Sunday’s main event, lining up against a stacked pro rider entry. Adding extra spice to Saturday evening will be the Pro-Prologue Red Bull Straight Rhythm. An 18-rider line-up will see top riders go head-to-head across an exciting straight-line endurocross course.

For Sunday’s main event, a series of knockout races sees riders battling to qualify through to the next round every time they take to the track. A final, 15-rider multi-lap race, on a shortened-but-intensified course, will see the winner take all.

Situated at the Trials Training Centre in Sequatchie, Tennessee, home to world championship Trial events in the past, the terrain is a Hard Enduro gold mine thanks to its rocky riverbeds, waterfall boulders and steep forestry climbs. Adding in unpredictable weather and high levels of humidity ensures a tough and physical race for all.

World Class Entry Fired Up

After his round four victory, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler now sits at the top of the championship’s point standings. A rider on form, Manuel arrives in the USA having previous experience at Red Bull TKO. Winner of the event in 2019, he’s the only rider from outside of North America to do so, and will no doubt be looking for more success this weekend.

The Sherco Factory Racing pairing of Mario Roman and Wade Young are also past podium finishers in Tennessee. While neither rider has yet to reach the top step, they’ve consistently placed inside the top three. Arriving in the USA fresh off their Red Bull Romaniacs podium finishes, both Young and Roman very much start among the favourites.

Vision Track Beta’s Jonny Walker is another rider aiming for a top result. Having fought all week in Romania for a podium result, he just missed out, finishing fifth. Walker has raced and finished a close second at Red Bull TKO previously and knows how demanding this race will be. That experience might just help him put Beta Motorcycles up on the world championship podium for the first time.

Hart And Webb Out To Win

However, as the 2020 winner of Red Bull TKO, Canada’s Trystan Hart (KTM) is the rider everyone will be keeping an eye on. The 24-year-old has already made his mark in 2021 by placing as top Red Bull Romaniacs rookie with seventh. Victory this weekend on familiar terrain is the target for Hart.

Sherco’s Cody Webb is a rider eager to stop that. The American has dominated Red Bull TKO over the last decade with six wins to his credit. A knee injury sustained at round four has dampened his confidence slightly. But with a wealth of experience, you can be sure he will give it his all to fly the Stars and Stripes flag from the top step of the podium.

As round three winner, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt cannot be ignored. Despite this being a first time visit to Red Bull TKO, Bolt has a habit of winning races at his first attempt – Abestone Hard Enduro and Extreme XL Lagares (2018) are notable examples. Bolt also excels in a multi-round format race and lives for the gigantic boulders the Trials Training Centre has on offer. Knowing victory will put him back into title contention, expect Billy to hit the ground running.

Sixth at Red Bull Romaniacs, GASGAS Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak will be in the hunt alongside his teammate Michael Walkner. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) and Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) can’t be ruled out of contention either.

With a golden opportunity to shine on the world stage, American’s Cooper Abbott (KTM), Nick Fahringer (Sherco), Jordan Ashburn (Husqvarna), Ryan Sipes (GASGAS), Keith Curtis (Sherco), Max Gerston (GASGAS), Pat Smage (Sherco) and Ryder LeBlond (Husqvarna) could also land some knockout results.

Red Bull TKO – round five of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship – takes place at the Trials Training Centre, Sequatchie, Tennessee on August 13-15.

FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Standings (After round 4)

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 37pts
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 33pts
3. Wade Young (Sherco) 25pts
4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 24pts
5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 24pts
6. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 20pts
7. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts
8. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 14pts
9. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 13pts
10. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 11pts

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship calendar
Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares – Portugal, May 7/8/9
Round 2: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo – Austria, June 3/4/5/6
Round 3: Abestone Hard Enduro – Italy, July 10/11
Round 4: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 27/28/29/30/31
Round 5: Red Bull TKO – USA, August 13/14/15
Round 6: HERO Challenge – Poland, September 11/12
Round 7: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 1/2/3
Round 8: GetzenRodeo – Germany, October 29/30

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TADDY BLAZUSIAK USA BOUND FOR RED BULL TKO

GASGAS FACTORY RACING STAR EXCITED TO TAKE ON AMERICA’S BEST AT FIM HARD ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE

We’re off to America! GASGAS Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak will soon arrive in Sequatchie, Tennessee to race round five of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship – Red Bull TKO! Joining Taddy in the States, hot off his top-10 finish at Red Bull Romaniacs, factory-supported Michael Walkner will also be looking to mix things up at the challenging event.

Taddy Blazusiak to take on America’s best at Red Bull TKO
Intense and extreme knockout format awaits
GASGAS EC 300 riders set for FIM Hard Enduro round five

Just two weeks after the close of Red Bull Romaniacs, we’re jumping right back into the world of extreme with Red Bull TKO. Now in its 11th year, the race promises to pit the best riders from the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship against the cream of American offroad.

Leading the charge for GASGAS Factory Racing, Taddy will be returning to the country that awarded him no less than five straight AMA EnduroCross Championship titles. The Polish racer has never contested TKO however, but the short, intense knockout format should suit his explosive style.

Racing at TKO kicks off with a Straight Rhythm prologue on Saturday, where riders earn their start position for Sunday’s Hot Lap time trial. Then follows two knockout rounds, with the fastest 15 racers ultimately fighting it out in a 45-minute final to decide the winner. With the event made up of highly testing, but short races, Taddy’s EnduroCross experience will prove invaluable.

Taddy Blazusiak: “I’m really excited for Red Bull TKO. I’m feeling pretty good, and the event should suit me, unfortunately I hurt what was my good shoulder at Romaniacs and will definitely be riding sore in America. Training has been going ok, but I am lacking a little strength in my upper body, so it will be a challenging weekend. I’m really pleased with how the bike is performing. At Romaniacs, we showed we had the speed to challenge the top guys, I just need to string it all together and find a good flow to make it work. It will be great to return to the USA and perform in front of the American fans – I’ll give it my all as usual.”

Our factory-supported junior rider Michael Walkner will also be hungry to impress at Red Bull TKO. Showing impressive speed throughout the five days of racing at Romaniacs to ultimately finish ninth, the young Austrian is looking forward to taking his speed and skill across the pond, and going up against the best America has to offer. The EC 300 rider currently lies eighth in the HEWC standings and could easily improve on that with a solid result in Tennessee.

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ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING HEAD TO THE USA FOR TKO

HARD ENDURO STARS BILLY BOLT AND ALFREDO GOMEZ FOCUSED ON TENNESSEE KNOCKOUT PODIUM

With little time to rest following round four of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt and Alfredo Gomez return to hard enduro action this coming weekend as they head to the USA to take on the Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro (TKO).

Competing in the event for the first time, racing at TKO will be a completely new experience for both Billy and Alfredo. Confident of podium results and despite a tough week in Romania, both are ready for the fast and furious racing at the North American event.

Focused on getting back to his winning ways, Billy Bolt is looking to repeat the form that took him to victory at Abestone Hard Enduro. With the racing against the clock and racing head-to-head nature of TKO in many ways similar to SuperEnduro, Billy knows that the event should suit him well. Wanting to close in on Hard Enduro World Championship leader Mani Lettenbichler, Billy is ready to give his all and fight for the event win.

Determined to put his challenging outing at Romaniacs behind him, despite having not raced at TKO before, Alfredo Gomez knows the venue well – something he hopes will aid his chances of battling for a top-three result. Carrying a small rib injury into the event, Alfredo is nevertheless ready to take on the fifth round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.

Following his recent injury and subsequent knee surgery, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s third hard enduro racer Graham Jarvis will not be competing at TKO.

Now in its 11th year, TKO features a multi-round knockout format. Each round is different with riders racing both against the clock and head-to-head. Known for its highly technical terrain, both short and long courses are used during the event as competitors are eliminated down to a final of 15 riders.

Round five of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship takes place in Sequatchie, Tennessee, USA on August 13-15.

Ahead of this weekend’s TKO, check out more FIM Hard Enduro action with the Rockstar Husky Vlog.

Episode 1: Abestone Hard Enduro
Episode 2: Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye

Billy Bolt: “I’m really looking forward to TKO this weekend. It’s going to be my first time at the event, and I can’t wait for it. It’ll actually be the first time I’ve raced in the States – the only other time I’ve been there was for a holiday when I was four years old. I’ve seen and heard a lot of positive stuff about TKO, so all-in-all I’m really excited to get over there and get racing. It looks very, very different to Romaniacs – super short, really intense, and very technical – so I’m hoping that it will really suit me. There’s going to be some strong competition, and it’ll be cool to race against the US riders on their home soil. I have a few points I need to earn to catch Mani in the championship after Romaniacs, so I’m ready to do that. I’m feeling good and looking forward to it all.”

Alfredo Gomez: “I’m certainly hoping that things will go better for me in in the USA than they did in Romania. Things really didn’t go the way I hoped they would there, but I’m ready and looking forward to TKO. In Romania I hit my ribs hard, which aren’t 100%, but no excuses, I will be ready to fight for the podium in Tennessee. It will be my first time at TKO, but I have very happy memories from that place because it’s where I took my first podium in world trial, in 2005, I think. I hope I can have a good race and be on the podium.”

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