The 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship opened in spectacular and unpredictable fashion at 24MX Alestrem in Alès, France, with Manuel Lettenbichler taking victory after a dramatic and weather-affected main race.
Words & Images by HEWC
Across four days of racing, the event delivered intense competition, extreme conditions, and a clear signal of how competitive and evolving the championship has become.
Day -1: A Different Kind of Start Line
We arrived in Alès on Wednesday, 15 April, to something that already felt different.
The Pôle Mécanique Alès Cévennes is not your typical hard enduro venue. A purpose-built motorsport facility, it brought something rare to the paddock: space, structure, and comfort. Power on hand, proper showers, solid infrastructure, even WiFi. It set the tone for what a modern championship environment can look like.
But as the sun beat down on the tarmac, drying every bit of moisture out of the terrain, it was clear this race would still be decided the old-fashioned way.
Day 0: Walking the Unknown
By Thursday, the paddock came alive.
Riders, teams, and fans spread across the course, walking sections, studying lines, and trying to piece together what the weekend might demand. Conversations quickly turned to tyre choice, setup, and strategy, with a steady flow of riders stopping by the Plews Tyres for advice.
There was a quiet tension building. The kind that only comes before Round 1.
That afternoon, the championship hosted its first official press conference of the season. A step forward in how the sport presents itself, bringing riders together to share insight, expectation, and personality.
Manuel Lettenbichler was relaxed when saying:
“I am pretty stoked to be back here. Normally in January it is miserable, so I like this weather. It’s going to be dry and grippy, and I think there will be more riders in the fight at the front.”
James Moore, fresh from a South African summer, was clear on his goals:
“I would like to be a consistent top five rider. It’s realistic, but something I need to work hard for.”
Graham Jarvis, lining up on electric machinery, added a new dimension:
“It’s crazy being here with an e-bike. I see a future in electric, and I want to be part of that.”
Sandra Gomez highlighted the importance of progression:
“It’s still the beginning for women in hard enduro. We need to be leaders and build something bigger.”
It was a great reflection of where the sport is heading. With a Women featured, and two new manufacturers present in Jarv-e and Stark.
Day 1: The First Points on the Board
Friday brought the S3 Xtrem Test, the first competitive action of the 2026 season.
A short, intense course blending super enduro features with technical off-road terrain gave riders two chances to lay down a time and secure early championship points.
At the top, it was as tight as expected. Manuel Lettenbichler edged Billy Bolt by just 0.26 seconds, setting the tone for what would become a recurring theme throughout the weekend.
Day 2: Bolt Strikes First
Saturday’s Minerva Prologue shifted the format to a knockout-style super enduro battle.
Dust hung heavy in the air, making starts critical. Track position was everything.
Billy Bolt delivered when it mattered most, taking the win in the final and securing the best possible starting position for Sunday’s main race .
Afterwards, he kept it simple: “I knew it was dusty, so the start was important. I made a few tweaks each race and managed it from there.”
Behind him, the field stacked up tightly. The margins were small, but the implications were massive.
Day 3: When the Race Turned
Sunday started exactly how everyone expected. Hot and Dry.
National riders rolled out early, tackling the course from 09:00, while the championship field prepared for their 14:00 start. By midday, the paddock had shifted. The calm of the previous days was gone. We sensed some nerves which replaced it.
When the flag dropped, the format delivered one of the most iconic starts in motorsport. Riders lined up in rows of ten, sprinting to their bikes before charging into a course that combined super enduro sections with brutal natural terrain.
After lap one, Billy Bolt led. Lettenbichler was right behind. Kabakchiev, Young, and the Brightmore brothers were all in the mix.
It was building into a classic. Then everything changed.
The Moment That Defined the Weekend
Midway through lap two, the weather turned. Without warning, torrential rain hit the course. Dust became mud, some lines disappeared and a few sections flooded. The race transformed instantly.
For safety reasons, the Clerk of the Course made the call to introduce a deviation on the final lap. A necessary decision, but one that created confusion in real time as riders approached the final sections under completely different conditions.
At the finish, the order on the road did not reflect what had unfolded across the race.
Following a formal protest and review by the FIM Jury, including video evidence, the final classification was determined based on Checkpoint 8 of lap two.
The official result:
1st: Manuel Lettenbichler
2nd: Billy Bolt
3rd: Teodor Kabakchiev
More Than Just a Result
What happened on Sunday will be talked about among the community of Hard Enduro.
But Alestrem was more than just a race result. It was a showcase. A showcase about the depth of the field. A showcase about the unpredictability of hard enduro. And a showcase about the direction of the championship.
From the introduction of the Women’s, Youth, and Senior World Cups, to the inclusion of electric motorcycles competing alongside the main field, this weekend showed a sport that is evolving.
That even when things don’t go perfectly, the foundation is strong, and we continue to build on it.
Looking Forward
There were challenges. There were lessons.
But that is part of building a world championship. What matters is how those lessons are used.
The atmosphere throughout the weekend remained electric. Fans stayed until the very end, lining the final climbs despite the rain, creating a backdrop that reminded everyone why this sport is so special.
The Alestrem organising committee delivered an exceptional event under incredibly difficult conditions.
And as a championship, we move forward. More aligned on what it takes to build something sustainable at the highest level.
Final Result
See the Full Results >>HERE<<
