Hixpania Hard Enduro results: Lettenbichler wins to claim 2022 World Championship
Results from the 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro where Mani Lettenbichler and Mario Roman put on a masterful display for the final FIM Hard Enduro World Championship race of 2022 with the Red Bull KTM rider claiming the series crown with his sixth victory of the season.
Acerbis Lost Roads race, Hixpania day three in a nutshell:
- If there was any doubt about the fastest rider in the 2022 Hard Enduro World Championship then let day three at the final round title decider, Hixpania Hard Enduro, stand as evidence.
- Without Billy Bolt like last year, Letti had Mario Roman as championship rival and though he could have settled for an easier ride, following Roman to clock the safe points, Lettenbichler has been gunning to be first in every timed session, well, all year at every race.
- They say it is the race that counts but Mani put himself in the best position through qualifying and led from the start, setting a blistering first lap to establish a gap no-one would close down.
- Mario Roman had his work cut out starting in ninth but dusted off all but Alfredo Gomez and Trystan Hart to chase down Lettenbichler on lap one. With the crowd on his back the gap dropped to two minutes during the 10 lap, 2.5 hour race but it never dropped below that as Mani and Mario ran clear of everyone.
- When 2hr 30m race time ticked by, the gateway to the impressive and brutal final quarry opened up and Lettenbichler made sure of it, topping out over four minutes clear of Roman for the win.
- Roman had the crowd cheering him over line and despite a few more bike issues during the race, brought it home in P2 for second in the world championship. Both riders paid respect to each other at the finish but there can be only one winner and the best man for the sixth win of the season was Lettenbichler.
- Alfredo Gomez got the better of Hart early in the race to bring it home for yet another podium at Hixpania. After missing two rounds, and running his own team this year, the Spaniard has taken some scalps for fourth place overall.
- The biggest duel all day actually came from the fight for fourth place as Graham Jarvis closed down Trystan Hart during the last laps. Graham was ahead as they arrived in the quarry but the Canadian hounded right at the finish and grabbed fourth back from Graham on the second last climb.
- Jarvis secures his third place in the HEWC standings and the old guy assures us he’s back for more next season.
- The Junior class was won as expected by Matty Green who finished P9 today after an impressive season which has seen him mixing it with the factory riders. His nearest rival was Suff Sella who bounced up to P8 and secured second overall ahead of Mitch Brightmore, third overall.
- Taddy Blazusiak was looking good for a top six result when he crashed, injuring his wrist in the process – exactly what he said he didn’t want to do with EnduroCross and SuperEnduro titles to fight for.
* Apologies for the quality and delay with these results. Seems the Medieval theme extends to the results system...
Acerbis Lost Roads, Hixpania race day 3 results:
Final HEWC classification:
Final Junior World Cup classification:
Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi + Nicki Martinez