The 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship reaches its penultimate round this weekend in Calgary, Canada with a new race to the championship, the Red Bull Outliers – home boy Trystan Hart looking to back-up his TKO win.

Just two weeks down the line from the Tennessee Knockout, round seven of the Hard Enduro World Champion has shipped up across North America for a maiden trip to Canada and the Red Bull Outliers.

A new round for the series means new ground, and a fresh race format, for the 2022 HEWC regulars but they will again have a serious rival in this nation’s extreme enduro talisman Trystan Hart.

It’s hard not to place the Canadian as favourite for the win this weekend after the FMF KTM North America-backed rider went from third place at the Erzbergrodeo to winning TKO. This weekend is his chance to fire a final warming shot as he aims towards a full-time ride in the world championship next season.

It’s all about the terrain

If one thing is going to stand out this weekend it will be the location. The barren “Badlands” tarreain is vast and filled with steep climbs, technical descents, and sand will be a major feature as the laps tick by.

Check the video preview:

The two-day race format begins on Saturday, August 27 with an urban prologue in downtown Calgary, before heading to the Badlands just outside the city for a mass-start, multi-lap hard enduro.

After the many different races during the season, the Outliers is another twist in the HEWC race series format. The single day and mass-start race is nothing new to series (and WESS previously) having featured in Poland previously. But it is a new challenge in 2022 and looks likely to favour riders who are faster on the ground more than the technical experts.

The Outliers lacks a few of the big name riders still with Billy Bolt and Jonny Walker both rout and recovering from surgery. Alfredo Gomez will not race this weekend either having broken his hand in a training accident this week.

The list of walking wounded in Canada also includes Manuel Lettenbichler who injured his foot in the TKO street prologue in Nashville. Mani and Mario Roman remain at the top of the title chase and this weekend could be pivotal in the points depending on how each scores comes Sunday night.

2022 HEWC Championship standings (after Rnd6):

1. Mario Roman (Sherco) 88pts

2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 87pts

3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 69pts

4. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 63pts

5. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 62pts

6. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 57pts

7. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 49pts

8. David Cyprian (KTM) 47pts

9. Wade Young (Sherco) 46pts

10. Dominik Olszowy (GASGAS) 37pts

Photo Credit: Future7Media