The Sofia Arena in the Bulgarian capital hosts the penultimate round of the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship this weekend offering Jonny Walker a chance to take a win away from all-conquering Billy Bolt.

If the track and the racing this weekend in Sofia is anything like the last round in Budapest (see below), then we’re in for a treat. A flowing layout in Hungary produced great racing and mixed results across the classes, although the results in the end were no different: Billy Bolt won Prestige, Ash Brightmore the Juniors and Xavi Leon Sole added the ’24 European title to his trophy cabinet.

Read our interiew with Xavi here: 5 minutes...Xavi León, European SuperEnduro champion – the 40-year-old “grandpa” beating the 20-somethings

With two rounds remaining in the 2024 Prestige and Junior world championships, nothing is over yet but you’d have to be daft to not think the Bolt freight train is rolling on towards another title. And is Ashton looking like the favourite to follow in his brother’s footsteps in the J-class?

The solution is for Jonny Walker can take a win away from Bolt and at least stall that freight train. Not because Enduro21 holds any bias for any rider, hell, Billy gets all the praise he deserves on these pages, but because we want the indoor season to conclude in fitting style at the final round in Newcastle next weekend.

How good was the racing in Budapest?

 

It's not looking likely though, is it? Despite sustaining a torn knee ligament in the third GP of the season, an injury which has kept him from training anything like normal, Billy has won every round and dropped just three moto wins all season.

With the injury recovering through rest Bill won’t do anything like take it easy, despite his 33-point advantage which means he could cruise to the world title from here.

Best case scenario for us all though is for Jonny to take a majority points haul and set things up nicely for the final round in Bolt’s home town next weekend, March 2.

With a 65-point advantage over third-placed Manuel Lettenbichler in the championship means you’ve got nothing to lose, right Jonny?

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Eyes on the fight for third

Lettenbichler meanwhile has company for that third spot and this is where the heat of the action will be as the series concludes. Will Hoare is still settling into his new factory Rieju ride after starting the series really strongly and after inconsistent results, now sits 22 behind the Hard Enduro World Champion. A little more distant in the points, Dominik Olszowy and Mitch Brightmore are also still in the fight.

If either one of that quartet hits the consistency button in the three races this weekend, beat the others and ideally grab onto Bolt or Walker’s tail pipe, it will set things up at the final round in Newcastle next weekend.

Championship points after round 5:

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Ash and Suff to settle scores

Championship points are what Junior World Championship protagonists Ash Brightmore and Suff Sella need this weekend as their season-long battle heads towards its conclusion. 10 points separate the British and Israeli rider, 272 to 262 respectively with Roland Liska third on 190.

Things looked to be swinging in Brightmore’s favour at round five but, despite admittedly not being as on the money on the more technical tracks, Sella still pulled a moto win and a solid points haul. This one is not over yet.

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Photo Credit: Future7Media | Nicki Martinez + Andrea Belluschi