ENDURO & OFF-ROAD RACING COVERAGE
RACING NEWS
Wade Young Leads The Way At Xross Hard Enduro Rally With Offroad Day One Win
Red Bull Leader Tread’s Wade Young has taken control of the race lead at round three of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship by winning Offroad Day One at Xross Hard Enduro Rally.
Riders begin the first of three tough Offroad Days in Serbia
Wade Young rides to victory on Offroad Day One
Fight for podium placings remains tight
W2RC Desafío Ruta 40 YPF INFINIA Stage 4 - SCHAREINA NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT
Ricky Brabec and Tosha Schareina have been locked in a battle of seconds since the start of the rally! On Sunday, the Spaniard won the prologue by 2 seconds over the American, who hit back the very next day, taking stage 1 by just under a second. That was also the gap separating them today at the km 370 time check, the last before the finish. The rider from Valencia eventually won by 7 seconds over the Californian, who retained the overall rally lead. Brabec will start the final special with an advantage of 1′27″ over Schareina and 4′28″over Adrien Van Beveren, third on the day and overall.
W2RC Desafío Ruta 40 YPF INFINIA Stage 3 - BRABEC Calls the Shots
Pablo Eli, the mastermind behind the route of the rally, had warned that stage 3 would be an absolute nightmare for navigation. Adrien Van Beveren, who started first after his win yesterday, paid the price, as did the Hero riders Ross Branch and Sebastian Bühler, who lost precious minutes searching for their bearings. The sixth man on the road, Ricky Brabec, avoided any errors.
W2RC Desafío Ruta 40 YPF INFINIA Stage 2 - Van Beveren On the Double
Back in the day, he had his heart set on bagging the Dakar in Argentina (see "Did you know"), but fate had other plans. He continues to chase his dream in the Saudi desert, but he still aspires to win a rally in South America. He was the first leader of the 2023 Desafío Ruta 40 before finishing just outside the W2RC podium. This time round, Adrien Van Beveren is playing it canny. After finishing fourth in the prologue and third in stage 1, today he turned on the afterburners on the road to San Juan. The Honda rider claimed the longest special of the event (423 km) ahead of his teammate Skyler Howes (+27″), the Hero of Sebastian Bühler (+1′09″) and the CRFs of Tosha Schareina (+1′39″) and Ricky Brabec (+3′42″). He also vaulted to the top of the leader board by 10 seconds over Schareina and 2′14″ over Brabec. The American triumphed in the Dakar and the Spaniard in Portugal, but the Frenchman has yet to taste victory this season. Honda are hogging the provisional podium, but Bühler and his Hero remain well within striking distance in fourth place, 2′34″ down.
W2RC Desafío Ruta 40 YPF INFINIA Stage 1
Slippery ground and a succession of bewildering corners —that was the W2RC convoy's introduction to the region in stage 1, a loop around Córdoba. Among the Rally GP motorbikes, Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy Honda) came 1 second short of his teammate Ricky Brabec. The Spaniard clung to a slender overall lead over the American and his Honda stablemate Adrien Van Beveren. Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing) wrested the Rally 2 lead back from Romain Dumontier (Team Honda). John Medina (Xraids Experience) leads in Rally 3.
Weekly Round-Up | 2024-06-03
This week was one of the highlights on the Enduro world’s calendar - Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. This is the classic Hard Enduro race, and for North American (and global) fans there were really only two big questions. First, like in any Hard Enduro round, could anyone find a way to beat German superstar Manuel Lettenbichler and, second, how would Trystan Hart and Cody Webb (FactoryOne Sherco) fare in one of their only European appearances this season?
Over in North America the focus was on Round 8 of the GNCC series in Pennsylvania where Steward Baylor Jr. (Rock Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki) needed a win to keep in reach of FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir for the series overall.
Girroir Makes Last Mile Pass to win Mason-Dixon GNCC
The Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship concluded its eighth round of racing, Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC, on Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. Brief rain showers in the morning created some slick conditions for the first half of the day, but partly cloudy conditions made for some great afternoon battles throughout XC1 Open Pro and 250 Pro Sport classes.
The big story coming into this round was in the XC1 class, where second-place overall Steward Baylor Jr. really needed to finish ahead of overall leader Johnny Girroir, preferably with a win in order to secure the maximum five point differential. Baylor did everything he could, managing to stay ahead of Girroir before taking the race lead on the white flag lap. Girroir managed to ramp up the pressure, though, catching Baylor in the final mile before beating him to the win by under a second. Girroir now holds a 34 point lead over Baylor with five rounds left in the series. Barring a major mishap, Girroir has taken a stranglehold on the overall that will be nearly impossible to break.
Manuel Lettenbichler Dominates Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler put on a masterclass at round two of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship to take victory at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. The German was sensational at Austria’s Iron Giant, claiming a comfortable win over FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart and Sherco Factory Racing’s Mario Roman. TTR Squadra Corse’s Mitch Brightmore won the FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM category.
Manuel Lettenbichler takes the win at FIM HEWC round two
Canadian Trystan Hart claims P2 after recovering from a first corner crash that dropped him to 50th place
Mitch Brightmore is best of the Junior class riders
Girroir Takes 5th Overall Win, Richards Top in Women’s Pro
Johnny Girroir has won eight-straight sprint enduro day rounds, accounting for four overall victories: some of them dominating and some of them nail-biters. Saturday’s US Sprint Enduro at High Voltage Raceway was of the nail-biter variety, thanks to Am Pro Yamaha’s Liam Draper. However, Sunday’s more technical event saw Girroir hammer the competition to easily amass his fifth overall victory of the series.
Weekly Round-Up | 2024-05-28
t was a huge week for enduro and off-road racing in North America, and we got to see some fantastic racing in the US Hard Enduro Series, FMSQ, USSE, NGPC, and more. Trystan Hart (FMF KTM Factory Racing) and Cody Webb (FactoryOne Sherco) battled hard at the Keystone Challenge in what will likely be one of the toughest hard enduro weekends you’ll ever see.
Alex Gougeon (Husqvarna Canada / MVM Motosport) opened up his FMSQ title defence with a dominant win in La Touque, Quebec, with Véronique Pellerin-Chainé (Sherco Canada / Fox Racing Canada / FC Suspension) taking the Pro Women win. Over in the US Sprint Enduro Series it was Johnny Girroir (FMF KTM Factory Racing), Gus Riordan (FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers), and Brandy Richards (FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers) winning the Pro1, Pro2, and Pro Women.
Out in the west Dante Oliviera (FMF KTM Factory Racing) and Mikayla Nielsen (SLR Honda / Monster Energy / Fly Racing) were your overall winners at NGPC Round 5. Jason Schrage (Honda Canada / Fox Racing Canada / Riders Edge) and Shelby Turner (Enduro Engineering / GasGas / FXR Moto) took the wins at Round 1 of the Western Canadian Off-road Championship. Let’s get into it a little bit!
Trystan Hart and Shelby Turner Win Round 2 of Canada’s Premier Sprint Enduro Series
Round 2 of the 2024 SOR Enduro Series went off this weekend at the foot of the Canadian Rockies, and it was Hard Enduro superstar Trystan Hart (FMF KTM Factory Racing) and Canadian Off-Road queen Shelby Turner (Enduro Engineering / GasGas / FXR Moto) who took the wins on a day that featured wild weather extremes at what is arguably one of the most beautiful sprint enduro venues in the world.
Hart took the win out over a tough Pro Men field that included P2 finisher and current Canadian ISDE World Trophy Team member Owen McKill (GasGas Canada / Riders Edge / TLD Canada), along with previous ISDE World Trophy members Phillipe Chainé (KTM Canada / Fly Racing Canada) in P3 and Jared Stock (KTM Canada / Leatt / SOR Enduro) in P4. Kale Cuthbertson (BFD Moto / Husqvarna Canada / Rad2.0) rounded out the top 5. Chainé retains the overall series lead ahead of Stock and Cuthbertson.
Canadian World Trophy Team rider Shelby Turner made the trip back to Alberta during a break in her GNCC campaign to take her second win in two starts over her ISDE teammate Lexi Pechout (BFD Moto / Husqvarna Canada / Fox Racing Canada) and Destiny Slingerland (HC Forest Products / EnduroTek / Team Mountains Edge). Former ISDE team member Kristen Broderick (Cycle Works Calgary / KTM Canada / Fox Racing Canada) and Harley Lawson (BFRMotoCrew / Fox Racing Canada) rounded out the top 5 in P4 and P5, respectively.
Weekly Round-Up #2 - 2024-05-21
With the kick-off of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship this past weekend in Wales we’re fully into the swing of the 2024 season! It was a big weekend of racing with the start of the FIM HEWC, EnduroGP Round 3 in Romania, and GNCC Round 7 in Ohio all going off. Let’s dive in and take a look at what went down!
Weekly Round-Up #1 - 2024-05-13
With the kick-off of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship this past weekend in Wales we’re fully into the swing of the 2024 season! It was a big weekend of racing with the start of the FIM HEWC, EnduroGP Round 3 in Romania, and GNCC Round 7 in Ohio all going off. Let’s dive in and take a look at what went down!
Andrea Verona Takes Day 1 EnduroGp Win at GP Romania
The opening day of racing at round three of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Romania saw GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona claim the win. Fighting hard all day, Verona held firm to secure his first EnduroGP class victory of the season. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia took second, with Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe third.
There was also a season-first victory in the GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship with Max Ahlin (KTM) taking the win on day one in Bacau.
Super tight racing on day one at GP of Romania
Andrea Verona tops EnduroGP
Max Ahlin claims Enduro Junior win
Manuel Lettenbichler Takes Win at FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Wales
The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler take a commanding win at the Valleys Hard Enduro. Sherco Factory Racing’s duo of Teodor Kabakchiev and Mario Roman completed the podium in second and third. The FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM saw TTR Squadra Corse’s Mitch Brightmore start his title defence off with a victory in Wales.
2024 NEGP Red Line Oil Black Buffalo Race Recap
Heavy fog, torrential rain and rocky terrain greeted riders at The Red Line Oil Black Buffalo, round three of the National Enduro Promotions Group (NEPG) series. The event took place near Kingston, Arkansas at the Wilderness Rider Buffalo Ranch.
GNCC Round 6 Race Recap - The Hoosier
The AMSOIL Hoosier, Round six of the 2024 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship went off on Sunday at the famed Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
The approximately 10 mile course was in great shape by the midway point of the morning Womens’ Pro (WXC) race, following heavy rain showers Friday night, through the day on Saturday, and again on Saturday night. Strong winds and large fields throughout the day turned the vast majority of the track into a grippy and physically demanding beast.
Steward Baylor Jr. (Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki) took home his second consecutive win, coming from behind to beat series leader Johnny Girroir (FMF KTM Factory Racing) and Craig DeLong (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) to the line. Girroir would be relegated to P3 behind DeLong after pitting outside of the designated Pro pits, however.
Rachael Archer (Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki) also took her second consecutive win of the series, ahead of Shelby Turner (Enduro Engineering GasGas) and Rachel Gutish (Sherco USA) in what was a very eventful WXC race that saw both Korie Steede (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) and Brandy Richards (FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers) finishing off the podium.
Gus Riordan (FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers) was on the top step of the podium in XC2 for his third win of the season, finishing in front of teammate Grant Davis and Liam Draper (AmPro Yamaha).
Phil Chainé and Shelby Turner take Round 1 of Canada’s Premier Sprint Enduro Series
Stacked Pro Fields highlight the First Round of Canada’s Premier Sprint Enduro Series.
The 2024 SOR Enduro Series got underway in Brooks, AB, this weekend in a race that saw some of Canada’s top Pro riders battling to the finish with Phil Chainé (KTM Canada) and Shelby Turner (Enduro Engineering/GasGas/FXR) bringing home the checkers. Round 1 of the series also highlighted emerging Canadian sprint enduro talent on both the men’s and women’s sides and showed a bright future for the discipline in Canada.
Round 1 of the series honoured the memory of Jason Slingerland. Jason was a talented young Albertan off-road and motocross athlete who passed away last fall after a tragic accident at the Wild Rose MX Fall Super Series in Calgary. Jason, along with his family, was a mainstay at races and is missed terribly by the moto community.
GNCC Round 5 Race Recap
The 2024 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, continued yesterday, April 14, with the inaugural Dunlop Motorcycle Tires Old Gray GNCC event. Racers and fans from across the world converged in Monterey, Tennessee to witness Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor claim his first win of the 2024 season. Baylor’s teammate Rachael Archer took home the WXC win to solidify her overall lead in the series.
Holcombe Edges Out Verona For Day Two Victory in Valpacos
Day two at round two of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship delivered an incredible battle for victory with Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe taking the win. Going head-to-head with GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona, Holcombe secured the top step of the EnduroGP podium by just one second. Day one winner Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia was third.