Cycle News Staff | June 2, 2024
Red Bull KTM’s Mani Lettenbichler topped the 2024 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo results. It took the German Red Bull KTM rider two hours and 47 minutes to complete the course and it was his third consecutive win at the most well known Hard Enduro in the world. Lettenbichler also extended his FIM Hard Enduro World Championship win streak to ten races.
Mani Lettenbichler won the 2024 Erzbergrodeo Hard Enduro, his third Erzberg win in a row. Teo Kabakchiev put up a good fight early but lost touch.
Canada’s Trystan Hart finished second on his FMF KTM Factory Racing team ride in a time of three hours and 7 minutes. This was Hart’s third consecutive year on the podium and his best finish yet to go along with third place finishes in 2022 and 2023.
Trystan Hart crashed in the first turn but managed to come back to finish second, his best finish yet at the Erzbergrodeo. This was the third podium finish in a row for Hart.
Spain’s Mario Roman rounded out the podium on his Sherco in a time of three hours and 21 minutes.
The UK’s Graham Jarvis battled head-to-head with Roman for the final podium spot but ultimately had to settle for fourth place, just under two minutes behind Roman. Still remarkable for a rider that is now 49 years old.
Mario Roman (left) put in a late race charge to finish third at the 2024 Erzbergrodeo Hard Enduro. At this point he was helping Graham Jarvis who helped him in return before they resumed the battle for the final podium spot.
South African Wade Young rounded out the top five riding a GasGas with a time of three hours and 39 minutes.
Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev finished sixth on a Sherco, less than a minute behind Young. The UK’s Jonny Walker finished seventh on a Beta in a time of three hours and 40 minutes, just one second behind Kabakchiev. The UK’s Mitch Brightmore finished eight on a Husqvarna in a time of three hours and 48 minutes and South African Matthew Green was the final finisher within the four-hour time limit in ninth place on a KTM.
Teodor Kabakchiev (left) put up a good fight with Mani Lettenbichler early in the race but dropped back to sixth at the finish.
Top American rider Cody Webb 27th in the prolog to earn a front row starting position in the Sunday final despite a crash. Unfortunately, Webb injured his leg in that crash and was unable to compete in the Sunday final.
Heavy rain during the two days leading into the Sunday final created more challenging conditions but also reduced the dust for the start.
Chris Gunderman took the early lead but Lettenbichler took over the point position on the first difficult climb and appeared to be well on his way to victory. Hart went down in the first turn and several riders ran over his bike, which left him in about 50th position among the five hundred riders that qualified for the Sunday final.
Three-time winner Jonny Walker settled into second place early in the race and was joined by Kabakchiev and Will Hoare. Mistakes by Lettenbichler and Walker allowed Hoare and Kabakchiev to take over at the front of the pack for a short time. Lettenbichler regained the lead again and had Kabakchiev on his heels until the Sherco rider didn’t make it up a climb before the notorious Carl’s Dinner section.
Lettenbichler opened a gap on Kabakchiev in the Carl’s Dinner section and Hart put on a big charge to work his way into third position. Hart managed to work his way into second position before the end of the Carl’s Dinner section but was six minutes behind the leader.
From that point on, which was about one hour into the race, Lettehbichler slowly stretched his lead over Hart, who also opened up a gap on the battle for third. Roman was the rider that moved up the most in the second half of the race to eventually work his way into third place with late passes on Jarvis and Young.
“I’m tired, I am really, really tired,” Lettenbicher said at the finish. “Stoked to have another win, third in a row and tenth Hard Enduro win in a row. Next year, I will be trying to go for my fourth in a row but the boys are coming for me so it won’t be easy.”
2024 Erzbergrodeo Hard Enduro Results
| 1. |
Manuel Lettenbichler |
(KTM) |
02:47:23 |
| 2. |
Trystan Hart |
(KTM) |
03:07:40 |
| 3. |
Mario Roman |
(She) |
03:21:47 |
| 4. |
Graham Jarvis |
(Hus) |
03:23:39 |
| 5. |
Wade Young |
(Gas) |
03:39:48 |
| 6. |
Teodor Kabakchiev |
(She) |
03:40:27 |
| 7. |
Jonny Walker |
(Bet) |
03:40:28 |
| 8. |
Mitch Brightmore |
(Hus) |
03:48:32 |
| 9. |
Matthew Green |
(KTM) |
03:56:31 |
Click here for detailed results for the 2024 Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo.
You can watch the event on Red Bull TV. https://www.redbull.com/us-en/live/fim-hard-enduro-world-championship-2024-red-bull-erzbergrodeo
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