VOLUME 56 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 17, 2019 P123
I
t started out as a great year for Colton Haaker. The
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna racer was defending his
FIM SuperEnduro World Championshipin Europe,
which came down to the last race of the final round in
Bilbao, Spain with his archrival, Cody Webb, also in a
position to nab the title. But in the last race of the night,
where Haaker had to finish fourth or better to claim the
championship, his race suddenly unraveled in the final
laps. Webb ran off with the lead as Colton slipped back
in the field to fifth, and after Webb took the checkers
and saw Haaker was still struggling on the track, he be-
gan celebrating what he thought was his world cham-
pionship. But thanks to Haaker's Husqvarna teammate
Alfredo Gomez, who pulled to the side in the last turn
allowing Haaker to pass, the defending champion was
able to regain enough ground to clinch the title.
Haaker was crowned, and Webb was incensed.
The video footage of the last lap went viral and
spurred a social media outcry that went on for weeks,
accusing Haaker of team tactics. The backlash ef-
fectively upended Haaker's engagement with fans,
and saw the once outgoing and uninhibited athlete
withdraw from his social feeds and stop producing his
famous vlogs.
Haaker stayed quiet about the incident and carried
on with his season, but more drama was ahead, this
time with the demise (albeit temporary) of the AMA
EnduroCross Series.
SUCCESS
BY JEAN TURNER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES &
AMA ENDUROCROSS/JACK JACKSON
The 2019
season was full
of unexpected
highs and lows
for three-time
national and
three-time
world champion
Colton Haaker.
