Riordan Wins Snake Bite Hard Enduro
T
he inaugural Snake Bite
Hard Enduro ran its course
in Post, Texas, April 1-2. It was
round four of the AMA West
Hard Enduro Series, Presented
by Beta, and it was Will Riordan,
on the FMF RPM KTM, taking the
overall win.
This was the first hard enduro
race promoted by the Lubbock
Trail Riders, and it utilized un
-
touched sections of this 14,000-
acre ranch that has hosted the
NHHA and NEPG in past years.
The format consisted of a long
25+ mile loop on faster, techni-
cal single track, which led into
a shorter four-mile hard enduro
section known as Nine Hills,
that traversed up and down
steep and rocky hills near the
campgrounds. After the riders
completed one full lap, they then
had to complete four more laps
around Nine Hills in the four-hour
time limit. This newer format
allowed for the amateurs to
spread out on the single track
that the Lubbock Trail Riders
commonly use, while the pros
battled it out on the shorter hard
enduro loop with multiple laps.
Starting in waves by class, it
was Danny Lewis (Beta USA) who
took the holeshot and led through
the first couple of miles. Riordan
was close behind and eventually
pulled ahead of Lewis, gapping
the field by a few minutes when
they entered Nine Hills.
Cody Webb (Factory1 Sherco)
had a rough start. His chain de
-
railed within a few minutes on the
first rocky hill. He pushed his bike
back to the pit, made some quick
repairs, and went back out nearly
last. But he still managed to pass
his way through the majority of
the field on the long loop.
Rockstar Husqvarna's Colton
Haaker was pushing with the
lead pack in third, with team
-
mate Ryder LeBlond, and Danny
Lewis not far behind. Haaker
took a rock to the eye early in the
race and was riding with that eye
closed nearly the entire race.
Riordan's three-minute lead
after lap one over LeBlond and
Haaker dwindled to about 30
seconds on lap two, making for
a tight battle for the top spots
through the very rocky and loose
WIND
IN THE
P52
Will Riordan was the
overall winner at the Snake
Bite Hard Enduro in Texas.
PHOTOS: ANDREW NGUYEN/
WINPIC PHOTOGRAPHY
