to earn a front-row starting posi-
tion 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, joined
by Kabakchiev and Will Hoare.
Mistakes by Lettenbichler and
Walker allowed Hoare and
Kabakchiev to briefly take over
at the front of the pack. Letten
-
bichler regained the lead again
and had Kabakchiev on his heels
until the Sherco rider didn't make
it up a climb before the notori-
ous 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 Din
-
ner 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 a gap in the battle for
third. Roman was the rider that
moved up the most in the sec
-
ond 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 10th 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."
CN
OVERALL
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 (GG) 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
VOLUME ISSUE JUNE , P31
Mario Roman made a late-
race charge to finish third at
the 2024 Erzbergrodeo Hard
Enduro, the Spanish rider's
second Erzberg podium.
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.
