After an intense day of racing featuring three action-packed KO races, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler was crowned Red Bull TKO Champion at round five of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Tennessee, USA. Mani topped the timesheets in the third and final race, ahead of Trystan Hart in second and Wade Young in third, extending his lead in the overall championship to nine points.
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Mani Lettenbichler takes his fourth victory in 2024 at the Red Bull TKO
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FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart secures a solid second place
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Lettenbichler maintains control of the FIM HEWC points lead
Kicking off racing on Sunday morning, Knockout Race #1 saw riders tackle the long course at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie for the first time, with the top 30 riders moving on to Knockout Race #2. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mani Lettenbichler made his intentions clear from the start, taking the opening race win and securing his place in Knockout Race #2. Sherco Factory Racing’s Teodor Kabakchiev didn’t make it easy for the reigning World Champion, however, and battled for the win throughout the race, ultimately finishing just four-hundredths of a second behind Lettenbichler. Third was FMF KTM Factory Racing’s 2022 Red Bull TKO winner Trystan Hart, who was able to use his experience to his advantage.
In Knockout Race #2, limited to the 30 fastest riders, competitors took to the long course for the second time on Sunday in five groups of five or six, with the top four from each group moving on to the third and final Knockout Race. It was Bulgarian Teodor Kabakchiev who set the fastest time both overall and in his group, followed by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder LeBlond in second place. Despite being the fastest in his group, Mani Lettenbichler had to settle for third overall in Knockout Race #2, knowing that the third and final race was the most important.
The final KO race featured plenty of exciting competition, with the fastest 20 riders tackling the short professional course in a 35-minute plus one lap final. Trystan Hart, with the 2024 Red Bull TKO crown on the line, led from the start and had every intention of adding another TKO win to his collection. Teammate Mani Lettenbichler, however, had other plans. He took the lead on lap two and held it until a costly mistake on a hill climb with just two laps to go allowed the Canadian to overtake him. The pair battled wheel-to-wheel until Mani regained the lead on the final lap and was able to open up a five-second gap over his teammate to take the win in Tennessee.
Third overall was Red Bull Leader Tread’s Wade Young, who finished just over a minute behind the leading duo. As the second fastest HEWC rider, the South African picked up 17 valuable championship points. Teodor Kabakchiev finished fourth overall in Knockout Race #3, completing the HEWC podium in third place. Young Brit Ashton Brightmore put in an excellent performance throughout the weekend, taking fifth place overall with a superb performance.
Mani has taken four wins from five starts in 2024 after missing the third round due to injury. This means Mani has extended his lead in the championship to nine points ahead of second-placed Wade Young. The battle for third place is just as exciting, with only two points separating Mario Roman and Teodor Kabakchiev, who are in third and fourth place respectively. With two rounds still to go, everything is still wide open in the 2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.
The 2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will continue with the sixth round from October 10-12 in Turkey for Sea to Sky.
Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM): “I had a great battle with Trystan today, he rode incredibly well! I struggled a bit as I was sick last week, so sometimes I found it hard to pick up the pace and maintain the super high intensity required for this race. It wasn’t easy, especially because I’m not used to this heat, but we managed it. I was smart about choosing some fast lines, which saved me some energy, and I made some good overtaking moves. I’m thrilled to have won here for the second time.
Trystan Hart (KTM): “Today the race win was my goal, but Mani is such a great rider that to beat him you have to be on point at all times. I was just a little slower than usual today and had problems with arm pump at the beginning of the day, which didn’t help. In the last race everything was almost perfect. I got the holeshot, passed Mani several times, but unfortunately I was the last of the two of us to make a mistake on the hill, which allowed him to just get past. Next year I will be back for my fourth TKO win!”
Wade Young (GASGAS): “This race was so much fun, it was super intense as always but I paced it well and found a good rhythm. I made a few mistakes at the beginning but once I got going and started catching people it really motivated me. It’s my second podium here and I always enjoy coming here. A big thank you to GASGAS USA for the support out here!”
Preliminary results: FIM HEWC, round five, Red Bull TKO
Last knockout race
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 47:53.39
2. Trystan Hart (KTM) 47:58.52
3. Wade Young (GASGAS) 49:21.45
4. Teodor Kabakchiev (Sherco) 50:17,17
5. Ashton Brightmore (Husqvarna) 50:51.07
Provisional championship standings (after the fifth round)
FIM HEWC
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 90 points
2. Wade Young (GASGAS) 81 points
3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 74 points
4. Teodor Kabakchiev (Sherco) 72 points
5. Mitch Brightmore (Husqvarna) 60 points
