Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler has opened his 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship campaign in winning style, taking victory at a demanding Alestrem in France. After a weekend of consistently strong performances, the reigning world champion secured the opening win of the season and crucial early championship points as he begins his chase for a fifth consecutive title.

Lettenbichler kicked off the weekend on a positive note by setting the fastest time in Friday’s Xtrem Test to claim maximum points and take an early advantage in the standings. On Saturday, the German continued to show strong pace in the Minerva Prologue, comfortably winning his heat to progress through to the final. Ultimately placing sixth in the final classification, Mani secured a solid start position for Sunday’s main event.

In the Alestrem main event, Lettenbichler immediately established himself at the front of the field, moving into second place on lap one before taking control of the race on lap two. Settling into a strong rhythm, the German looked in command at the head of the field as he built a gap at the front. However, with conditions deteriorating rapidly following torrential rain, the race was shortened by one lap. Despite the challenging and unpredictable terrain in the closing stages, Mani managed the situation effectively to bring his KTM 300 EXC home in first place, securing a hard-fought opening victory of the season.

Following round one, Lettenbichler lies second in the championship standings, just one point behind first place in a tightly contested start to the season. The series now heads to Portugal for round two, Extreme Lagares, on May 1–3, where Mani will look to carry his early momentum forward.

Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt delivered a strong and calculated performance at round one of the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, finishing second overall at Alestrem Hard Enduro in France. After a dramatic and weather-affected main event that saw the race shortened by one lap, Bolt’s consistent results across the weekend ensure he leaves the opening round leading the championship standings by a single point.

The weekend began with Friday’s Xtrem Test, where riders completed two timed laps with the fastest counting towards the result. Bolt immediately showed competitive pace, finishing second overall, just one quarter of a second shy of the top spot. Carrying that momentum into Saturday’s Minerva Prologue, the British rider dominated proceedings, winning his heat, semi-final, and final. In control throughout, Billy crossed the line five seconds clear of his closest rival in the final, securing the best start position for Sunday’s main event.

The Alestrem Hard Enduro main event proved to be a demanding and unpredictable contest. Bolt made a strong start and led early on lap one, before struggling with his pace through the opening stages. As heavy rain hit midway through the race, conditions rapidly deteriorated, transforming the course into a far more technical and slippery challenge. Adapting well to the changing conditions, Billy pushed hard to regain ground and rejoin the battle at the front. However, with the race ultimately shortened by one lap due to the worsening conditions and time constraints, he crossed the line in second place after a closely fought contest.

Despite narrowly missing out on the win, Bolt’s prologue victory combined with his runner-up main event finish sees him leave France at the top of the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings, holding a one-point lead after round one.

Billy Bolt: “It was a pretty chaotic race and not an easy one to manage. I didn’t feel completely comfortable with the pace on the first lap, and Mani was riding really well, so I had to work hard to stay in the fight. Once the rain came, it changed everything. It made the track a lot more technical and slippery, which suited me better and allowed me to focus on riding clean and finding a good rhythm. On the final lap, I was pushing to get back to the front and felt like there was still more to come, but with the race being shortened, that opportunity was taken away a bit. Still, second place and the prologue win means we leave here leading the championship, which is a solid way to start the season. The atmosphere was incredible all weekend. The fans in France were amazing, and you could feel the energy the whole way around the course. It’s been a tough race, but a good one to build from heading into the next round.”

Manuel Lettenbichler: “It’s a great way to start the season with the win at Alestrem. It was a really tough weekend with a lot of different conditions, and everything kept changing, especially in the main race after the rain came in. I felt good from the start and was able to control the race early on, but once the conditions got worse it became really tricky and you had to stay focused every single meter. In the end, I’m happy with how I managed everything, and it’s always nice to leave the first round with the win and good points for the championship. It’s just the beginning, but this is exactly the kind of start we wanted.”

Provisional Results – 2026 Alestrem

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 3:40:50

2. Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 3:41:38 +0:48

3. Teodor Kabakchiev (BUL), Sherco, 3:58:43 +6:49

4. Mario Roman (ESP), Husqvarna, 3:56:30 +4:36

5. Wade Young (RSA), KTM, 4:03:12 +11:18

Standings – 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship

1. Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 29 pts

2. Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 28 pts

3. Teodor Kabakchiev (BUL), Sherco, 22 pts

4. Mitch Brightmore (GBR), GASGAS, 20 pts

5. Ashton Brightmore (GBR), GASGAS, 17 pts