2021 Red Bull TKO | Race Recap & Highlights
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The top talent of in hard enduro traveled to the United States for the 2021 Red Bull TKO, the only round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship to be held outside of Europe this year. Riders faced their share challenges during the two days at the Trials Training Center in Tennessee, including rocky terrain and summer weather in the south.
Red Bull used their popular “Straight Rhythm” format for Saturday’s qualifying prologue and the bracket brought Taddy Blazusiak and Billy Bolt into the final round. Bolt came out ahead in the head-to-head battle, a result that earned him prize money and pole position for Sunday’s race.
Sixty riders started on Sunday, a large field that was whittled down to 16 through four intense races. Manuel Lettenbichler set the pace in the first event, a 1.5 mile hotlap, and bested Bolt to the finish line by less than two seconds. Lettenbichler and Bolt squared off again in the next stage, an 18-mile loop around the property, which Bolt won by 14-seconds while Trystan Hart, Ryder LeBlond, and Cody Webb worked their way into the top-five. Riders were split into five groups for stage three, another 18-mile run that Bolt, Lettenbichler, and Hart fared best in.
A 30-minutes plus one lap race brought the day to an end, and despite the long “Moto,” Bolt and Lettenbichler finished within just a few seconds of each other as they approached a technical hill. Lettenbichler held the lead going into the section but a late push by Bolt helped him take the win by less than two seconds. Hart scored a career-best third place result.
This result tightens the championship standings, as only one point separates Lettenbichler and Bolt with three rounds remaining.
Final Knockout
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 37:30.546
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 6 laps, 37:32.895
3. Trystan Hart (KTM) 6 laps, 38:30.120
4. Wade Young (Sherco) 6 laps, 38:46.299
5. Mario Roman (Sherco) 6 laps, 39:18.418
6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 39:33.066
7. Jonny Walker (Beta) 6 laps, 40:17.224
8. Cody Webb (Sherco) 6 laps, 40:41.959
9. Ryder LeBlond (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 42:47.513
10. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 44:11.917
Provisional standings – FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (after 5 of 8 rounds)
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 54pts
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 53pts
3. Wade Young (Sherco) 40pts
4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 37pts
5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 34pts
6. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 26pts
7. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 24pts
8. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 21pts
9. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 19pts
10. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts
