In front of 5,000 passionate enduro fans, Manuel Lettenbichler fought hard with championship rival Billy Bolt in the GetzenRace in the morning for the lead in qualifying and went into the GetzenChamp final in the afternoon with a four-second lead before the start. After the lead was swapped several times in the first 20 minutes, Mani took the advantage on lap three and didn't look back.
On the rapidly deteriorating terrain, Lettenbichler drove the laps calmly and with minimal mistakes to maintain his lead over the chasing group. After 80 minutes of racing, Mani was the first to reach the short but intense Red Bull X-Loop – an ultra-extreme final section reserved for the top riders. Mani was the first to see the checkered flag, to cheers from the crowd, and was crowned the 2021 GetzenRodeo Champion – his third straight win at the hugely popular event.
The deserved victory in the final race of the series crowned an excellent year for Lettenbichler, with the 23-year-old standing on the podium in every single race of the series. His victories at the Red Bull Romaniacs and at home at the GetzenRodeo were undoubtedly the highlights of a season.
Coming to GetzenRodeo just three points down on the leaders, Mani knew he had to win to secure his best shot at title contention. With Bolt finishing second and the two drivers tied on points, the title was decided based on the number of second places during the season. While lettenbichler was disappointed not to take the championship win, he was happy with his performance throughout the season and is already looking forward to 2022.
Manuel Lettenbichler: “I'm tired, I'm really tired, but super stoked to have won. I knew I had to make it here at home in Germany and give it my all in front of the fans to get the win. To be level on points with Billy at the end of such a tough championship just shows how hard we both pushed all season. I really think we both raised the bar this year. It's obviously disappointing to be so close, to finish on the same points and only finish second in the championship. But I gave everything and you can't ask for more. The morning race went really well. It was tight with Billy and me, but I was able to pull through just before the finish. The main race was super tough. At first I was riding so stiff and my arms felt really heavy. Then, after a few fights with Billy, I managed to get up front and find a good rhythm. I built up a good lead and was able to relax until the end, where I had to push a little harder to stay ahead. To get three wins in a row here at Getzen feels great and I can't thank the fans enough for their support. I'm now looking forward to a nice winter training session to be ready for next season and try to win the title again."
Billy Bolt: "WORLD CHAMPION! What an incredible feeling that is. It will take a while to process this. I can't believe I'm the FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. It was a damn big race today. We all knew what we had to do and we did it. I rode great in qualifying this morning but I hurt my finger. I struggled a bit with that at the beginning of the race and made a lot of mistakes early on. But I've settled down, regrouped and recovered. When I was second again, I closed the gap to Mani to one minute, but I didn't want to risk anything. Crossing the finish line as world champion was an incredible moment. It's been a great year and I can't thank the whole team enough for their support. We made it!"
Results GetzenRodeo 2021
Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 1:29:20.433
Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 1:30:16.852
Mario Roman (ESP), Sherco, 1:32:05.524
Wade Young (RSA), Sherco, 1:31:29.066
Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 1:31:52.822
Final score FIM Hard Enduro World Championship
Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 104 points
Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 104 pts.
Wade Young (RSA), Sherco, 83 pts.
Mario Roman (ESP), Sherco, 76 pts.
Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husqvarna, 66 pts.
Source: KTM, Husqvarna PR
