2022 is set to become the most international season yet for the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. All eyes are now focused on the Dead Sea and the Minus 400 event.
Located in the heart of the desert, the Minus 400 gets its name due to the fact that the Dead Sea area sits at an altitude of minus 400 metres below sea level. But don’t let the negative numbers fool you, as the terrain is anything but timid. A dry, baron region, it’s littered with incredible steep climbs, challenging descents, and numerous pitfalls to keep the world’s best Hard Enduro riders on their toes.
Held midweek across three days, the racing gets underway on Tuesday April 5 with the Leonardo Urban Race. Set to be spectacular, day one – like the name suggests – is an urban affair. A morning 14-kilometre loop sees riders fight it out on a mixture of dirt and street to qualify for a place in the afternoon’s SuperEnduro.
Wednesday’s Yochananof Desert Prologue mixes Cross Country racing with extreme riding. A longer 18-kilometre course filled with tough, natural Hard Enduro obstacles will be raced head-to-head, with the results determining the starting order for the third and final day.
The Minus 400 Main Event promises a demanding end to round one. Organisers have carefully crafted out a 90-kilometre-long course that increases in difficulty the deeper into the terrain riders get. From seemingly endless rocky riverbeds to narrow ridge lines and sharp climbs and descents, there is no room for error.
At the head of the field, it’s Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt who starts as one of the favourites. Crowned the inaugural FIM Hard Enduro World Champion in 2021, Billy will naturally be looking to successfully defend his crown with a winning start to the season. And as form would indicate, the Brit is a fast learner when it comes to new events having topped the Abestone Hard Enduro in 2021.
Behind Billy though there are a lot of riders all eager to not let that happen. Unfortunately, his closest rival and 2021 series runner-up Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler will be absent due to injury, but Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young is hungry to taste victory. The nature of the terrain should play into the South African’s hands, so expect him to come out swinging. So too will his teammate Mario Roman. The Spaniard has plenty of experience riding in Israel and would love to cause an upset win.
On a roll having ended his SuperEnduro campaign as runner-up to Bolt, Vision Track Beta’s Jonny Walker is a huge threat for the top step of the podium. Super smooth, his riding style may just be what’s required to get the best out of that desert terrain.
Spain’s Alfredo Gomez will make his eagerly awaited 2022 debut in Israel, competing for his own race team. A race winner in 2021, Alfredo – on GASGAS machinery – will be an exciting podium contender. Ready for his home race, rising talent Suff Sella will be another rider to watch out for. With local knowledge at his disposal, he will be hoping for a surprise result. (source: wess)
STORY: Mario Roman Wins Big At Minus 400 (April 2022)
INTERVIEW: Alfredo Gomez Excited For Next Chapter With GasGas (April 2022)
STORY: FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Introduces Junior World Cup (February 2022)
STORY: 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar Confirmed (February 2022)
photos (c) Omri Gutman/Red Bull Content Pool
video (c) Red Bull Content Pool