With just one week to go all roads lead to the inaugural round of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Extreme XL Lagares in Portugal. In what’s set to mark a historic moment in the sport, the infamous rocky riverbeds of Lagares will play host to the first FIM sanctioned Hard Enduro World Championship race.

Overcoming the restrictions of the ongoing Covid pandemic, the world’s best Hard Enduro athletes, together with a wealth of amateur and hobby riders, will compete for pride and glory across three demanding days of competition.

In a change to previous editions of Extreme XL Lagares due to public restrictions, the FIM World Championship category will compete in three events over two days with an Endurocross race and mountain time-trial Prologue on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s Main Race. Non-championship riders will take to the Endurocross track on Friday, followed by the Saturday Prologue and join the World Championship competitors on the start line for Sunday’s action.

As the 2019 WESS Champion and 2020 Red Bull Romaniacs winner, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manual Lettenbichler naturally starts as one of the favourites for the top step of the podium. But despite previous podium results in Portugal, Lettenbichler has yet to truly master the rigorous rocks the region is famed for, so will 2021 be his year to triumph?

Sherco Factory Racing will be a formidable force this season, their sights very much set on success. In 2019 Mario Roman stole the show with a phenomenal ride to victory. Demonstrating a perfect mix of speed and technical ability, the Spaniard turned up the heat in the closing stages to win and will be aiming high again this year. Teammate Wade Young is a past winner of the race, in 2017, and finished as runner-up in 2019. A fan of the terrain, he’ll also be pushing for nothing less than victory too.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing boast a trio of Hard Enduro talent. Billy Bolt, Alfredo Gomez and Hard Enduro legend Graham Jarvis have all won in Portugal before, with Jarvis holding the all-time win record over Gomez. The potential for a podium-sweep can’t be ruled out with these guys.

Jonny Walker will make one of the most anticipated team debuts in Portugal with Vision Track Beta. After a decade on KTM machinery, Walker made a jump to Beta Motorcycles during the winter and Extreme XL Lagares will be his first serious outing in new colours. Vastly experienced and hungry to impress, Walker is an obvious threat for podium honours.

GASGAS Factory Racing debut their two-rider outfit of Taddy Blazusiak and Michael Walkner. A true mix of experience and youth, Blazusiak will come out swinging while Walkner is keen to demonstrate that he is a young talent to watch out for. Changing colours for 2021, TTR Squadra Corse field a three-rider team of Travis Teasdale, Kevin Gallas and Azzalini Alessandro on GASGAS machinery and will be a privateer force to be reckoned with among the factory outfits.

Jarvis Husqvarna Racing – managed by Graham Jarvis – is also a new team to watch for in 2021. The team’s five riders include Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev and Britain’s Will Hoare, Jonathan Richardson, Sam Winterburn and Grant Churchward. Featuring a real mix of raw, young talent under the guidance of Graham, expect fireworks! (source: iridewess)

STORY: Billy Bolt Shines In The Mud At Extreme XL Lagares (May 2021)
STORY: Taddy Blazusiak Fired Up For Extreme XL Lagares (May 2021)
STORY: Jonny Walker Takes On The 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (April 2021)
STORY: Manuel Lettenbichler Ready For 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (April 2021)

LINK: iridehardenduro.com

photos (c) João da Franca & Future7Media & Mihai Stetcu & Attila Szabo & Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool