Abestone Hard Enduro 2026 Day 1 Results: Lettenbichler Wins Sprint

Manuel Lettenbichler has won the opening Sprint race at the fifth round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at Abestone in Italy, but the KTM rider's victory only tells part of the story. James Moore and Ashton Brightmore both produced impressive rides, while several championship contenders face a much tougher Sunday after losing valuable time and checkpoints.

The fifth round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship got underway at Abestone, Italy, on Saturday with the Gold-class Sprint race, giving the leading riders their first opportunity to test themselves against the terrain before Sunday's main race.

Manuel Lettenbichler took the unofficial victory after completing all three laps, finishing with a race time of 1:25:02.0 and five checkpoints on his final lap. James Moore was second, just 14 seconds behind Lettenbichler on race time, while Ashton Brightmore completed the top three.

However, the Sprint should not be treated as a simple preview of Sunday's result. Hard Enduro is ultimately about surviving the terrain, managing fatigue and maintaining progress when the race becomes increasingly difficult. Saturday has nevertheless provided some very important clues about who has arrived at Abestone with the pace and consistency required to challenge for the round victory.

Lettenbichler Starts Abestone With a Win

Lettenbichler did exactly what the reigning champion would have wanted on the opening day: he put himself at the front immediately.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider completed all three laps and recorded a race time of 1:25:02.0. His best lap was listed at 20:17.7, underlining the pace he was able to find during the Sprint.

More importantly, Lettenbichler did not need to rely on a dramatic final push to secure the result. He completed the three-lap Sprint while collecting all five checkpoints on his final lap.

That is a useful start to the weekend, but I would not read too much into the winning margin alone. Moore finished only 14 seconds behind on race time, while the Sprint format is considerably shorter and different from the demands of the main Abestone race.

My take: Lettenbichler has established himself as the rider to beat, but Saturday's victory does not mean Sunday will be straightforward. His biggest advantage may be the confidence gained from knowing that his pace is already there.

James Moore Makes a Big Statement in Second

James Moore was arguably one of the biggest stories of the Sprint.

The BETA AG Racing rider completed all three laps in 1:25:16.0, only 14 seconds slower than Lettenbichler. Moore also finished as the leading Junior rider in the Gold class.

His final classification shows that he lost one checkpoint compared with Lettenbichler, but the overall performance was strong enough to put him directly into the fight at the front.

Moore's result is particularly interesting heading into Sunday because it gives him evidence that he has the speed to run with the championship leader. The bigger challenge will be maintaining that pace when the race becomes longer and the physical demands increase.

If Moore can combine Saturday's speed with consistent navigation and checkpoint progress on Sunday, he could be one of the riders capable of disrupting the expected Lettenbichler victory.

Ashton Brightmore Impresses With Third

Ashton Brightmore completed the overall Gold-class podium, finishing third aboard the X-Grip GASGAS Racing Team machine.

His listed race time was 1:20:47.0, with two checkpoints showing in the Sprint classification and a best lap of 22:07.9.

Like Moore, Brightmore also finished inside the leading group as a Junior rider, making the result particularly encouraging.

The Brightmore brothers both finished strongly, with Mitch Brightmore fourth overall. Ashton therefore heads into Sunday with the confidence of knowing that he can compete near the front of the Gold field, while Mitch is also positioned inside the top four.

The important question is whether the Brightmore brothers can maintain that level when the Abestone terrain begins taking its toll. Their Sprint performances suggest the speed is there. Sunday will test the endurance and consistency side of the equation.

Karlsson, Kabakchiev and Bolt All Inside the Top Seven

Eddie Karlsson finished fifth aboard the Stark machine, followed by Teodor Kabakchiev and Billy Bolt.

Bolt's seventh-place result may look unusual when compared with the speed normally associated with the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider, but his listed best lap of 20:51.6 tells us there was certainly pace available.

That is one of the reasons I would be careful about using the Sprint classification as a direct prediction for Sunday.

Bolt was still able to produce one of the fastest individual laps in the field, suggesting that the problem was not necessarily outright speed. In a longer Hard Enduro, however, the ability to repeatedly make progress through checkpoints can be just as important as producing a fast lap.

Mario Román Faces a Tougher Opening Day

Mario Román finished eighth, while Lorenzo Gandola was ninth.

Román's result will not be what the MR74 Racing Team rider wanted from the opening day, particularly considering his status as one of the established names in the Gold class.

He completed two checkpoints on his final lap and finished with a listed race time of 1:25:59.0. That places him behind several riders who will be looking to turn Saturday's performance into a strong Sunday result.

The good news for Román is that Saturday does not decide the Abestone weekend. He still has the main race ahead of him, and the longer format could play more towards his experience and ability to manage difficult terrain.

Teodor Kabakchiev and Billy Bolt Have Work to Do

Kabakchiev finished sixth and Bolt seventh, while Toby Martyn completed the three laps in 11th.

For the leading riders, the most important point is that all three have at least demonstrated enough pace and progress to remain relevant for Sunday.

The challenge will be converting that into a complete main-race performance. In Hard Enduro, losing a checkpoint or falling behind the leading group can become increasingly expensive as the race develops.

The Sprint has therefore given the likes of Kabakchiev and Bolt something to build on rather than necessarily something to panic about.

Gold Class Sprint Results – Abestone

Results supplied are marked unofficial by the event timing system.

The Biggest Problem: A Large Part of the Field Failed to Complete Three Laps

One of the most revealing aspects of the Sprint results is not necessarily who finished first, but how many riders struggled to complete the full three-lap distance.

Only the leading 11 riders completed all three laps. The next group completed two laps, while another group managed only one. Several riders did not complete a lap at all.

That immediately highlights the severity of the Abestone course.

For the riders who completed three laps, the Sprint provided valuable information about what it takes to keep moving through the course. For everyone further down the classification, Sunday becomes a battle to improve checkpoint progress and avoid getting trapped in the same difficulties again.

It also makes the leading performances more impressive. Completing all three laps is itself an important achievement in these conditions.

What Saturday Means for Sunday's Main Race

The biggest mistake would be to assume that Lettenbichler has already won the Abestone round.

He has not.

What Saturday has done is establish a clear benchmark. Lettenbichler knows his pace is good enough to lead, while Moore and the Brightmore brothers have shown that the front of the field is not untouchable.

The Sprint also gives the riders information about the terrain, their bikes and their own physical condition. That knowledge could become extremely valuable once Sunday turns into a much longer and more demanding battle.

My Pick for Sunday: Lettenbichler Still the Man to Beat

If I had to pick a winner after Day 1, I would still put Lettenbichler at the top of the list.

He has the winning momentum, the pace and the ability to manage a difficult Hard Enduro when the pressure increases. More importantly, he has already shown that he can complete the course at the required pace.

But I would not be surprised to see Moore much closer to him on Sunday.

Moore's 14-second gap in the Sprint is significant because it shows that Lettenbichler is not simply disappearing into the distance. The BETA rider has the speed to challenge, and the longer race could create opportunities if Lettenbichler makes even a small mistake.

Ashton Brightmore is another rider I would keep a close eye on. His third-place result, combined with Mitch's fourth, makes the X-Grip GASGAS team one of the biggest success stories from Saturday.

Then there is Bolt. I would not write him off after seventh. His best lap was competitive, and Sunday gives him a much larger canvas on which to demonstrate his pace.

Abestone Sunday Could Be a Completely Different Race

Saturday has given us a fascinating starting point, but Sunday is where the fifth round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will really be decided.

Lettenbichler has the early advantage, Moore has demonstrated genuine front-running speed, and the Brightmore brothers have put themselves firmly into the conversation.

Behind them, several established Gold-class riders now have something to prove.

The Sprint has also demonstrated just how quickly the Abestone terrain can separate the field. Completing three laps was a significant achievement, and maintaining that progress over the main race will be the ultimate test.

Lettenbichler leads the way after Day 1, but the real question is whether anyone can stay with him once Abestone becomes a true Hard Enduro battle on Sunday.