Manuel Lettenbichler, of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, dominated the second round of the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, winning at Extreme XL Lagares in Portugal and earning full points for all three days.
Lettenbichler set the tone early with a commanding win in Friday’s Endurocode Stage, finishing the demanding 37-mile course more than three minutes ahead of his nearest rival.
Carrying that form into Saturday’s Extreme Penafiel race, Mani proved untouchable again, mastering the 75-mile route to grab another decisive victory, this time by more than eight minutes.
Sunday’s Extreme XL Lagares main race provided a much closer contest, with a fierce battle at the front throughout the two-hour-plus-one-lap format. Despite the intensity and pressure, Lettenbichler maintained his composure and delivered when it mattered most, edging out his closest challenger, Great Britain’s Mitch Brightmore, by just under eight seconds at the finish line. The result solidified a clean sweep of wins across the weekend and a maximum points haul for the German.
Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev finished off the podium for Sherco, just seven seconds behind the GasGas rider Brightmore.
Spain’s Mario Roman (Husqvarna) and Great Britain’s Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) completed the top five overall.
With his dominant performance in Portugal, Lettenbichler now leads the championship standings after two rounds, holding a 15-point advantage as he continues his bid for a fifth consecutive World title.
“Full house this weekend, we’ll definitely take that,” said Lettenbichler. “To win all three days and come away with maximum points is exactly what we were aiming for, and I’m very happy with how everything came together here in Portugal. I felt good on the bike from the start and was able to ride consistently across all the different stages, which was key with how tough and varied the terrain was. The main race was super intense, especially towards the end, but I stayed focused and pushed right to the finish. Overall, I’m really stoked with my riding this weekend, and it’s a great feeling to take over the championship lead.”
The series resumes with round three at Silver Kings Hard Enduro in the United States on June 18-20, where Mani will look to continue his winning form. CN
2026 FIM Hard Enduro Round 2 Results
OVERALL (Top 5)
- Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 2:24:05
- Mitch Brightmore (GG) +7.9
- Teodor Kabakchiev (She) +4:27.2
- Mario Roman (Hus) +5:19.4
- Billy Bolt (Hus) +5:41.9
