Knowing that his home round of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship was going to be difficult due to ongoing shoulder injuries, despite his best efforts Taddy Blazusiak was frustratingly forced to call it quits and retire on the opening lap of the HERO Challenge. Anything but the day Taddy had hoped for, for GASGAS Factory Racing’s supported junior rider Michael Walkner, the Polish event ended with a well-deserved ninth place finish!
While the Polish event ended disappointingly for Blazusiak, for Michael Walkner, the three-hour extreme cross-country race proved to be positive for the factory supported rider. Looking to keep his 2021 HEWC campaign rolling on successfully, the young Austrian dug deep to break out a top-10 result, placing ninth and finishing just over 10 minutes behind Mani Lettenbichler in third.
Now on the homeward stretch, the penultimate round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship sees the series head to Spain on October 1-3 for Hixpania Hard Enduro.
Results – HERO Challenge, 2021
1. Wade Young (Sherco) 7 laps, 3:03:01
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 3:06:48
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 7 laps, 3:07:09
9. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 7 laps, 3:17:35
Provisional standings - FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (after 6 of 8 rounds)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 70pts
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 69pts
3. Wade Young (Sherco) 60pts
7. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 28pts
8. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 26pts