DIRT NEWS
Lettenbichler now lies second overall in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings . Despite missing round one of the series , he is only three points down on the leader with three rounds remaining . Taking the win in Romania for an incredible seventh time was Graham Jarvis who turned his luck around at this year ’ s event after suffering a serious knee injury in this race last year . Jarvis was on incredible form all week notching win number seven at Romaniacs a full five years since his last and a full fourteen years since he first won the event , all that as one of the older competitors at 47 . The Husqvarna rider led home Bulgarian Teodor Kabakchiev and new FIM Hard Enduro World Championship leader Mario Roman to complete the podium . “ It ’ s such an incredible feeling to win Red Bull Romaniacs again ,” Jarvis said , “ I ’ ve done it seven times now ; I don ’ t know what to say ! In a race like this , it takes a lot of effort all week to be there every day and I managed that . After last year ’ s knee injury , I wasn ’ t sure how well I ’ d come back and if I ’ d be competitive again . It ’ s been a full year ’ s work , but I ’ ve done it . Not just getting back on the podium , but the top step too . Jarvis Racing Team is a full privateer effort , the guys around me are doing it because they love Hard Enduro as much as I do , so this win is for them as much as it is mine !” Competing in his first ever hard enduro , former Dakar Rally winner Matthias Walkner came into the 2022 Red Bull Romaniacs looking to gain more riding time on his KTM 450 RALLY and to simply enjoy the event in the less intense Bronze Class . Despite the disadvantages of his wider and lower rally bike , Walkner was able to mix it up with the best in the Bronze class , securing a win on Offroad Day 1 . On Offroad Day 4 , Walkner finished in style , firing his Dakar Rally machine up the infamous Gusterita hill climb to claim another day win and secure third overall in class , less than two minutes down on the eventual winner . “ It ’ s been an amazing experience coming here and trying Red Bull Romaniacs ,” said Walkner . “ It ’ s up there as one of the toughest things I ’ ve done in my life for sure . My goal this week was just to enjoy more time on my rally bike and experience this adventure . Without question , I ’ ve done that . I raced Bronze class and it was hard , but what the guys in Gold class are riding is on another level and I take my hat off to them . Results-wise , honestly I wasn ’ t expecting to fight for the podium , so to finish third in Bronze is the icing on the cake . The class win on Offroad Day 1 was a pretty special moment too .
KIWI RIDER 17