DIRT NEWS
TORRES TACKLES ERZBERG ON A TENERE
The Iron Giant is as hard as hard enduro gets.
There is a qualifying round just to get the top 500 competitors – and only a handful will make it all the way around in the four hours allotted to the task. Finishing 77th overall out of those 500 on the 685cc twin-cylinder adventure bike shows just how good Torres and the Yamaha really are. With the first checkpoint eliminating a swathe of riders, then the next and so on as riders gave up, their bikes quit or both, Torres forged on. Although not joining the very select few smaller, more nimble bikes at the end, making it to Checkpoint 19 was, in itself, a huge victory for Torres, Yamaha, and the big bike class in general. If you haven’ t seen footage of the event, go and have a watch. Then imagine doing it on a big bike … Shale, massive boulders, impossible climbs, it is all in there at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. Epic to watch.
THAT MANI AGAIN...
It is Five Red Bull Erzbergrodeos in a row for Mani Lettenbichler. In the early stages, he was made to work hard for it by fellow KTM ace, Trystan Hart and GASGAS rider Mitch Brightmore but once he got the lead, the smooth, calm style was untouchable. With a lead that at times stretched out to twelve minutes, it was a controlled final few checkpoints as Mani came home nine minutes ahead of Hart. It matches the win record and now Red Bull KTM and Mani Lettenbichler have their sights set on breaking that record next season but first, there is a season to try and win and you wouldn’ t bet the house on Mani not ticking that off as well. Riding in good fitness, carrying no injuries and with the confidence that consistently winning brings, the Mani is on fire.
KIWI RIDER 19