Round four of the 2025 Hard Enduro World Championship delivered drama in Aguilar de Campoo, Spain, as Billy Bolt and Manuel Lettenbichler fought hard for victory while a dispute over the final climb reshaped the results — handing Graham Jarvis an unexpected top step.
Intense fight at the front
Overnight rain gave way to a drying track, setting the stage for a fast two-hour race. Bolt and Lettenbichler swapped the lead repeatedly, putting on another spectacular duel just two weeks after their Abestone showdown. Mario Roman kept steady in third, but couldn’t match the pace of the lead duo.
Bolt reflected on the effort:
“I didn’t feel great all weekend, but I managed to stay clean when it mattered. The last lap felt endless, but I kept pushing — I’m happy to be back at this level.”
Lettenbichler praised his rival’s form:
“It was a proper race! We probably changed positions 10 or 12 times. Billy was strong, and I gave everything. Sometimes he had the edge, sometimes I did, but he deserved it today.”
The X-Loop controversy
The final part of the course — the X-Loop, a new section of steep climbs and drops inside the quarry — became the center of attention. Riders raised concerns before the race about its difficulty and safety after two hours of riding, but no changes were made.
When Bolt reached the start of the X-Loop roughly 20 seconds ahead of Lettenbichler, the leading riders agreed to stop racing for points and completed the section slowly for the fans.
Further back, Graham Jarvis and Sonny Goggia arrived later and chose to ride the full marked course, which, according to the rules, placed Jarvis first and Goggia second in the official results, with Bolt listed third despite being over an hour ahead on the road.
Jarvis joked afterwards:
“Nobody told me they’d stopped! They said, ‘If you finish this climb, you win.’ So I just rode it — I’ll take the result!”
Championship picture
Despite the unusual outcome, championship points were awarded from Bolt downward, meaning his performance strengthens his bid to close the gap in the standings. Lettenbichler remains consistent, while Roman’s podium keeps him in the mix.
The 2025 Hixpania Hard Enduro will be remembered not only for its breathtaking racing but also for the debate about where “hard” should end and safety should begin. With more rounds still to come, the Bolt–Lettenbichler rivalry — and Jarvis’s evergreen presence — promise plenty more stories before the season is done.
