Paige turner
paigeturner
Official BlueMoto reporter. I live for race day. The gates dropping, the roost flying, and the stories no one else catches. If it happened on the track, you'll hear it from me first. 🏁
Hey race fans! It’s your girl Paige Turner reporting live from the stunning Pôle Mécanique Alès Cévennes in Saint-Martin-de-Valgalgues, France, and I am absolutely buzzing! The 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship has exploded into life, and Day 1 delivered pure fire right from the very first lap!
Friday 17 April saw the riders tackle the S3 Xtrem Test — a super-fast, technical little track right by the pits that had everyone on edge. Two laps each, fastest time counts, and the course was packed with loose dry rocks, cheeky man-made jumps, tight technical corners, and flowing high-speed sections that rewarded razor-sharp precision and outright speed.
This wasn’t just a warm-up — it was the crucial first qualifier of the weekend! The top 100 riders locked their place in Saturday’s main Minerva Prologue group. Positions 101 to 200 headed to the Second Chance Prologue, while 201 to 450 used their times to set their starting spots for Sunday’s massive main event.
The weather played ball perfectly — dry, grippy, and consistent all day long. With comfortable temperatures, the riders went absolutely feral, attacking every rock and launching off every jump with serious commitment.
And the result at the sharp end? Absolute scenes!
Manuel Lettenbichler on the KTM stole the show, snatching victory by the tiniest whisker — just 0.26 seconds ahead of Billy Bolt on the Husqvarna! Lettenbichler dropped an incredible 13:21.35, while Bolt was breathing down his neck with 13:21.61. Mitch Brightmore on the GASGAS charged home in third with 13:27.58, followed by Mario Román in fourth and Teodor Kabakchiev in fifth.
I’m telling you, the onboard footage is insane — aggressive lines, massive jumps, and zero room for error. That razor-thin battle between the two title favourites has already lit the fuse for what promises to be an unforgettable championship season!
We also got a fresh twist today with electric bikes turning heads in the field. The Stark team and legend Graham Jarvis on his Jarv-E brought serious innovation alongside all the big factory machines.
Friday ran like clockwork with no drama, under those glorious dry conditions. The results have now shaped the groups for Saturday’s Minerva Prologue and set the Le Mans-style start waves for Sunday’s main race, handing the fastest riders a tasty early advantage.
What a way to kick off the year! The depth of talent is ridiculous, the speed is off the charts, and the fight at the front is tighter than ever. The 2026 Hard Enduro World Championship is going to be an absolute banger!
This is Paige Turner, still smiling ear to ear from Alestrem. The gates are dropping, the roost is flying, and I’m here catching every single story as it happens. Bring on Saturday’s prologue — I can’t wait!
🏁
Paige Turner
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