Hawkstone Park Cross-Country
Hawkstone Park Cross-Country
Shrewsbury
United Kingdom
Now that we're into the home straight in this year's World Enduro Super Series, the most brutal championship in motorcycle racing switches from the hard enduro of Red Bull Romaniacs to fast, bar-to-bar cross-country action at Hawkstone Park, in the UK. The sandy Shropshire circuit offers the series' throttle jockeys the chance to stretch the cable in a physical and energy-sapping race.
Home to some iconic world championship motocross races in the past, Hawkstone Park will witness the world's best enduro riders doing battle there for the second year running. By extending the short motocross track into the location's surrounding woodland, a tricky 10-minute lap awaits the 250-plus entries who've signed up for Sunday's race.
To whet your appetite ahead of Round 6 of the WESS, which takes place on September 21–22, here's what to expect from the latest titanic battle between the best in enduro.
Can Lettenbichler hold on his WESS lead?
After pocketing his first-ever WESS win at Red Bull Romaniacs, Manuel Lettenbichler leapfrogged Graham Jarvis to become the new championship leader. It's a position he's been in once already this year, but with three rounds to go, the German will be feeling pressure to keep his lead intact.
The Hawkstone Park Cross-Country will take Lettenbichler out of his hard enduro comfort zone, but he's used the summer break to focus on and eliminate the weaknesses that saw him struggle in 2018.
"Winning Red Bull Romaniacs was a dream come true, but now the real works starts," says Lettenbichler. "Cross-country isn't my discipline, so I've really got to push hard. I was seventh last year after a lot of mistakes, so I know if I can reduce those errors, then I can do better."
Watch a POV video of Manuel Lettenbichler's winning run at Red Bull Romaniacs:
26 min
Manuel Lettenbichler's winning run POV
Watch the winning run from Manuel Lettenbichler's point of view at Red Bull Romaniacs 2019.
Josep Garcia will look to dominant in the sand
The switch of disciplines at Hawkstone Park will allow the traditional enduro riders to return to the fore after the gruelling hard enduro exploits in Romania. If last year's form book is anything to go by, Spanish pocket-rocket Josep García will be the rider to beat.
Garcia was the dominant force in the 2018 race, leading from start to finish. In fact, no one even got close to him. García is already a winner this year, courtesy of his Round 2 victory at Trèfle Lozérien AMV and a win here, ahead of his home race in Spain, could catapult him back into the title fight.
Josep Garcia on his way to glory at the 2018 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country
© Robert Lynn
Runner-up to Garcia in 2018, Britain's Nathan Watson will be hoping to deny Garcia glory. Watson won the infamous Enduropale the Touquet Pas-de-Calais earlier this year and is no slouch in the sand. With a home crowd behind him, he'll be gunning for Garcia.
Another rider hoping to utilise home advantage is Billy Bolt. The young Brit has struggled to shine in 2019 thanks to injuries, but he'll use the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country to kickstart his season. After clinching third in 2018, Bolt knows he's capable of a strong result.
After a fourth place at Red Bull Romaniacs, Taddy Błażusiak is another rider on the up right now. He took fourth in 2018 and will be aiming to go one (or two, or even three) better this time around.
Watch what happened at the 2018 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country below:
26 min
Race recap
Watch a recap of the epic cross-country racing that saw dirt flying at historic Hawkstone Park.
Paul Bolton's top pick for Hawkstone Park glory
As the season enters crunch time there are plenty of riders hungry to make their mark. After showing solid form on the final day of Red Bull Romaniacs, Paul Bolton thinks Jonny Walker will be the one to watch in Shropshire.
"Jonny has had a tough year," says Bolton. "12 months ago he was on top of the world, leading WESS, until it all came crashing down thanks to a badly broken wrist. Injuries like that take time to recover from, both mentally and physically, but leading for the best part of the final day at Red Bull Romaniacs shows he's coming good again.
"Traditionally, he's a rider who’s always done well in cross-country style races – he's smooth and deceptively fast. He didn't race here last year, because of his injury, but on home turf and with a point to prove, he's got to be my top pick."
Jonny Walker at Red Bull Romaniacs 2019
© Mihai Stetcu/Red Bull Content Pool
WESS standings
This is how things stand after five rounds of the WESS.
- Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM, GER) 3,570 points
- Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna, GBR) 3,460
- Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna, ESP) 3,164
Billy Bolt at the 2018 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country
© Robert Lynn