On The Pegs July 2018 - Volume 3 - Issue 7

On The Pegs Vol. 3 Issue 7 - July 2018 P 73 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Graham Jarvis (GB) has claimed victory at round two of the World Enduro Super Series – the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble. In what was a dramatic, action- packed and unpredictable race, Jarvis put on a late race charge to take the win by just 41 seconds from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jonny Walker (GB) with early pace setter Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) finishing third. Under sunny skies and hot temperatures, the 24th edition of the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble saw the 500 qualified riders blast off the start line at 14.30 hours. With all the main contenders in this year’s WESS securing a front row start during qualification, it was Taddy Blazusiak (KTM - Poland) who made his move early, taking the lead. But with Walker hot on his heels, plus WESS round one winner Bill Bolt (Husqvar- na - GB) and Lettenbichler right in contention, any hopes of breaking away from the chasing field were quickly ended. During one of the early technical woodland sec- tions, the young guns of Lettenbichler and Bolt moved past both Blazusiak and Walker to take up the lead. At Checkpoint 15 of 25, Lettenbichler and Bolt had built up a lead of one-minute over Walker while Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young overtook Blazusiak for fourth. However, with Checkpoint 19 forming the formidable Carl’s Dinner boulder garden, the race was anything but over. After a bad start, Jarvis was begin- ning to cut his way through the pack and was closing on the leaders. At Checkpoint 21 - Green Hell - the race took an- other dramatic twist as both Lettenbichler and Bolt became stuck on the near-vertical woodland climb. Jarvis, now in third, heroically pushed his way past the stricken duo to the top and took the race lead. Walker, following suit, tried to apply pressure to the Husqvarna rider during the final two signature sections Dynamite and Lazy Noon but Jarvis kept his cool to cross the fin- ish line in an astonishing time of two hours, five min- utes and 59 seconds. PHOTOS COURTESY FUTURE7MEDIA

On The Pegs July 2018 - Volume 3 - Issue 7 | Page 73