Back-track, climb down, whatever you want to call it, it seems these peace talks have worked out for the good and we will see the world champion defending his crown as it should be, at all scheduled rounds after all.<\/p>\n
![\"ktm-300-exc_manuel-lettenbichler_hard-enduro_2026-_55_red-bull-_p39960\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ktm-300-exc_manuel-lettenbichler_hard-enduro_2026-_55_red-bull-_p39960.jpg\"\/)
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The 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship kicks off with the Alestrem in France on April 17-19, followed by rounds in Portugal, the USA, Italy, Sweden, and a return to Italy, before heading to Lesotho and concluding with back-to-back events in Turkey and Spain in October.<\/p>\n
2026 Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar:<\/p>\n
Round 1: Alestrem, France \u2013 April 17\u201319<\/p>\n
Round 2: Extreme Lagares, Portugal \u2013 May 1\u20133<\/p>\n
Round 3: Silver Kings, USA \u2013 June 18\u201320<\/p>\n
Round 4: Abestone Rodeo Miravalle, Italy \u2013 July 10\u201312<\/p>\n
Round 5: Forza Orza, Sweden \u2013 August 20\u201322<\/p>\n
Round 6: Wild Woods Extreme, Italy \u2013 September 11\u201313<\/p>\n
Round 7: Roof of Africa, Lesotho \u2013 September 23\u201326<\/p>\n
Round 8: Sea to Sky, Turkey \u2013 October 8\u201310<\/p>\n
Round 9: Hixpania, Spain \u2013 October 23\u201325<\/p>\n
Alongside his world championship campaign, Lettenbichler will target Erzberg in June, where he aims to secure a fifth consecutive victory, and Romaniacs in July, where he will be chasing a third straight win and sixth of his career.<\/p>\n
Manuel Lettenbichler: \u201cI\u2019m feeling great coming into the 2026 Hard Enduro season, and to kick off with Alestrem is awesome, as it\u2019s a race I\u2019ve really enjoyed in the past. I\u2019ve been really focused on my training over the past few weeks, and I am ready to get the outdoor season underway. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be an interesting and busy season with a nine-round world championship, as well as Romaniacs and Erzberg, so it\u2019s an exciting year for the sport for sure. I\u2019ve got my sights set on the title again, so I\u2019ll give it my all from the first race to make that happen. I have a great team behind me and the bike is perfect, so I can\u2019t wait to get started!\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"manuel-lettenbichler_red-bull-ktm-factory-racing_hard-en-_40_re_p98437\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/manuel-lettenbichler_red-bull-ktm-factory-racing_hard-en-_40_re_p98437.jpg\"\/)
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Fabio Farioli \u2013 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager: \u201cWe\u2019re going into 2026 in a really good place with Mani. Over the last few seasons he\u2019s shown again and again that he\u2019s the best in hard enduro, not just with his speed but also his consistency and mindset in the toughest races. Last year was another strong one for him, and after a busy winter in SuperEnduro, he\u2019s coming into this season well prepared and motivated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is clear: to fight for the title again. With Mani and the whole team behind him, we\u2019re confident we can be competitive everywhere, both in the championship and at the big races like Erzberg and Romaniacs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi<\/p>\n
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