The fifth race of the season in Gefrees will go down in the history of the DOWATEK HardEnduroSeries Germany. At a perfectly organized event, both riders and fans experienced a top-class event in the Fichtelgebirge.
With over 130 riders, the race was again well-attended and seamlessly integrated into the participant numbers of the other races this year.
In addition to the racing action, fans were also treated to plenty of entertainment, as there was a race party in the evening that provided the necessary atmosphere in the finish area.
This year also featured some new sections that added variety to the race. Moreover, due to the redesign, there were hardly any traffic jams on the course, allowing riders to showcase their skills. With 3 Prolines on the course, there was also a tactical component. Those who chose not to tackle these particularly difficult sections received a penalty of 15 minutes each. However, since the total number of laps and regular checkpoints counted more, riders had to strategize. In case of a tie in the number of laps completed, the rider with the shorter total riding time, including penalties from the untackled Prolines, would have a better position in the final standings.
Facts, Granit Scramble Gefrees 03.08.2024
Weather: 24 degrees, cloudy
ACE Bikes Prolog Award Winner: Henry Strauss (KTM)
Winner: Leon Hentschel (BETA)
Strauss dominates the ACE Bikes Prologue Award
Series leader Henry Strauss started the race day in Gefrees well-rested. In the 6-minute prologue, he was able to outpace his main championship rival, Leon Hentschel. As the first rider to start, he had the best conditions despite the rain before the start.
The prologue was much smoother compared to last year but also featured some technical sections that helped to select the field.
Henry Strauss
Confident Leon Hentschel lives up to his favorite status
As usual in Gefrees, the riders had 4 hours to complete 5 laps. Under sunny, summery conditions, the first riders started at exactly 1 p.m. Every minute, 4 riders were sent out onto the demanding course, following the pattern of the ACE Bikes Prologue Award.
From the beginning, the most experienced extreme enduro pilot in the field, Leon Hentschel, showed his strength. In the second Proline, he was already able to pull away from the field and had a 59-second lead over Rico Petzold at the second checkpoint. Petzold, who had raced in the Gold class at the Red Bull Romaniacs the previous week, had high hopes for Gefrees, and his expectations were met. He secured his second place in the race, which he maintained until the finish: "It was incredibly spectacular; today I finished in second place in the championship for the first time. But it was really tough and took all my strength." However, he couldn’t catch Hentschel, who continued to extend his lead and ended up with about a 26-minute advantage over Petzold.
Rico Petzold
"It was a really hard race, the track in Gefrees was great and, as always, very well organized. Once I was able to overtake Henry after half a lap, I was able to extend my lead and win in the end. I’d be happy to be back next time," said winner Hentschel at the finish.
Leon is now the fourth winner in the fifth race, which proves the competitiveness of the championship this year. Hentschel and Petzold were the only riders who completed the Prolines in every lap.
Strategically, Felix Bopp finished third and achieved his first-ever podium in the championship. He skipped three Prolines, receiving a 45-minute penalty for it. Felix Bopp also had kind words: "Thanks to my helpers who really supported me a lot. The track was really good, and the MSC Gefrees did a great job. Especially with the extra Prolines, it was a very good thing."
The championship results this time are identical to the Pro results, highlighting the importance of experience in Gefrees. Almost simultaneously with Bopp, the young rider Henry Strauss crossed the finish line. For him, it was the toughest race so far. Although he missed the championship podium, he was still satisfied with his race result: "The first lap didn’t go ideally for me. But in the end, I’m happy with 4th place in the championship and 1st place in the juniors. It’s totally okay." He continues to lead the standings, but the title fight is tightening, as he is now only one point ahead of Leon Hentschel.
Strauss looks more dominant in the Auner Junior standings. He once again took the day's victory and extended his lead over Matthis Millich. Leon Volland secured his first podium in the Auner Junior standings and even placed fifth in the championship. He had calculated exactly how long he could take per lap to complete the five laps. He achieved this, as well as half of the Prolines during the race. For the missed Prolines, he received a 90-minute penalty, but still finished in fifth place. A great success for the young rider supported by Alfredo Gomez and ACE Bikes HESG Talentpool.
In the senior class, Andreas Pieper won again, narrowing his gap to René Jerbach. Jerbach had bad luck in Gefrees again, as in previous years, and retired early with a broken radiator.
The amateur class once again had the most riders. For many, the goal is simply to complete a lap on the tough course. Matthias Lein found the tough conditions he preferred in Gefrees. Including some Prolines, he completed four laps and won ahead of Fabian Heil. The ACE Bikes pilot is the fifth winner in the amateur class for the fifth race of the season.
The women had a hard time in Gefrees. Maria Franke, competing for the first time, withstood the tough conditions and won ahead of Eva Täuber, who has much more experience in extreme enduro. Janina Flentje took third place. Out of the seven women, five managed to complete at least one full lap.
The first champions of the season in the Luminus Energie HESG Kids category are determined
Since the race in Meltewitz is not part of the championship for the HESG Kids, two titles could already be awarded in Gefrees. With great enjoyment in riding, Jordan Wittenberg secured another double victory in the 65ccm class, thereby clinching the championship title early, marking his title defense.
65ccm Siegerehrung
Linus Albert is also the early champion in the 85ccm HESG Kids category. He won all the races this season. He demonstrated his readiness for bigger challenges in the main race in the afternoon, where he started with the 300cc Factory KTM and completed two laps plus two checkpoints of the third lap. He even tackled some Prolines, finishing in 53rd place.
Linus Albert
The DOWATEK HardEnduroSeries Germany will now take a short break until September 22, 2024. After that, two more races of the 2024 season will be on the calendar, in Meltewitz and shortly afterward in Schwepnitz.
Information about these two events and all other details about the series will be continuously updated on www.hardenduro-germany.de and our social media channels.
Photos: Michel238pic/Michel Kuchel, GrenzNic640/Silvio Gessner