2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship
Round Two – Krakow, Poland
Following his dominant win at FIM SuperEnduro season opener in France, Billy Bolt has put in another stellar performance on his FE350, winning two out of three races inside the Tauron Arena in Poland.
The reigning FIM SuperEnduro World Champion began his evening in Krakow on a high, topping the Superpole by half a second.
Prestige Race One
The first rider to roll onto the startline thanks to his Superpole win, Bolt opted to start on the far left in the night’s opening race. After claiming the holeshot, he began to pull away from the pack and set a solid pace.
Despite pressure from second-placed Jonny Walker (GBR-Beta) mid-way through the race, Billy kept his elbows out to retain his lead and finished with a deserved nine-second advantage after getting a better run through the lapped riders than Walker.
Behind the two Brits, local hero Dominik Olszowy (POL-Rieju) placed himself in contention despite having far less experience than the two powerhouses in front of him. Olszowy managed to stay ahead of the likes of Will Hoare (GBR-Beta) and Manuel Lettenbichler (GER-KTM) until late in the race, when Hoare managed to grab the advantage over Lettenbichler and Olszowy.
Prestige Race One Results
- Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 10 laps, 7:23.624
- Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 10 laps, 7:32.481
- Will Hoare (GBR), Beta, 10 laps, 8:01.946
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 10 laps, 8:03.021
- Dominik Olszowy (POL), Rieju, 10 laps, 8:07.908
Prestige Race Two
In race two, the grid was reversed for the start, placing Billy at the back. As the competition navigated the first corner, he remained patient, making him the last rider to exit turn one. However, it didn’t take him long to get back in the mix, working his way up to second place by lap five. On the attack, the Brit closed the gap to first place to ultimately finish as runner-up, just eight-hundredths of a second behind behind Jonny Walker.
Walker passed early leader Mitch Brightmore (GBR-GASGAS) smoothly and slotted into his own rhythm out front. A small fall for Walker on the final lap had the crowd on their feet, but he still rejoined faster than Bolt could reel him in, and went on to claim an excellent race victory.
Behind them, Will Hoare once again ranked third, just ahead of Dominik Olszowy who managed to keep Lettenbichler at bay this time around.
Prestige Race Two Results
- Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 10 laps, 7:32.380
- Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 10 laps, 7:33.184
- Will Hoare (GBR), Beta, 10 laps, 7:54.681
- Dominik Olszowy (POL), Rieju, 10 laps, 8:01.319
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 10 laps, 8:11.503
Prestige Race Three
Billy stormed out of the gate in the night’s final race to take the holeshot and immediately set about gaining ground. Putting in a mistake-free ride, Billy tested some faster lines and continued to extend his lead over second place. Finishing 14-seconds in front, the Husqvarna Factory Racing ace took the final race win of the night, securing the overall victory in the process.
Third place overall was fought out between Lettenbichler and Hoare after Olszowy suffered some late falls in the third race and dropped down the order. The Englishman placed 4th in the last race of the night, just one spot behind his German rival, allowing him to claim third spot on the overall podium.
Prestige Race Three Results
- Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 10 laps, 7:12.059
- Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 10 laps, 7:26.177
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GBR), KTM, 10 laps, 7:42.173
- Will Hoare (GBR), Beta, 10 laps, 7:55.605
- Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Rieju, 9 laps, 7:20.024
Earning 60 championship points aboard his FE 350, Bolt extended his lead to 14-points over Jonny Walker in the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship.
Billy Bolt – P1
“I’m pretty happy really with a 1-2-1. I rode well in the second race – I just made a few bad decisions and took too long to get to the front. I think everyone was expecting an eruption when I got back to the pits but I was pretty chilled to be honest. I knew I rode well, but I just didn’t put myself in the right place on the track. Overall though I was happy with my riding the whole night and I got better each race, I think. I switched up my line in the rocks on the final race so I think that made a difference and gave me some breathing room on what was a difficult track that Jonny pushed me hard on all night. I’ll keep working over Christmas and come back swinging in Germany.”
Jonny Walker – P2
“It was good tonight, I felt like I had strong pace, I didn’t make too many mistakes either. Second overall again but I’m looking forward to Germany, especially after beating Billy in one of the races tonight! We had some nice battles and it’s always fair racing between us two, plus it was a nice show for the fans. The track was difficult but it was really good fun. I can go for the Christmas break feeling good.”
Will Hoare – P3
“I’m happy tonight, especially as I didn’t even get into the Superpole. To be honest I think that setback gee’d me up for the races. The three races went really well and I got third overall, so I’m happy with that result after also doing the same in France a couple of weeks ago. It’s good for me to be running with these top guys and I’m hoping for the same again in Germany.”
1. Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 60 points
2. Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 56 pts
3. Will Hoare (GBR) Beta, 43 pts
Manuel Lettenbichler – P4
“I’ve got mixed feelings about today to be honest, I was hoping for a little more. I did a lot of testing during the week to try and find a better rhythm on the bike and came here to Poland aiming for a podium. My speed has definitely improved but I’m a little way off the pace of the top two guys. I’m still riding a bit stiff, and so it’s not easy to find a good flow, especially on such a tight track. Overall though, it was an awesome event. It’s so sick to ride in front of so many fans – the atmosphere in the arena was incredible. We have a little break now, then back at it at home in Germany for round three.”
The Sachsen Arena in Riesa, Germany will host round three of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship on January 6th.
2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship
Round Two – Krakow, Poland
Prestige Overall Round
- Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 60 points
- Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 56 pts
- Will Hoare (GBR) Beta, 43 pts
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 39 pts
- Dominik Olszowy (POL), Rieju, 32 pts
Championship Standings (After Round Two)
- Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 123 points
- Jonny Walker (GBR), Beta, 109 pts
- Will Hoare (GBR), Beta, 82 pts
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 71 pts
- Dominik Olszowy (POL), Rieju, 67 pts
