Hard Enduro World Champion Mani Lettenbichler will swap outdoors for indoors and the 2023 SuperEnduro World Championship, bringing Red Bull KTM back to challenge Billy Bolt for the first time in two years.

For a rider so associated with the major Hard Enduro races and wins at Erzbergrodeo and Romaniacs, maybe not everyone will remember that Mani Lettenbichler did actually race indoors before now.

The Red Bull KTM rider claimed the Junior SuperEnduro title in 2016 before a couple of seasons in Prestige class.

But it’s been a while for both KTM and Lettenbichler who will return to the SuperEnduro World Championship when the 2024 season begins on November 25 in France.

After racing just one round two years ago ahead of knee surgery, Mani elected not to race indoors last year, concentrating instead on the Hard Enduro World Championship and specifically on dialling-in the all-new 2024 KTM EXC 300 two-strokes.

It was time well spent as the German won his third world crown on the new model this year in unbelievable form, claiming victory at every HEWC round so far with one event remaining next weekend, Getzenrodeo.

Enduro21 caught two minutes with Lettenbichler to find out more…

Hi Mani, you haven’t raced a full season of SuperEnduro for a while…

Mani Lettenbichler: “Yeah, I got the Junior world title and then I think two years in prestige class where I got six and fifth overall I think. But I feel like I wasn’t there yet, not at the level where I am at right now so we’re in a good place to give it another shot.”

“Two years ago I did the first round without too much preparation, because I hurt my wrist before, and I got second place actually which was quite surprising and I was stoked on that. And went to the US for three weeks training and I got a knee injury which meant I called off the season and it took me a while to get back, the first day back on a bike was in May so it was four and a half months off recovering.

“That was a bummer but we are here now and going back this year and it’s a pretty tight schedule from two weeks after Getzenrodeo into the first round of SuperEnduro. It’s quite cool that they changed the calendar for next year for an earlier start May so we have a little bit of off time before SuperEnduro which I’m already looking forward right now!”

In previous years you concentrated on Hard Enduro, leaving SuperEnduro to one side. What made you change your mind?

“Last year I definitely tried to get out of it because I knew we are getting a new bike and it was going to be a big change for everybody. So last winter I concentrated on the new extreme bike, the 300, and I think everyone is quite happy now where we are at with it. I put a lot of hours in for the team and for the other guys from like simple things on the pre-test and it was a lot of work but it paid off.

“But this year we’re back and I’m feeling good. I’m excited and I know that it’s hard to beat one of the best guys in this sport right now but probably it’s the same the other way around in Hard Enduro.

“But I want to give it a shot and see where we at with the other guys. I know that Jonny is riding pretty good as well and everyone is fired up and I feel even for myself it helps me into to get a better rider.”

Was it your idea then, the team or was it KTM wanting to make the return?

“KTM wanted to come back with another rider and they said they would really like to have myself back in it. At the beginning I wasn’t a big fan because of the schedule simply. I don't mind SuperEnduro but it’s more a rider needs at least one month of a break after a season.  You need to train properly but I think the body and the mind needs a break once in a year and when you got straight into SuperEnduro it is too much.

“So, yeah, it was KTM’s idea and now I’m actually looking forward to it and it should be some cool racing. We’re going back to Germany which is always nice and I think fans will be on my side and even when we go to Poland it’s always a really good atmosphere.”

Which bike then? 350 four-stroke or 300 two-stroke?

“Maybe the 350 [laughs] actually we haven’t tested properly yet. I already have a 350 and I rode it a couple of times, not on the SuperEnduro track but on a motocross track and special test riding. We have to do more testing and see where we are at.

“I’m quite happy but I’m not under pressure. I felt pretty good also on the two-stroke this year at some of the Hard Enduro prologues so maybe we can even give it a go.

Some of the other guys are doing pretty good on the two-stroke, like Jonny, so we’ll see. I’m a pretty big fan of the four-strokes. Either way I will be happy.”

Photo Credit: Future7Media