BMW Motorrad Motorsport enduro hardman Andreas Lettenbichler narrowly missed out on a place on the podium at the sixth running of the Hell's Gate extreme enduro, staged in Italy, as the G 450 X rider was the last competitor to be withdrawn from the knockout style competition. Making his first international outing in 2010, Letti' made light work of the demanding fivehour morning qualifying enduro where he finished behind Poland's Taddy Blazusiak and Britain's Graham Jarvis before going on to produce one of the standout performances of the main event.
Right from the start of the qualifying enduro it was clear that the '10 edition of Hell's Gate was going to be extremely difficult but unfazed by the challenging conditions Letti' battled his way through the four lap race to finish just 38 seconds behind winner Blazusiak. Second on two of the special tests and third on the other Letti' ensured a front row starting position for the gruelling main event.
Making a good start Letti' was soon running in fourth position but with certain sections of the course impassable without the assistance of event staff he frustratingly found himself with no option but to stop his engine and wait as the riders ahead of him were pulled, one at a time, to the top of one difficult, rocky climb. Meaning that at the end of the opening lap he was already a considerable distance behind then race leader Graham Jarvis, Letti worked hard to move into third position, which he held until the end of the race. Although not officially classified as a 'finisher' Letti' was the third and only rider who remained in the competition on laps three and four.
BMW austria / Speedbrain supported Austrian rider Rudi Poeschl also produced a strong result, especially considering it was his first visit to Hell's Gate. 13th in the morning qualifying race he was in eighth position when he was withdrawn from the main event having fallen more than 40 minutes behind the race leader.
Andreas Lettenbichler: "The morning qualifying race went well for me. You always know coming to an event like Hell's Gate that it will be difficult, so there is no point in using more energy than you need to during the morning. I had some good special tests, I found some good lines, and the race went well. Finishing third behind Blazusiak and Jarvis was a great start to the event. But the morning race doesn't mean much once the main Hell's Gate race starts. Unfortunately the main race was too tough. Most of the riders I have spoken to said it was too hard. Having just two finishers isn't a good thing. But anyway, I had a good start and was looking forward to a good race. But there were sections where you couldn't ride your bike and had to wait for it to be pulled up with a rope. There was no option but to wait until you got pulled up. By the time you were at the top the riders ahead of you were along way ahead. I was fourth on the first lap and then moved forward one place. I knew that I was the third and last rider in the race as I started the third lap, it was hard to keep motivated when it's like this. I started the fourth lap in third position but because I was quite a long way behind the leaders the organisers pulled be out of the event. It's disappointing but knowing that I was third in the morning race, and was the third rider in the final is very positive."
Results - Hell's Gate '10
Morning Enduro (Stage 1)
1.Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 34.02:70; 2. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 34.30:22; 3. Andreas Lettenbichler (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 34.41.15; 4. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 36.19.70; 5. Cory Graffunder (Husqvarna) 36.40:89; 6. Xavi Galindo(Husaberg) 36.48:86; 7. Mikael Vukcevic (Sherco) 37.43:43; 8. Chris Birch (KTM) 38.11:54; 9. Daniele Maurino (Gas Gas)39.47:82; 10. Daniel Gibert (Sherco) 40:00.05... 13. Rudolf Pöschl (BMW) 40.23:44
Main Event (stage 2 - official finishers)
1. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 4 laps; 2. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 4 laps
Right from the start of the qualifying enduro it was clear that the '10 edition of Hell's Gate was going to be extremely difficult but unfazed by the challenging conditions Letti' battled his way through the four lap race to finish just 38 seconds behind winner Blazusiak. Second on two of the special tests and third on the other Letti' ensured a front row starting position for the gruelling main event.
Making a good start Letti' was soon running in fourth position but with certain sections of the course impassable without the assistance of event staff he frustratingly found himself with no option but to stop his engine and wait as the riders ahead of him were pulled, one at a time, to the top of one difficult, rocky climb. Meaning that at the end of the opening lap he was already a considerable distance behind then race leader Graham Jarvis, Letti worked hard to move into third position, which he held until the end of the race. Although not officially classified as a 'finisher' Letti' was the third and only rider who remained in the competition on laps three and four.
BMW austria / Speedbrain supported Austrian rider Rudi Poeschl also produced a strong result, especially considering it was his first visit to Hell's Gate. 13th in the morning qualifying race he was in eighth position when he was withdrawn from the main event having fallen more than 40 minutes behind the race leader.
Andreas Lettenbichler: "The morning qualifying race went well for me. You always know coming to an event like Hell's Gate that it will be difficult, so there is no point in using more energy than you need to during the morning. I had some good special tests, I found some good lines, and the race went well. Finishing third behind Blazusiak and Jarvis was a great start to the event. But the morning race doesn't mean much once the main Hell's Gate race starts. Unfortunately the main race was too tough. Most of the riders I have spoken to said it was too hard. Having just two finishers isn't a good thing. But anyway, I had a good start and was looking forward to a good race. But there were sections where you couldn't ride your bike and had to wait for it to be pulled up with a rope. There was no option but to wait until you got pulled up. By the time you were at the top the riders ahead of you were along way ahead. I was fourth on the first lap and then moved forward one place. I knew that I was the third and last rider in the race as I started the third lap, it was hard to keep motivated when it's like this. I started the fourth lap in third position but because I was quite a long way behind the leaders the organisers pulled be out of the event. It's disappointing but knowing that I was third in the morning race, and was the third rider in the final is very positive."
Results - Hell's Gate '10
Morning Enduro (Stage 1)
1.Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 34.02:70; 2. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 34.30:22; 3. Andreas Lettenbichler (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 34.41.15; 4. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 36.19.70; 5. Cory Graffunder (Husqvarna) 36.40:89; 6. Xavi Galindo(Husaberg) 36.48:86; 7. Mikael Vukcevic (Sherco) 37.43:43; 8. Chris Birch (KTM) 38.11:54; 9. Daniele Maurino (Gas Gas)39.47:82; 10. Daniel Gibert (Sherco) 40:00.05... 13. Rudolf Pöschl (BMW) 40.23:44
Main Event (stage 2 - official finishers)
1. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 4 laps; 2. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 4 laps
