Xross Hard Enduro: Day 1 Prologue sees maiden win for Mitch Brightmore

Mitch Brightmore takes a maiden overall Hard Enduro World Championship prologue victory on day one of the Xross Hard Enduro in Serbia, beating his brother Ashton into second as the two HEWC Junior riders make history together on the podium with Teo Kabakchiev third.

It should come as no surprise that Mitch Brightmore bagged a prologue win on the opening day of the 2024 Xross Hard Enduro. The TTR Squadra Corse rider has prologue podiums and a Junior SuperEnduro world title to his credit but, more importantly, has been threatening to shake up the established order in the Hard Enduro World Championship for a while.

Round three of the 2024 HEWC season, day one in fact saw both the Brightmore brothers excelling on the man-made obstacles, topping qualifying and then going on to bag a one-two tonight in the multi-lap prologue finals – the two British brothers and teammates finishing just to seconds apart at the flag.

Check video highlights here: Xross Hard Enduro: Prologue Highlights – Brightmore Bros Boss It

Third on the podium went to Sherco Racing’s Teo Kabakchiev getting the better of the battling with Alfredo Gomez on the Rieju with Mario Roman completing the top five.

This is, as ever, just the opening test of four days racing where HEWC points are awarded to the podium finishers and start order is determined for the main race. Day two promises plenty of hard slog in the Serbian mountains beginning at 8am tomorrow, the first of three GPS/check point-style race days.

Xross Hard Enduro Prologue finals result, Pro class:

1.          11 - Brightmore, Mitch           8laps        06:53,48

2.          36 - Brightmore, Ashton         8               06:55,68          +2.20

3.          2 - Kabakchiev, Teodor           8               07:05,90          +12.42

4.          5 - Gomez Cantero, Alfredo    8              07:06,82          +13.34

5.          1 - Román, Mario                    8                07:19,70          +26.22

6.          14 - Young, Wade                   8                07:26,30          +32.82

7.          4 - Jarvis, Graham                   8               07:31,39          +37.91

8.          38 - Sella, Suff                         8               07:32,20          +38.72

9.          35 - Riba Lazaro, Marc            8             07:37,99          +44.51

10.        55 - Allen, James                     8             07:39,29          +45.81

11.        6 - Cyprián, David                   8               07:42,08          +48.60

12.        32 - Moore, James                  8              07:43,37          +49.89

13.        12 - Rudolf, Dieter                  8               07:44,77          +51.29

14.        52 - Moret Clota, Francesc     8             07:58,30          +1:04.82

15.        48 - Crayston, Burts                7              07:28,95          -1 LAP

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi