Husqvarna Factory Team all-set for WESS Season

Following months of preparation, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will kick off their participation in the multi-discipline World Enduro Super Series on May 11 in Portugal. Featuring an exciting mix of highly experienced and up and coming riders, at the season opening Extreme XL Lagares event the team will be represented by Graham Jarvis, Colton Haaker and Billy Bolt.

Spearheading the team’s efforts in this new series is Graham Jarvis. A three-time winner at Erzberg and Lagares and the holder of a record six victories at Romaniacs, the highly-experienced Brit will be a force to be reckoned with in 2018. In his quest for a place on the WESS podium Jarvis will be joined by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker, with the two-time FIM SuperEnduro World Champion also looking forward for the 2018 WESS challenge.

Fresh from a solid season of indoor enduro competition, 2018 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship runner-up Billy Bolt is set to demonstrate his technique and rapidly improving speed in the new WESS season. Working hard to return to full fitness following knee surgery, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Alfredo Gomez will join the team later in the year.

Graham Jarvis: “It’s great to set out for a new challenge this season. The WESS championship will give us the chance to participate in new events and I’m looking forward to that. With it being a championship it attracts more racers and makes it all more interesting for the fans. It’s definitely good for the sport. Mixing extreme with traditional enduro and beach races, it also gives the chance for a wide range of riders to show their skills. I want to do my best in each and every round of the WESS. Knowing that different riders could possibly do well in some events also makes the new series more interesting. Winning the overall WESS title is my goal. My plan is to get some good points in the extreme races and then do the best I can in the remainder of the series.”

Colton Haaker: “The WESS is a great opportunity to race all these exciting events and I’m looking forward to it. It’s the chance to meet racers from all parts of the world and race some of the most popular events out there. Trying to consistently get good results at events that are so varied will be challenge but I’m looking forward to it. I see the WESS as a new step in my career and as something that will help me switch up and become better. This new series will be a good chance to learn new stuff and re-energise myself. I’ve always been a big fan of traditional enduro events and the big beach races and I’m glad I’ll have the opportunity to go race some of them. I’ve raced Erzberg in the past but now the goal is to finish even higher in the results. I think Megawatt is going to be a unique event. I’ve watched loads of videos and the terrain and conditions in Poland seem like mega fun. Romaniacs is a whole new challenge and I’m looking forward to the five-day racing format. I’m happy to be in the position where I’m at now and can’t wait for the season to begin.”

Billy Bolt: “Coming off a great season of racing indoors, I really can’t wait for the 2018 WESS to start. The greatest challenge will be to remain consistent, but I’ve shown this winter I can do that. Learning and getting better always remains my goal, but consistently fighting for good overall results at the WESS is where my focus is set now. I’m all for meeting new people and racing in exciting new places. I’ve done a lot of work in the last six months to improve my riding technique and speed and I believe it’s going to pay off. Alongside the traditional extreme enduro events like Lagares, Erzberg or Romaniacs, I’m looking forward to showing my speed at the Trèfle in France, or at the season ending Knock Out in The Netherlands.”

Alfredo Gomez: “It’s all going well with my recovery and I can’t wait to get back on my Husqvarna. Following my surgery in early March I’ve been doing my best to get back the strength needed in my knee. It’s been a long couple of months but I want to give my body the time needed to be 100% fit again. At this moment, we can’t make definite plans for my return to racing. If it all goes well, I’d really like to line-up for the Prologue at Erzberg in the beginning of June. We have a strong team for the new WESS series and I can’t wait to be back racing alongside my teammates soon.”

Andreas Hölzl – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “The whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team are excited for this coming season of WESS competition. We know it’s going to be a challenge to provide our riders with the best possible machinery for a varied mix of events, but we are more than ready for this challenge. Based on our experience, we’ve come up with a series of base settings and we will continue working hard to perfect these settings during the season. As for our riders, Billy Bolt is one of the best rookies in both extreme and fast enduro sections and a rider to watch this season. For Graham Jarvis, there’s not much left to say for the King of extreme enduro. Graham will be the rider to beat in the big hard enduro events. It’s also a huge pleasure to have Colton Haaker in our team. With a huge following in the US, we believe Colton is the perfect ambassador of our sport for all American Husqvarna fans. Last but not least, Alfredo Gomez is working hard to be 100% fit and we expect to have him back racing with us soon.” (source: rockstar husqvarna factory racing)

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photos (c) Marcin Kin