Teodor Kabakchiev has won the Roof of Africa, Round 6 of the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, after three days of racing in Lesotho's Maloti Mountains. The Sherco Factory rider led from the start of Saturday's Final Ascent and held on to the overnight lead he built on Day 2. His combined time of 9:59:46.2 made him the only rider to finish in under ten hours. It is his first round win of the 2026 season, and a well-deserved reward after setbacks in past campaigns.
Kabakchiev Holds His Nerve
The Gold Class race on Saturday was two fast laps of a 38km hard enduro course with multiple checkpoints. Kabakchiev set off at the front and never let his closest rivals claw back time. His 3:44:37.0 was the second-fastest time of the day and gave him overall victory by 2:46.9. Over the week he was fourth in Thursday's time trial, won Friday's 110km Big Loop and was runner-up on the final day. That consistency is what the Roof rewards.
One Tenth of a Second
Behind him was one of the closest finishes the Roof has seen. Manuel Lettenbichler started the day 38 seconds behind Wade Young on combined time. The championship leader beat Young by 38.4 seconds on the Final Ascent and took second overall by one tenth of a second: 10:02:33.1 to 10:02:33.2.
That means Young will have to wait for a record-breaking tenth Roof win. The nine-time winner still finished on the podium, back in the race after missing 2025 through injury. Lettenbichler is still looking for his first win in Lesotho, but second place adds to his title bid. Matthew Green completed a strong week in fourth.
Moore's Charge
The ride of the day belonged to James Moore. The defending Roof champion won Thursday's time trial, then a mechanical problem on Day 2 cost him more than 44 minutes and dropped him to 11th overall. On Saturday he was untouchable. His 3:39:25.8 was the fastest time of the day by 5:11.1, and he climbed through the field to finish fifth overall.
The result also gives Moore the Junior class win in Lesotho, ahead of Thomas Scales, sixth overall, and Luke John Walker, seventh. Junior championship leader Ashton Brightmore bounced back to fifth on the day and ninth overall. His brother Mitch, second in the championship, finished tenth.
Built for the Mother of Hard Enduro
Three days of rock, river crossings and altitude above 3,000m test the machinery as hard as the riders. Moore's comeback was on Plews Tyres, the official championship partner whose riders include the Brightmore brothers. Kabakchiev's winning Sherco comes from a factory that Factory Links supplies with its bearing and seal kits, which are built for mud and water. S3 Parts makes the protection and control parts that take this kind of punishment.
Next Stop: Sea to Sky
Results are unofficial until the protest period ends. Lettenbichler was second and Mitch Brightmore tenth, so the German goes to Round 7 with a bigger championship lead. Kabakchiev's win also closes the gap in the fight for second. Billy Bolt missed Lesotho after knee surgery and will be assessed before the next round.
The championship now heads to Sea to Sky in Kemer, Türkiye, on 8–10 October. The season finale is the 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro in Spain on 23–25 October. Follow the title race on the official HEWC standings.