Mario Roman Steals the Show at the final 24MX Alestrem HillClimb

Plews Tyres Riders Battle Through AlesTrem Chaos as Hard Enduro World Championship Begins

The 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship got underway at AlesTrem Hard Enduro in France, and the opening round delivered a full mix of conditions — from hot, dry and dusty action in the early stages to cold, wet and slippery madness in the main race.

Plews Tyres had a strong group of supported riders on the line, including Mario Roman, Matthew Green, James Moore, Will Hoare, Toby Shaw, Francesc Moret, Marc Fernandez, and Radford Chugg.

Strong start in the Xtrem Test

Friday’s Xtrem Test gave riders their first chance to lay down a marker. Among the Plews-supported riders, Mario Roman led the way with fourth place, followed by Will Hoare in ninth, Francesc Moret in 10th, James Moore in 12th, Toby Shaw in 14th, Marc Fernandez in 15th, Matthew Green in 19th, and Radford Chugg in 34th.

Prologue decides the grid

Saturday’s Prologue determined the starting positions for the main race, with riders battling through heats until only 20 remained for the first two rows.

Plews riders again showed good pace, with Will Hoare finishing seventh and Toby Shaw right behind in eighth. Marc Fernandez placed 12th, James Moore was 13th, Matthew Green finished 17th, Francesc Moret took 18th, and Mario Roman ended up 20th.

Roman climbs to second in the main race

Sunday’s main event was a brutal four-hour race over three laps, with the course getting harder as the event went on. Riders began on the green line, moved onto two blue lines, and finished with a final technical hill climb.

Then the weather changed everything.

Heavy rain hit mid-race, forcing organisers to adapt the track quickly as conditions turned slick and unpredictable. In that chaos, Mario Roman delivered one of the standout rides of the day. Starting from the second row in 20th, the Spaniard fought forward and pulled off a stunning move on the final hill, passing Teodor Kabakchiev to take second place at the finish.

Mario admitted it had not been the easiest weekend, but was proud of the result. He also explained that tyre choice became critical. The team started with a harder compound for the first two laps, then changed the whole rear wheel once the rain turned the course into a skating rink. With PLEWS Tough One Super Soft EXTREME, grip improved dramatically — something that showed clearly on the final hill, where Roman was one of the few riders able to clear it.

Green recovers for a top-10 finish

Matthew Green also ended the weekend on a high, bringing his bike home in eighth place. After a rough start to the event with several crashes and falls during the Xtrem Test and Prologue, Green pulled things together for the main race and pushed through some of the most technical and slippery sections of the weekend.

Strong standings in Junior and Youth

Looking at the championship picture after round one, Plews also has reason to be pleased in the support categories.

In the Junior Championship, James Moore sits second and Toby Shaw is third.

In the Youth category, Damon Garrell leads the standings, with Kyle Gianotti in third.

A brutal opener sets the tone

Only 10 riders made it to the finish before the time bar, with all other positions decided by the last completed checkpoint — a clear sign of just how demanding AlesTrem really was.

For Plews Tyres, it was a strong and visible start to the season, not only through its riders’ performances but also as the official tyre sponsor of the championship, supporting the paddock with world-class tyres and a hospitality zone for spectators.

Mario Roman’s Statement after the 24MX Alestrem Results.

Next up is Extreme Lagares in Portugal, coming in just two weeks.