Billy Bolt holds off Jonny Walker for Bilbao SuperEnduro victory

Bolt fends off Walker for another SuperEnduro win in Bilbao

Billy Bolt continued his unstoppable run in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, claiming a hard-fought victory at round three inside the Bizkaia Arena in Bilbao. Pushed to the limit by a determined Jonny Walker, Bolt once again delivered a perfect night indoors, while Mitch Brightmore powered through injury to secure a heroic third overall.

Bilbao delivered from the very first lap. The tight, punishing track inside the Bizkaia Arena proved unlike anything seen in the opening rounds, with grabby soil, deep ruts, slick logs, and virtually no place to rest. Riders were forced into mistakes, and survival became just as important as outright speed.

Practice drama for Brightmore

One of the biggest moments of the night came before racing even began. During practice, Mitch Brightmore suffered a heavy crash, landing awkwardly on the concrete at the edge of the track and dislocating his shoulder. The X-Grip Racing rider looked set for a painful exit, but after rapid work from a physio in the pit area, Brightmore somehow made it to the start line — a decision that would later define the night.

SuperPole: Bolt delivers when it matters

SuperPole brought the Spanish crowd to life. Josep Garcia lit up the arena with an aggressive lap, before Eddie Karlsson briefly raised the bar. Walker then went two seconds faster with his cleanest SuperPole of the season.

But once again, Bolt saved his best for last. The Husqvarna rider laid down a 34.7-second lap, snatching fastest time and first gate pick.

Race one: Walker strikes first, Bolt responds

Walker launched perfectly to grab the holeshot and immediately set a fierce pace. Defending aggressively, he kept Bolt at bay for much of the race, but a small front-end tuck proved costly. Bolt slipped through with ease and controlled the closing laps to take the opening win.

Behind them, a wild scrap for third unfolded between Karlsson, Garcia, Tim Apolle, Diogo Vieira, Brightmore, and even track designer Alfredo Gomez. Karlsson emerged strongest, securing third as the only rider not to be lapped by Bolt.

Race two: chaos, patience, and power

Race two’s reverse grid produced instant drama. Brightmore nailed the holeshot, with Harry Edmondson and Dominik Olszowy close behind. Bolt, meanwhile, was buried deep in the pack after a pile-up in the opening rock section.

By lap three, Walker had taken the lead — but Bolt was coming. Lap by lap, the Husqvarna rider looked stronger, waited for the moment, and forced a decisive inside pass to claim another victory. Walker settled for second once more, while a clearly hurting Brightmore held on for a crucial third.

Race three: pressure breaks again

Walker repeated his strong start in the final race, leading early and defending hard as Bolt closed in. The pressure was relentless. Eventually, Walker caught a bad line through the rocks, and Bolt needed no second invitation — sailing past and disappearing into the distance for a third straight race win.

It wasn’t a collapse from Walker — far from it. He pushed Bolt harder than anyone this season. But once again, Bolt’s lines, balance, and precision proved the difference.

Brightmore’s grit steals the spotlight

Perhaps the defining story of the night was Mitch Brightmore. Racing just hours after dislocating his shoulder, the Brit delivered a 4-3-3 scorecard, earning his first podium of the season.

In the brutal intensity of SuperEnduro, it was a performance built purely on grit.

Garcia battles through tough home round

For Josep Garcia, Bilbao was a challenge. On a track that leaned heavily toward trial-style precision, the EnduroGP champion struggled to find rhythm. Despite solid starts and flashes of speed, mistakes and a broken gear lever in race three left him fighting damage limitation.

Garcia finished fifth overall, still an impressive result in only his third SuperEnduro race, while teammate Manuel Lettenbichler was forced to miss the event due to a finger injury.

Championship picture after round three

With another SuperPole win and three race victories, Billy Bolt leaves Bilbao unbeaten and now holds a 40-point championship lead after three of seven rounds. The series resumes in Budapest on January 31.

Rider reactions

Billy Bolt:

“The track was extremely difficult and very different to what we’re used to. Even when things didn’t feel perfect, I trusted the process. Jonny pushed me hard again, but once we found the rhythm, everything came together. The atmosphere here was unreal.”

Josep Garcia:

“It wasn’t my best day. The track was very trial-style, and I made too many mistakes. Still, P5 overall in my third SuperEnduro race is something I’m proud of. The crowd was amazing — I hope to be back.”

Zona Enduro verdict

Walker is riding at his absolute limit. Brightmore is racing through pain. And Billy Bolt? He’s still flawless.

Three rounds. Three perfect nights. If Bilbao showed anything, it’s that Bolt can be beaten — but only if someone rides the race of their life and he makes a mistake. So far in 2026, that hasn’t happened.