HEPR 26: Jozsa Norbert Levente wins the race on the final day, Maria Grigoraș makes history in Hobby

Hard Enduro Poiana Ruscă 2026 came to an end after a tough, wet and demanding weekend, exactly as we have come to expect from one of the hardest rounds of the National Hard Enduro Championship.

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The rain, mud and difficult climbs seriously tested the riders, and the finish of the PRO class was spectacular: Jozsa Norbert Levente won the race on the final day, ahead of David Cyprian, after a decisive comeback on Sunday’s wet track.

Norbi turns the race around on the final day

After the first two days, David Cyprian was in front. The Slovak rider had won the prologue and day two, while Norbi had to push hard to stay close. The difference was made in Day 3, where Jozsa was much faster and recovered the lost time, winning in the end by only 45 seconds.

The final PRO standings had Jozsa Norbert Levente in first place, with a total time of 8:51:52, followed by David Cyprian in 8:52:37 and Ott Kornel Jun. in third, with 9:22:56. The top five was completed by Cezar Nicolae Șulea and Zsolt Varga.

After the race, Norbi told us:

“On Saturday I stayed glued to David until 70% of the track. I hit my left foot on a rock hidden in the grass and I thought I had broken myself, I wanted to abandon. Then I came back and somehow finished the day. Today it was much wetter and we couldn’t make the muddy climbs, but I was stronger at pushing and that is where I gained time over David.”

Ott Kornel, the fastest on the final day

Even if the fight for victory was between Jozsa and Cyprian, Ott Kornel Jun. showed a very strong pace on the final day. His time of 3:04:08 in Day 3 was the best of the PRO class, but day two, where he lost a lot of time, kept him in third overall.

It was another race where the young riders put serious pressure on the leaders, but Norbi’s experience and physical strength in the muddy conditions decided the victory.

Expert: David Ignat wins with authority

In Expert, the victory went to David Ioan Ignat, from Master Bike Cluj, with a total time of 7:47:13. He had a clear advantage over Eduard Vlad Petcu, who finished second, 20 minutes and 35 seconds behind, while Mădălin Mihai Chelcea completed the podium.

The top five in Expert was completed by David Mihai Rusanescu and David Pop, in a class where Master Bike Cluj was once again very well represented.

Veterans: Tomasz Gagat wins, Bart Stroișteanu climbs onto the podium

In Veterans, the victory went to Tomasz Marcin Gagat, with a total time of 9:12:52, followed very closely by Paul Cristian Harpa, only 1 minute and 25 seconds behind. Bart Stroișteanu, from Master Bike Cluj, completed the podium in third place, with 9:23:16.

Bart once again had a solid race, on a track that demanded a lot of experience, endurance and good effort management.

Maria Grigoraș makes history in Hobby

One of the most important performances of the weekend came from Maria Grigoraș. The Master Bike Cluj rider climbed onto the podium of the Hobby class, becoming the first girl from Romania to achieve this unique performance.

Maria competed in a class with 83 male riders, of which 34 abandoned, during a rainy weekend and in an extremely tough race. Her result is even more impressive as she finished 3rd overall in Hobby, with a total time of 6:04:09.

In Hobby, the victory went to Marin Bogdan Buțiu, followed by Florin Vasile Pop, while the podium was completed by Maria Grigoraș.

Girls: Mihaela Ioniță wins the class

In the Girls class, Mihaela Isabela Ioniță, also from Master Bike Cluj, managed to take the race to the finish and won with a total time of 12:20:37, in a category where the other female riders were unable to reach the finish.

A race decided by mud, strength and survival

Hard Enduro Poiana Ruscă 2026 was the kind of race where being fast was not enough. You had to stay in one piece, push when the climbs no longer worked, overcome problems and find resources on the final day.

And in 2026, the PRO victory was decided exactly there: in the mud, while pushing, on the final day. Jozsa Norbert Levente leaves Poiana Ruscă with a victory fought for until the very last metre, while Maria Grigoraș remains one of the biggest stories of the weekend.

Foto: FRM.ro – Marius Dinca

Source: FRM.ro