The summer break is over. After more than two months without racing, the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany enters the decisive phase of the 2026 season this coming weekend. On Sunday, September 13, the penultimate round of the season awaits in Meltewitz – and the first major championship titles could already be decided.
Following the historic anniversary weekend in Reisersberg at the end of June, the riders will finally meet again under race conditions. Meltewitz traditionally stands out on the HESG calendar. Instead of the familiar format featuring a Prolog, two group races and a final, the field faces a long main race with a checkpoint and a predetermined number of laps.
Several interesting names are also returning to the starting field. In particular, the comeback of Emil Kessler could add even more excitement to the X-GRIP Junior class.
Meltewitz Requires a Different Strategy
Race day begins with the ACE Bikes Prolog Award. There is already something new for 2026: the Prolog has been redesigned for this year's event and is intended to be significantly more flowing. The new layout is more closely inspired by the character of a SuperEnduro track, where rhythm, speed and clean line choice will be crucial.
The Prolog result will also determine the starting order for the subsequent main race.
After that, Meltewitz differs considerably from the other HESG rounds. There are no group races and no separate final. Instead, all participants compete in one main race in which they must complete a predetermined number of laps. In addition, a checkpoint is integrated into the course.
The riders have a maximum of three hours to complete all the required laps. This means that outright speed alone will not be enough. Fitness, concentration and sensible management of energy over the long distance will play an equally important role.
This is precisely what gives Meltewitz its unique character. Anyone aiming for success here must not only master the difficult sections, but also remain as consistent and error-free as possible over a long period of time.
Can Henry Strauss Already Secure the Title?
A great deal of attention this weekend will be focused on the top of the championship standings. Henry Strauss arrives in Meltewitz as the overall championship leader and has the opportunity to secure the biggest achievement of his HESG season so far even before the finale in Schwepnitz.
Strauss leads the overall standings with 140 points. Leon Hentschel follows with 106 points, while Matthis Millich sits third with 81 points. After Meltewitz, a maximum of 30 points will still be available at the season finale in Schwepnitz.
The calculation for Strauss is therefore clear: if he leaves Meltewitz with a lead of more than 30 points, he will already be crowned the 2026 HESG Champion.
With four victories this season and most recently a perfect Enduro Sprint in Reisersberg, where Strauss won all six special tests, he heads into the penultimate round in an excellent position. However, Meltewitz has often shown that anything can happen over such a long race distance.
Henry Strauss
First Champions Could Also Be Crowned in the Classes
The overall championship is not the only title that could be decided on Sunday.
In the Amateur class, Jakob Blazovich has the chance to secure his title early. He leads the standings with 122 points ahead of Pascal Kaupa on 103. With a maximum of 25 points still available in the class after Meltewitz, Blazovich needs to leave the race with a lead of more than 25 points to be confirmed as champion before the finale.
The situation is similarly exciting in the Senior class. Kai Uebe leads with 122 points ahead of Manuel Woesner on 113. Uebe can also wrap up the championship in Meltewitz, but he will need to extend his current advantage accordingly.
The penultimate round of the season could therefore already produce several 2026 AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany champions. In the other classes, however, the decisions are likely to go down to the grand finale in Schwepnitz two weeks later.
Emil Kessler Returns After Injury Break
The X-GRIP Junior class will be particularly interesting to watch. Emil Kessler, one of the standout young riders from the opening races of the season, is making his return.
Kessler made an excellent start to the year and already celebrated two victories in the X-GRIP Junior class. His momentum was then stopped by an injury. The PEM Energy HESG Talentpool rider was forced to miss both the race in Kronach and the double-header weekend in Reisersberg.
Emil Kessler
After his long break, Kessler will now return to the start line in Meltewitz. Although the missed races have made his championship situation considerably more difficult, his comeback will be particularly interesting from a sporting perspective. His two class victories have already shown that he is capable of fighting for the Junior win.
After such a long break from racing, it will be exciting to see how quickly Kessler can return to the form he showed at the beginning of the season.
Paul-Erik Huster Returns to the HESG
Another familiar name appears on the entry list as a guest rider. Paul-Erik Huster returns to the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany for Meltewitz.
Huster is no stranger to the series. In the past, he has already achieved a top-three result in the HESG and brings plenty of experience with him. He is also the reigning Enduro Wintercup Champion.
As a guest rider, Huster will not play a role in the HESG championship standings, but he could certainly have an impact on the battle for the top positions on race day. The long race format in Meltewitz could particularly suit the experienced Enduro rider and will provide another interesting comparison with the current leading riders in the series.
Compact Schedule with Action from 10:00 a.m.
Race day in Meltewitz begins on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. with the ACE Bikes Prolog Award. On the newly redesigned and more flowing course, the riders will race against the clock for the Prolog victory while also fighting for the best possible starting position for the main race.
From 11:00 a.m., attention will turn to the supporting programme. The autograph session with riders from the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany will take place in the Motorrad.Versicherung HESG Village. At the same time, the Stark Reverse Challenge will provide additional action and entertainment ahead of the main race.
At 12:00 noon, the MelzExdraehm 2026 main race finally gets underway. The field will then face the unique Meltewitz challenge with a predetermined number of laps, a checkpoint and a maximum riding time of three hours.
Spectators can therefore look forward to a compact day of racing, from the new Prolog and the side events in the Motorrad.Versicherung HESG Village to the long and demanding main race.
The Decisive Weeks Begin
Meltewitz marks the beginning of the final stretch of the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany season. After this race, less than two weeks will remain before the grand finale takes place at the Isegrim Enduro in Schwepnitz on September 26.
There, the riders will not only compete for the final HESG points of the year. In 2026, the Isegrim Enduro will also be part of the Hard Enduro World Ranking for the first time.
For now, however, all attention turns to Meltewitz. A new Prolog, a main race lasting up to three hours with a checkpoint, notable returning riders and potentially the first championship decisions promise an exciting return to racing after the summer break.
On Sunday, we will find out who has made the best use of the long break – and who may already travel to the grand finale in Schwepnitz with a championship title secured.
Current information about the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany is always available at www.hardenduro-germany.de and on the series' social media channels.
Photos: Michel238pic/Michel Kuchel