After more than two months of summer break, the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany returned to racing last Sunday. The MelzExdraehm in Meltewitz marked the penultimate round of the 2026 season and, at the same time, the beginning of the decisive weeks in the battle for the championship titles.
Meltewitz traditionally holds a special place on the HESG calendar. Instead of the usual format with a Prolog, two group races and a final, the riders faced one long main race following the ACE Bikes Prolog Award. A predetermined number of laps, an additional checkpoint and a maximum riding time of three hours required a completely different race strategy. In addition to speed, fitness, concentration and smart energy management were crucial.
The Prolog itself also had a new look this year. The course had been redesigned to be significantly more flowing and was more closely inspired by a SuperEnduro track. Instead of individual stop-and-go sections, the focus was more on rhythm, speed and clean line choice.
There were also some last-minute changes to the starting field. Matthis Millich, who would have arrived in Meltewitz third in the championship standings, was forced to withdraw at short notice after injuring his hand during training.
On the other hand, there was a prominent comeback: Milan Schmüser, last year's HESG Champion, returned to the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany for the first time since his injury. For Schmüser, the main objective was initially less about the result and more about gaining his first race experience after the long injury break.
Emil Kessler also returned to action. The PEM Energy HESG Talentpool rider had made a strong start to the season with two victories in the X-GRIP Junior class before an injury forced him to miss Kronach and the entire double-header weekend in Reisersberg. Another familiar name joined the field in Paul-Erik Huster. The reigning Enduro Wintercup Champion entered as a guest rider and had already shown in the past that he is capable of fighting for the leading positions in the HESG.
From a sporting perspective, most of the attention before the start was focused on Henry Strauss. With 140 points and a comfortable advantage over Leon Hentschel, the championship leader arrived in Meltewitz with his first opportunity to secure the 2026 HESG Championship title ahead of schedule.
Facts, MelzExdraehm Meltewitz 13.09.2026
Weather: 16 degrees, Cloudy
ACE Bikes Prolog Award Winner: Henry Strauss (KTM)
Winner: Leon Hentschel (Beta)
Champion Öl Fastest Lap: Henry Strauss (KTM), 16:22.053
Enduro-Friendly Conditions and an Early Benchmark from Strauss
The weather also played into the riders' hands in Meltewitz. Rain overnight had created almost ideal conditions. The newly designed Prolog in particular benefited from the moisture and remained completely dust-free. It stayed dry throughout the rest of the day, with pleasant temperatures of around 16 degrees Celsius providing excellent conditions for a long day of Hard Enduro racing.
At 10:00 a.m., championship leader Henry Strauss was the first rider to tackle the new Prolog. This also made him the first competitor to set a race time on the more flowing, SuperEnduro-inspired course. Strauss immediately found a good rhythm and set a strong benchmark of 1:44 minutes.
What nobody knew at that point was that his time would remain unbeaten. None of the riders who followed were able to knock Strauss off the top spot. He therefore secured the ACE Bikes Prolog Award, maximum points and another important championship point.
His championship advantage increased to 35 points before the main race. The situation was therefore clear: Strauss headed into the MelzExdraehm with an even more comfortable lead and had the chance to secure the title in his own hands.
Behind him, Leon Hentschel once again confirmed his role as Strauss' strongest challenger by finishing second. However, one of the most positive stories of the morning came from Milan Schmüser. In his first race back after the long injury break, the defending champion immediately found his way back to the front and finished a strong third, behind Strauss and Hentschel.
Hentschel Wins Three-Way Battle – Strauss Crowned Champion Early
At exactly 12:00 noon, the main race got underway in similarly dry and pleasant conditions. A total of 135 riders lined up for the unique Meltewitz challenge, starting in rows of four for the long race distance.
At the front, the expected battle between the favourites quickly developed. Henry Strauss initially managed to open a small gap over the rest of the field. However, by the second lap his advantage had disappeared. Leon Hentschel and Milan Schmüser caught the championship leader, and from then on a thrilling three-way battle developed, with the three leading riders changing positions several times.
The rock garden became the decisive key section. Over the long distance, it demanded a lot from the riders lap after lap, while also providing opportunities to make up valuable time. On the final lap, Hentschel seized his chance at exactly this point, launched the decisive attack and held the lead all the way to the finish.
It gave Leon Hentschel his second victory of the 2026 season.
For Henry Strauss, however, second place became the biggest success of the day. With the points collected from the Prolog and the main race, his championship advantage can no longer be overturned at the season finale in Schwepnitz in just under two weeks. At only 17 years of age, Strauss has therefore been crowned the 2026 AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany Champion ahead of the final round.
It is already Strauss' second overall HESG title after 2024 – achieved at the age of just 17.
Milan Schmüser completed the podium behind the two championship rivals. Although the defending champion officially handed over his title to Strauss, he could still be very satisfied with his comeback. After such a long injury break, immediately returning to a close battle for the race victory and finishing third overall marked a successful return to racing for Schmüser.
Kessler Returns with a Victory – Senior Title Remains Open
The second major comeback of the weekend was also a success. Emil Kessler picked up in the X-GRIP Junior class exactly where he had left off before his injury. After missing Kronach and Reisersberg, the PEM Energy HESG Talentpool rider made an impressive return and immediately claimed another class victory.
However, Kessler faced strong competition. Max Eppelmann confirmed his increasingly impressive form with an excellent second place. Championship leader Luca Kropitsch completed the Junior podium in third. The battle for the X-GRIP Junior title will therefore remain open until the season finale in Schwepnitz.
Things were less positive in the Senior class. Kai Uebe was able to claim the class victory based on the number of laps he had completed, but suffered an injury during the race. At present, it is expected that Uebe will also be unable to compete at the season finale in Schwepnitz.
This has added an unexpected twist to the Senior championship battle. Manuel Woesner now has another opportunity to fight for the title at the final round, meaning the decision will only be made in Schwepnitz.
In the Amateur class, Jakob Blazovich took another victory and collected further important championship points. In the Women's class, Julia Bittner continued her successful season with another class win.
In the electric HESG-E class, victory went to Arvid Meyer, who came out on top in Meltewitz's special long-distance race format.
Schwepnitz Finale – Entries Still Open
Following the decisions in Meltewitz, there is only a short break for the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany. The Isegrim Enduro in Schwepnitz on September 26 will already bring the 2026 season to its grand finale.
While Henry Strauss has already secured his second overall HESG title, several class championships remain undecided. Schwepnitz gains additional significance this year through its first inclusion in the Hard Enduro World Ranking. The Isegrim Enduro is classified as a Challenger Event, meaning riders can collect points not only for the final HESG standings of the season, but also for the international ranking.
Online registration for Schwepnitz is still open. Anyone wanting to take part in the final HESG race of the year and Schwepnitz's first World Ranking event can enter here:
https://www.hardenduro-germany.de/registration-isegrim-enduro-schwepnitz-26-09-2026/
After an exciting weekend in Meltewitz, everything is now set for the grand season finale. On September 26 at the Altes Tanklager, the riders will once again battle for the race victory, the remaining championship titles and, for the first time, points towards the Hard Enduro World Ranking.
Further Information
The latest information on the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany is available at any time on www.hardenduro-germany.de and via the series’ official social media channels.
Photos: Michel238pic/Michel Kuchel
