Just two weeks after the season opener, the second round of the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany took place on March 28, 2026, in Reetz.
In contrast to Neuhaus-Schierschnitz, riders were faced with a sandy surface, giving the race a completely different character. However, one thing remained the same: the difficult weather conditions. Once again, it was cold and wet, and from the second group race onwards, continuous drizzle set in.
Facts, Reetzer Hardenduro Reetz, 28.03.2026
Weather: 6 degress, rain
ACE Bikes Prolog Award Winner: Henry Strauss (KTM)
Winner: Henry Strauss (KTM)
Champion Öl Fastest Lap: Henry Strauss (KTM), 08:38,932
The initially dusty track quickly turned into a highly demanding course. Especially the artificial obstacles and the rock uphill section became increasingly difficult – something that would play a key role in the final.
Despite these conditions, more than 130 riders took part – a clear increase compared to last year. Once again, all top riders of the series were present, delivering exciting racing action throughout the day.
ACE Bikes Prolog Award Win for Henry Strauss
The ACE Bikes Prolog Award in Reetz turned out to be significantly faster than at the season opener – conditions that suited Henry Strauss perfectly.
Despite a few small mistakes, last year’s vice champion delivered a strong run. It quickly became clear that his time would be hard to beat. In the end, Strauss was around ten seconds faster than his main rival Leon Hentschel, securing the fastest time.
A surprise came from Raven Lippold, who claimed an impressive third place, earning a spot in the first group race and making an early statement.
Apart from that, there were no major surprises – the usual top riders secured the front positions for the group races.
Exciting group races under difficult conditions
The group races already delivered plenty of action – but also early setbacks.
In group race one, there was an early shock: Florian Geisenhofer, who had briefly taken the lead, crashed and injured his shoulder, ending his race prematurely.
At the front, Henry Strauss took control. The Prolog winner stayed calm and delivered a consistent performance, taking the win. A special feature in Reetz: the group races were run in the opposite direction of the final, adding an extra challenge.
The second group race, which also included the women’s classification, took place under even tougher conditions. The drizzle made the track increasingly slippery and demanding.
Leon Hentschel
At the front, Leon Hentschel delivered as expected. The series record holder took the win ahead of Matthis Millich and Emil Kessler, setting the stage for an exciting final.
In the women’s class, Julia Bittner took the win. After retiring in Neuhaus-Schierschnitz, the defending champion made a strong comeback with a solid Prolog and race victory, reclaiming the lead in the standings.
Julia Bittner
Final: Strauss fights back and levels the championship
The final started at 4:15 PM, once again under challenging conditions. After heavy rain during the break, the weather improved slightly, but the track remained extremely demanding.
All eyes were on the duel between Leon Hentschel and Henry Strauss. Hentschel entered the race with a three-point lead, after Strauss had already gained one point in the Prolog.
Hentschel initially took the lead in the opening lap, but Strauss was determined to take victory on one of his favorite tracks. He quickly moved into the lead and steadily increased his advantage.
Henry Strauss
Even the difficult conditions in the 24MX Action Zone, where the rocks had become extremely slippery, did not slow him down. Further back, however, riders struggled heavily, leading to traffic and delays.
Race control reacted quickly and rerouted riders in lap two to avoid the bottleneck, ensuring no unfair disadvantage in the fight for victory. From lap three, the section was reintroduced briefly, but after Max Eppelmann injured his hand there, it was removed again.
At the front, Henry Strauss remained in full control. Lap after lap, he maintained his pace and crossed the line after 54:30 minutes, resulting in two additional laps.
This development affected Eric Seifert’s strategy in particular, as he was unable to finish the race on his Stark Varg. In the HESG-E class, Peter Fakler therefore secured the win.
At the front, the order remained unchanged:
Henry Strauss took a dominant victory ahead of Leon Hentschel and Marc Wulf.
This result means Strauss and Hentschel are now tied on points heading into the longer break before the next round on May 30 in Kronach.
Henry Strauss:
“It was a really fun race today. I didn’t get into the final perfectly at the beginning, but from lap three onwards everything worked really well. I’m already looking forward to Kronach on May 30.”
Behind the podium, Matthis Millich finished fourth and Felix Bopp fifth – also reflecting the Pro class results.
Emil Kessler finished sixth overall, securing another win in the Junior class.
Emil Kessler
In the Senior class, Kai Uebe took victory ahead of Manuel Woessner.
The Amateur class was once again won by Jakob Blazovich, ahead of Lukas Lichter and Davy Aarts.
Positive feedback and outlook for Kronach
The series organization was also highly satisfied with the race day in Reetz. Despite the tough conditions, the event once again delivered exciting racing and intense battles.
Denis Günther (Series Management):
“We once again saw a very exciting race day with many great battles. The MSC Burg Eisenhardt prepared an excellent track, especially considering the short preparation time due to the Enduro Wintercup and forestry work in the forest section – a big thank you for that.
Unfortunately, there were fewer spectators this time, but that was certainly due to the weather. Now we have a longer break until May 30, when we head to a new track in Kronach for the 49th race in the history of the series.”
Current information about the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany is always available at
www.hardenduro-germany.de and on the official social media channels.
Photos: Michel238pic/Michel Kuchel