Billy Bolt continued his flawless start to the 2026 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship with another commanding overall victory at round three in Bilbao, Spain, while Jonny Walker once again emerged as his closest challenger as the series reached its halfway point inside the tight confines of the Bizkaia Arena.
RBolt was untouchable across the night, claiming maximum points for the third consecutive round and stretching his championship advantage to a commanding 40 points after three of seven rounds. From the outset, the reigning champion looked immediately at home on what was one of the most technical and compact tracks of the season, topping timed practice before backing it up with a flawless SuperPole lap to grab pole position and three crucial bonus points.
Prestige Race One saw Bolt emerge from the opening lap in second place, quickly locking onto the rear wheel of the early leader in an intense bar-to-bar scrap on the narrow circuit. When a small mistake opened the door, Bolt pounced decisively, taking over at the front and steadily pulling clear to secure the win by a dominant 16-second margin. Reflecting on the night as a whole, Bolt explained that the Bilbao circuit posed a unique challenge, saying, “The track was extremely difficult and quite different to what we’re used to, which made it a challenging evening for everyone.”
Behind him, Walker launched strongly and briefly controlled the race from the front before a mid-race crash dropped him back into second. Despite a couple of further mistakes making it difficult to rejoin the fight for the win, the Brit regrouped to secure second place at the chequered flag, banking valuable points on a night where consistency proved critical.
Billy Bolt delivered a flawless night in Bilbao, sweeping all three Prestige races and SuperPole to extend his unbeaten 2026 SuperEnduro run and open a commanding 40-point championship lead. Photo: Future7Media
The reverse-grid format for Prestige Race Two forced Bolt to start from the second row, prompting a measured approach as early-race chaos unfolded ahead of him. Calm and composed, he worked his way into second place by mid-race before engaging in another tense fight for the lead. With just two minutes remaining, Bolt applied pressure and executed a decisive pass, riding clear once more to take his second victory of the night. Bolt said that even when things weren’t clicking perfectly, he relied on discipline and trust in the process, explaining, “Even when things didn’t feel perfect out on track, I knew the pace was there, so I stayed calm, focused on my strengths, and trusted the process.”
Walker again featured prominently at the front, slicing through the field from the reverse-grid start to briefly hold the lead during a multi-lap battle. Ultimately, he was forced to settle for second once more, comfortably clear of third place and continuing a run of consistent results that have underpinned his position in the championship standings.
Jonny Walker showed consistency and front-running pace on a demanding Bilbao circuit, claiming second place in all three Prestige races to secure his third straight runner-up overall and cement second in the championship standings. Photo: Future7Media
Prestige Race Three followed a familiar script. Bolt launched cleanly into second and immediately set about hunting down the leader, Walker, making confident moves through the opening lap. When an error from Walker ahead presented an opportunity, Bolt seized control and never looked back, settling into a smooth rhythm and opening up another 16-second winning margin to complete a perfect night. Summing up the evening, Bolt praised the work done behind the scenes, noting, “We had to make a few adjustments as the night went on, but the team did a great job, and we worked through everything well. Overall, I’m pleased with my riding and how everything is coming together,” before adding that the atmosphere inside the Bizkaia Arena was “amazing” and the support “incredible once again.”
Walker once again grabbed the holeshot in the final race and led early, but a small mistake in the rocks briefly halted his momentum and allowed Bolt through. From there, Walker focused on damage limitation, maintaining second place to complete a consistent night of racing. He acknowledged the challenge of the Bilbao round, saying, “Round three in Bilbao was challenging, but I’m happy to finish second again. The track was tough, and I had to work hard, but we had some strong starts and good battles throughout the night.”
The Brit also highlighted the positives as the series heads toward Budapest, noting, “We’re a long way from third, which is a positive, and I feel like with a bit more fitness and fine-tuning, we can close the gap to the lead. I’m confident for the next round and looking forward to battling for the win.”
Behind the leading duo, Mitch Brightmore delivered another solid showing to claim third, finishing on the podium in all three races and maintaining third place in the championship standings. Eddie Karlsson showed flashes of speed for Stark Future to secure fourth overall despite mixed race results, while Josep Garcia rounded out the top five overall for KTM after a steady night on a demanding circuit.
The Bilbao round saw Billy Bolt (C) take a commanding win, Jonny Walker (L) secure a solid second, and Mitch Brightmore (R) complete the podium, highlighting the top three as the riders to watch in the 2026 SuperEnduro title chase
Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 8:23PM 
