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Today, the 30th edition of the legendary Red Bull Erzbergrodeo opened its doors and it will once again be full throttle in all areas. And all this for a full four days with an absolute off-road festival atmosphere. Of course, the Stark Factory Team will also be there, which will immediately be at the start with four factory drivers.
STARK Factory Team goes Erzberg
1. Eddie Karlsson (SWE/#21)
‚The Erzberg is the ultimate test in Hard Enduro, and being here on the Stark VARG EX is something I’ve been working towards for a long time. I know what this bike can do in extreme terrain. Now I want to show it to the world.‘
2. Toby Martyn (GBR/#45)
‚The Erzberg is one of those races that gets under your skin. The terrain, the atmosphere, the challenge. There is nothing like it. If I come here with the Stark VARG EX, I really believe that we will leave our mark and show what we are capable of.‘
3. Cooper Abbott (USA/#65)
‚Driving the Stark VARG EX in the world’s most prestigious off-road race is a dream come true. I’ve competed against the Erzberg before and always had the dream of coming back. Therefore, it is not only an honour for me to be part of the Starks factory team at its first official appearance at Erzberg, but a dream come true. I hope to defeat the Iron Giant in my first year at VARG EX!‘
4. Sebastien Tortelli (FRA/#59)
‚The Erzberg is mystical, I’ve been following the race for years, but to actually be here is incredible. Thursday and Friday will be the focus of the fun along with the incredible atmosphere at the Rocket Ride and Prologues. I will be working with our athletes throughout the weekend to help them perform at their best. The Iron Giant is really a test of mentality, machine and stamina…‘
Among the 43 electric bike participants, the Stark Future brand plays the leading role: more than 90% of the participants start on a Stark VARG. With Eddie Karlsson (SWE), Toby Martin (UK), Cooper Abbott (USA) and Sebastien Tortelli (FRA, 2-time MX World Champion), the innovative manufacturer from Barcelona will be fielding top-class drivers.
Schedule 30th Erzbergrodeo 2026
However, it should not be forgotten that the Erzbergrodeo is not part of the official FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. However, at this event as part of the Hard Enduro World Ranking (HEWR), maximum points can be collected in the fight for the $ 100,000 prize money at the end of the season. After all, there are more than 1100 riders at the start, who will give each other the edge in the 15-kilometer Iron Road Prologue on Friday and Saturday. The best 500 riders from the two days of racing will then be allowed to start at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on Sunday.
But that was not all, because various activities are still going on in the background, such as the possibility of a wildcard for the final through the Trail Extreme Challenge. On the rugged obstacle course in the middle of the Milwaukee Action Arena, more than 100 riders will compete on identical GASGAS Trials bikes on Friday and Saturday for a wildcard spot on the first row of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo grid on Sunday. In the super final on Saturday evening, intense race action awaits the fans.
With the approval of electric motorcycles in all disciplines, the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is once again taking a step into the future. ‚We had already held a side event in the arena many years ago on the all-electric KTM Freeride-E models and I really enjoy riding electrically myself. In the last two years, Stark Future has emerged as an interesting alternative for use in hard enduro sport. Personally, I see great potential for the future and that’s why we wanted to open the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo to electric motorcycles. The number of registrations proves us right and with RHK Energy Solutions we have found the perfect partner for the provision of the charging infrastructure. This year there will be a central charging station from RHK for all participants on electric motorcycles!‘ says Karl Katoch, describing the innovation.
REMUS Rocket Ride
Since 2009, the spectacular steep slope race has provided massive action on the first day of the event and has long since become one of the crowd hits at the Erzberg. In 2026, almost 300 drivers will once again take up the challenge of mastering the race course, which consists of four mighty steep slopes, in the best time. From 8:00 p.m., the fastest 48 participants from the qualification for the title of REMUS Rocket Ride Champions 2026 will shoot up the slopes.
On Friday and Saturday, the entire field will go on the hunt for the fastest time on the almost 15-kilometer Iron Road Prologue race track. From the single-cylinder sports enduros to the heavy two-cylinder adventure bikes to the mighty quads, more than 1,200 participants will be at the start – many of them with the goal of finishing among the 500 fastest and thus qualifying for the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on Sunday.
The new SEGWAY Quad Challenge is eagerly awaited, in which many top riders from the quad scene will face the Iron Road Prologue.
Rarely before has there been such a high-level field of participants at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. The top riders alone, who enter the ring with the ‚Mountain of Iron‘ this year, have 48 world championship titles and 19 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo victories!
Rocket Ride
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Manuel Lettenbichler (DE, KTM), currently the most successful Extreme Enduro athlete in the world, is at the top of the list of favourites. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing factory rider has won the last four Red Bull Erzbergrodeo editions 2022 to 2025 and comes to the Erzberg in top form. ‚Manuel is currently the rider with simply the best combination of riding technique, physical condition and mindset. He will be the hunted at Erzberg and we can be curious to see how he will deal with the pressure – and whether he can catch up with Red Bull Erzbergrodeo legends Taddy Blazusiak and Graham Jarvis with his fifth victory,‘ Red Bull Erzbergrodeo mastermind Karl Katoch describes the 28-year-old Bavarian’s role as favorite.
Among ‚Letti’s‘ toughest competitors are his KTM brand colleague Trystan Hart (CAN, KTM, podium 2022/2023/2024), Husqvarna Factory Racing superstar Billy Bolt (UK, podium 2023/2025, 6-time finisher), Sherco Factory Racing rider Teodor Kabakchiev (BG, podium 2025), Great Britain’s 3-time winner Jonny Walker (triumph), Spaniard Mario Roman (ESP, podium 2022/2024) and the most successful American at the Erzberg with two podium finishes Cody Webb (Yamaha). Among the hunters is 2-time Red Bull Erzbergrodeo winner Alfredo Gomez (ESP, Beta), Spaniard Francesc Moret Clota (ESP, Rieju, finisher 2025) and Graham Jarvis (UK, JARV-E) – probably the most famous driver figure on the scene. The Briton is a true Erzberg legend with 5 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo victories and is still riding at the top of the world at the age of 52 (!). Jarvis will start for the first time in 2026 on an electric motorcycle he co-developed – and wants to cause another sensation at the JARV-E!
Iron Road Prolog
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With Dieter Rudolf (AUT, GASGAS, 6-time finisher), Michael Walkner (AUT, GASGAS, 2-time finisher) and Ossi Reisinger (AUT, Stark VARG, 5-time winner Iron Road Prologue, 7-time winner REMUS Rocket Ride), the local top riders will also be at the start of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo.
In addition, there is a whole phalanx of young and extremely talented Extreme Enduro riders, led by Briton Mitch Brightmore (UK, GASGAS, 3-time finisher) from the Austrian X-Grip Racing Team. The ‚young guns‘ also include Matthew Green (RSA, KTM, 4-time finisher), Ash Brightmore (UK, GASGAS), Ryder Leblond (USA, Husqvarna), James Moore (RSA, Beta), Lenny Geretzky (DE, KTM), Hugo Crozet (FRA, Beta) – and the two 18-year-old Austrians Valentino Hutter (GASGAS) and Luca Kropitsch (KTM), who both started from the front row of the grid last year.
Even away from the Extreme Enduro world elite, the density of prominent starters is impressive. In addition to 8-time EnduroGP World Champion Andrea Verona (ITA, KTM, winner of the 2023 Iron Road Prologue), motorsport fans can also look forward to Dakar Rally 2025 winner Danny Sanders (AUS, KTM), who will once again be at the start of the Iron Road Prologue with his Red Bull KTM 450 Rally. Carson Brown, the US Supercrosser, discovered his love for the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in 2023 and will be competing in the ‚craziest dirtbike race on earth‘ again this year on a KTM. The 24-year-old Swiss ski racer and 3-time Olympic gold medallist Franjo von Allmen will also take on the challenge of the Iron Road Prologue and Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in 2026 on a KTM 300 EXC!
In the spectacular twin-cylinder classification of the Iron Road Prologue, another exciting battle for victory between KTM, Yamaha, CFMOTO and KOVE is likely to develop. Yamaha will be at the start with two heavy grenades: exceptional athlete and crowd favourite Pol Tarres (ESP) will be supported by his no less talented teammate Kevin Gallas (DE) this year. By the way, both Yamaha riders are also planning to participate in the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo main event on Sunday with their Tenere 700 Big Enduros and will also cause excitement at the REMUS Rocket Ride!
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo mastermind Karl Katoch is happy about the rush of top riders. ‚The density of top international drivers means that we can expect exciting decisions in the individual race competitions. Starting with the Remus Rocket Ride to the Iron Road Prologue and the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on Sunday, there will be fights for every position. The newly established Hard Enduro World Ranking List will reflect the achievements of these exceptional athletes and drive the further development of extreme enduro sport. A special award awaits the Austrian, who is best placed in the world rankings after the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo: A check for 1,000 euros! ‚, says Katoch.
It’s served and we can expect hearty and exciting racing made in Austria.
Source / Pictures: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
