Enduro
Everything you need to know about the Hard Enduro World Championship
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo and the Hard Enduro World Championship see the strongest riders take on the world's toughest races – get up to speed with all the action right here.
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Hard Enduro combines the most extreme elements of the major disciplines of off-road motorbike racing: the high speed and long distances of Endurance, the technical skills and obstacles of Trials, the jumps and fast lines of Motocross, and the navigation challenges of Cross-Country. The biggest, oldest, and definitive races are the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in Austria and Red Bull Romaniacs in Romania.
01
What is the Hard Enduro World Championship?
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, which started in 2021, is the newest world series and builds on the former World Enduro Super Series (WESS), which brought together a collection of punishing motorbike races from around the world that have been testing riders for years and all disciplines of enduro, including Hard Enduro, Classic Enduro and Cross-Country.
Manuel Lettenbichler will be aiming to claim the title this year
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
Riders need a combination of skills: the pure speed of motocross, the agility of trials and the navigation skills of enduro riders. Racing for hours in the saddle for days at a time, they need strength, flexibility and endurance to get through the challenge. They also need to be able to fix their bike or be able to nurse it back to a mechanic. And finally, they need a sense of humour: Hard Enduro riders enjoy the best camaraderie in off-road racing.
Take a look at the calendar for the 2024 the Hard Enduro World Championship here:
What
Where
When
Valleys Hard Enduro
UK
May 10-12
Austria
May 30-31; June 1-2
Xross Hard Enduro Rally
Serbia
June 19-22
Romania
July 23-27
USA
August 22-25
Sea to Sky
Turkey
October 10-12
24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro
Spain
October 25-27
02
What is Red Bull Erzbergrodeo?
Taking place on an ancient iron mine hewn from the Erzberg mountain in Tyrol, the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is the toughest motorcycle bike race in the world. Five hundred riders line up in ranks of 50 around the lake deep in the ground at the base of the mountain and proceed to race through 23 checkpoints with just four hours to reach the finish. Only a handful will make it. The majority will spend their afternoon smashing their bikes against the rocks of the Iron Giant.
Riders assemble at the foot of the mighty Erzberg
© Future7Media/Red Bull Content Pool
Many Red Bull Erzbergrodeo riders won't get past the first climbs
© Mirja Geh/Red Bull Content Pool
03
What happened last time at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo?
It was a duel between three top stars: Canada’s Trystan Hart blitzed the start, getting away quickest and setting the early pace. Defending champion Mani Lettenbichler was right on his tail, settling into his rhythm, and Billy Bolt got away fast but crashed, bending the front fork on his Husqvarna and making an uphill task even harder.
27 min
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo recap
Get a full recap of the event to find out what it takes to be one of the few riders who cross the finish line.
Remarkably though, the Brit battled back to put together a brilliant comeback, making his way up the order and even taking the lead from Mani. He tried to apply pressure but began to tire and Mani pulled away with a fast run through the Motorex Highway forest section. Meanwhile, Hart continued to push, holding off a hard-charging Jonny Walker to take the final podium position: his second at this event.
Trystan Hart was third in 2022 and 2023
© Future 7 Media/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Who are the riders to watch?
Two-time world champion Mani Lettenbichler is at the top of his game, and after sweeping all in the opening round in Wales, UK, he's heading to the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo chasing a hat-trick of wins in Austria.
20 min
Valleys Hard Enduro recap
See Manuel Lettenbichler crush Valleys Hard Enduro at the season opener in Wales.
The event's youngest competitor and youngest winner, the fun-loving German, is the complete hard enduro rider combining brilliant technique with lightning speed, superhuman endurance, prodigious strength and superb strategy, knowing when to conserve energy and when to push. It's hard to see anyone challenging him, but this is the Erzberg, and anything can happen.
3 min
Action highlights – Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
Watch all the action as 1,500 riders and thousands of fans descend on the mining town of Eisenerz, Austria.
It’s been a busy year for Billy Bolt; he wrapped up his fourth consecutive SuperEnduro World Championship, winning every round, got married to long-time girlfriend Roxy and underwent reconstructive knee surgery. It means he'll sit out the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo but he's currently preparing a new event, Red Bull Tyne Ride – a race around his home town of Newcastle in August. And chances are he'll be on the mountain cheering on the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo - keep an eye out for the Huskie rider with the pink boots.
Manuel Lettenbichler – Hard Enduro rider and vlogger
© Future7Media/Red Bull Content Pool
In 2023, aged 48, Graham Jarvis fought all the way up from 60th to 6th
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
Trystan Hart was third in 2022 and 2023
© Future 7 Media/Red Bull Content Pool
Wade Young
© Future 7 Media/Red Bull Content Pool
Mani's main competition will come from Trystan Hart, who is determined to improve on his two third-placed finishes, Bulgarian Teodor Kabakchiev is fast becoming a powerhouse in the series and was second last time out in Wales. Mario Roman is back to his best and was back on the podium in the valleys. Keep an eye out for past winners Wade Young and Jonny Walker and, speaking of which, never write off five-time champ Graham Jarvis. He may be 49, but the GOAT loves a mountain, and his skills light up the field. Potential big finishers also include US rider Cody Webb and rising stars Matthew Green, Michael Walkner and Will Hoare.
Glorious mud: weather is wildly unpredictable at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
© Mats Grimsæth/Red Bull Content Pool
05
Where can I watch Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2024?
You can watch live coverage of the 2024 edition of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo live on Red Bull TV on June 2 from 10:30am UTC.
6 min
Red Bull Romaniacs's 20th anniversary
As it prepares to hold its 20th edition, we explore the history of this iconic five-day, off-road rally race.
06
What is Red Bull Romaniacs?
The brainchild of former snowboard champion Martin Freinademetz, Red Bull Romaniacs is the longest event in the Hard Enduro World Championship. Riders compete for five days in deepest Transylvania. The spectator-friendly Prolog is an obstacle course around the medieval city of Sibiu, which hosts the event. Then, the riders set off for a marathon four-day ride around the Carpathian Mountains.
Riders at the start of the 2022 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
© Future7Media/Red Bull Content Pool
07
How many riders have won the World Championship?
Two riders have been crowned world champions so far: Billy Bolt was the inaugural champion and Mani Lettenbichler won in 2022 and 2023. They also have a WESS title apiece from the old championship. 2024 sees the second Junior World Championship for riders aged 16-22 – an initiative from the championship promoters to help bring through more young talent. And the series isn’t only for elite riders, if you have an off-road bike and the courage, you can take part.
Don't be scared of getting wet
© Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
08
What makes a great Hard Enduro rider?
A great Hard Enduro rider is a synthesis of the low-speed mastery of a trials rider, the pure speed of a motocross racer and the stamina of an endurance competitor. Graham Jarvis set the bar and Mani and his great rival Billy Bolt are the next generation of Hard Enduro stars who are taking the sport to new levels.
Hard enduro bikes at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
© Future 7 Media/Red Bull Content Pool
09
What bikes do they ride?
The majority of riders opt for a 300 or 350cc two-stroke bike, which combines speed, low-down torque and lightweight. The main brands come from the KTM stable, so expect to see lots of orange KTMs, Husqvarna and GasGas. Add to that Beta and Sherco, whose factory team is a perennial front-runner.
KTM factory team rider Lettenbichler uses a 300EXC TPI, but obviously, it’s not standard. “KTM’s bikes are pretty good out of the box,” he says. “But I have made quite a lot of changes to the standard bike. It’s all about personal preference and being comfortable. My bike has a different engine and suspension and my handlebars and footpegs are in different positions. Every rider is individual and has the bike set up for them. I haven’t changed my suspension for three years – I’ve kept the same setting because I know I like it.”
Close to 1,500 riders will compete at Erzberg
© Sebastian Marko/Red Bull Content Pool
10
How do the riders stay in shape?
Riders need to be strong, have stamina and be flexible. Avoiding injury and recovering fast is crucial. So they need all-round fitness. Most will ride mountain bikes in their spare time and hit the gym for strength conditioning, but as Mani explains, being on the bike is the best form of training. “I wanted to do more riding in my training, so three years ago, I changed it up," he says. "In Hard Enduro, you have to ride different styles, so I will train on a motocross track; I ride trials, I ride classic and extreme enduro; it makes you a better all-rounder. I’m a big mountain bike fan, it’s my second passion, and it’s good for cardio. I do a little bit of gym work in the summer; you can’t do nothing – you always have to work out a little bit.”
The bikes have to be hard-wearing
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
11
Do you need to be a good mechanic?
Field commentator Paul Bolton is a veteran of Hard Enduro and a top finisher at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo and Romaniacs. He says looking after your bike is key to surviving an enduro race. “You don’t want broken or bent brake discs, so they have to be covered, and there's also armour to protect the chain," says Bolton. "There’s a nice big skid plate to protect the engine as well.”
Understanding the bike is essential to being a good enduro rider as well: “You need to have mechanical sympathy while riding as smoothly as possible," adds Bolton. "You need to know when the bike is suffering and look after your tyres because you need a good edge on your tyre to get up the last climb. If it’s been shredded, it could ruin your race.
"It's all about preserving the body and preserving the bike and your energy. I used to say that if I dropped my bike twice in a day that was it, there was no chance of a podium. One little spill is okay, but you burn so much energy picking the bike up that it costs you.”
Mani Lettenbichler lets his hair down
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
12
What makes Hard Enduro so special?
The terrain and the length of the races are all special, but the friendly spirit among the riders sets the Hard Enduro World Championship apart. Nowhere else can amateur riders find themselves competing alongside the biggest stars in the sport. Those riders are all closely involved in growing the competition by supporting race organisers and young riders. As well as being ambassadors for the sport, Mani Lettenbichler and Billy Bolt will share their insights with race organisers regarding track design or improving the experience for riders and fans.
Riders help each other up the mountain
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
The FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship promoters organise the pre-season KLIM Junior Camp to help Junior class riders prepare with expert tuition from pro rider and media pundit Paul Bolton. And Graham Jarvis, the most successful hard enduro rider of all time, organises training tours to help even expert riders elevate their skills to the next level.
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