Enduro
Your survival guide to the Erzbergrodeo
A few tips before you tackle the Rocket Ride, the Iron Road Prologue and the Red Bull Hare Scramble.
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2 min
Try a Hard Enduro Holiday
Planning a vacation? Why not see the world hard enduro style, and visit these tranquil locations?
Finally, after years of empty promises you’ve finally decided to take the weekend off work, jump on a plane, and head to the Erzbergrodeo from June 15-18. You know it’s the biggest and toughest Hard Enduro event on the calendar, but what else do you need to know?
The weather
It’s impossible to second-guess the weather at the venue, so be ready for anything. Fingers crossed the weather gods will have slotted in a weekend of glorious sunshine for the 2017 event. But to be on the safe side pack a rain jacket and a pair of wellies in with your shorts, t-shirts and sunnies.
Cody Webb barrels up a climb
© Sebastian Marko/Red Bull Content Pool
Cody Webb (USA) finally conquers Lazy Noon
© schran.net
Alfredo Gómez had to dig deep
© Sebastian Marko/Red Bull Content Pool
May the force be with you
The event is held on an iron-ore quarry. Hence the name Iron Giant and iconic sections like Dynamite. It’s essentially a mountain made out of metal. If you hear thunder put away your umbrella and get off the mountain – fast! You don't want to be standing on iron ore when lightning strikes.
Paddock walk
Of course you’ll want to check out the pro-pit area, but don’t forget to delve a little deeper into the paddock. The Austrians love ErzbergRodeo and pull out all the stops when it comes to setting up camp for the weekend. Everything from hot tubs, garden patios and mini beer tents can be found in the rider village. And they’ll all gladly welcome you in for a beer. Bonus!
Get a panoramic view of the Iron Road Prologue
© Yana Stancheva/Red Bull Content Pool
Four-star pizza
Since you’ll be living in a quarry for the weekend, your options for fine dining are limited. Pizza, pretzels and plenty of beer will be your staple diet for the weekend. Enjoy!
Prologue
Friday and Saturday are Iron Road Prologue days at ErzbergRodeo. It’s a 10-minute blast up the maze of gravel roads that lead to the top of the quarry. Of the 1,500 riders entered only the top 500 qualify through to the Red Bull Hare Scramble. The Pros are first away and start at 8am. But with it running all day you’ll have plenty of time to watch everything from converted 1,000cc road bikes to scooters and men dressed as swans blasting their way up the mountain.
Horse riding in the evening
© Jean-Christophe Dupasquier
All dressed up for a raid on Eisenerz
© Jean-Christophe Dupasquier
Erzberg in bloom: the Raid on Eisenerz
© Yana Stancheva / Red Bull Content Pool
Beer tent
The lure of the beer tent is unavoidable. That’s purely because it’s so big. Serving food and beer (obviously) all day every day, you can party your sins away into the early hours of the morning, for four consecutive nights. Get there in the evenings and hang out with top riders as they wait for the results from the Prologue to be issued each evening.
Vantage point
Lets face it, you’re not going to be able to watch every section of the thirty-plus kilometre long Red Bull Hare Scrambles course. Make a plan. Decide what sections you want to watch and try to stick to. Some of the early climbs are the best places to catch the action.
Watch the pros make the vertical climbs look easy before the last of the stragglers show you how tough they really are. Once that’s done you’ll just have enough time to see the front-runners working their way up Dynamite before they head to the finish line…
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