Enduro
A look behind the scenes at the legendary Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is more than a race. Peak behind the curtain to discover the people, passion and hard work of those who help bring the hard enduro event to life.
Every year, as many as 1,500 riders of varying ability travel to the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. Over the course of the first three days, that field will be whittled down to the 500 fastest qualifiers who will tackle the main event. Those who stand in the starting area for the Red Bull Hare Scramble are the enduro elite. Yet when the chequered flag falls, some four hours later, there may be as few as a dozen who have crossed the finish line.
It is this fact that has helped the race earn a reputation as one of the toughest hard enduro events in the world. But long before the race begins, scores of people are already playing their part in Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, from the organisers who make it possible and the fans who create the atmosphere to the riders who return year after year.
01
The mastermind
Karl Katoch is the creator and organiser of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
© Sam Strauss/Red Bull Content Pool
Karl Katoch: “On race day itself, I’m completely relaxed. Nobody believes me, but it’s true. The reason is my team. Everyone knows what they have to do. In previous years, there was a lot of improvisation involved. We’ve replaced that with professionalism. Now we’re so well-organised that the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo would work even without me at the helm. On race day itself, my work is pure pleasure, the culmination of a whole year of preparation. After the start, which I handle together with Heinz Kinigadner down in the valley, I have a good hour to enjoy the action on the track at selected points. Then I drive down to the finish line to greet the finishers. The look in their eyes, the shared joy, the high-fives: that’s what makes it so special, every year.”
02
The track builder
Former rider turned track builder, Georg Adamek
© Joerg Mitter
Georg Adamek: “I finished here in 2006, one place behind American superstar Jeremy McGrath. Back then, I had no idea about the intricacies of the terrain. It takes years to really get the hang of it. We only get some information three weeks before the race. That's what makes the course exciting – and the fact that we have to balance so many different interests: such as the landowner, hunters and safety. The track itself is built by hand, without any excavators. The equipment – motorcycles, tyres – has improved over the years, which influences our work. What was difficult ten years ago is almost easy for the current generation. We make decisions based on instinct. Our job is done when the best dozen in the world make it to the finish line. That's the standard. I couldn't do it myself today, not even close.”
03
The timekeeper
Peter Nesuta ensures that the results are accurate
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Peter Nesuta: “I’ve been doing this job since the first race in 1995. As the event has grown in size, so has its complexity. On the other hand, modern technology makes many things easier. We used to work with light barriers; now every participant gets a transponder. Back then, the starters had stickers on their helmets, and a box was stamped at each checkpoint. Later, there were cards that were punched with pliers: star, moon, heart. From the very beginning, there have been riders who try to cheat: going from checkpoint one to four, five and six because there’s no traffic there yet, and only then calmly completing two and three. Different motorcycles, different riders under the helmets: I’ve seen it all. But why cheat? The mountain is the opponent. Ensuring fairness is my job and that of my ten employees.”
04
The head guide
Anne Lovrin keeps order on the mountain
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Anne Lovrin: “Since 2010, I've coordinated roughly 300 guides. As soon as someone heads up the mountain, they're accompanied by us without exception. We're like the police here. That's necessary because we're in an active mining area. Our guides do the work on a voluntary basis. 93 percent come back; only seven percent are new each time. That ensures continuity. In my day job, I'm responsible for passenger handling at the airport for Austrian Airlines. My coordination skills help me at Erzberg, as does my assertiveness. What you experience in a year in everyday life, you experience here in a single weekend. We've had everything from sunshine to snow and storms. It's my guides who ensure that the event runs smoothly. I'm proud of that. I think the people are what make Erzberg special.”
05
The presenter
Andi Brewi is the voice of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Andi Brewi: “I’ve been hosting the event for over a decade. I actually come from the mountain biking scene, but I’ve always ridden motorcycles as well. I met Karl Katoch at a trade fair. He threw me in at the deep end. It felt a bit like a university exam, because the audience at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is extremely knowledgeable, and any lack of preparation would be immediately obvious. You can’t afford to make any mistakes. Over the weekend, I’m not only responsible for providing information and a good atmosphere, but also for making sure the audience knows which rules they have to follow. That’s simply essential in an active mining area. In addition, I hold the riders’ briefings and provide live commentary for the entire race on Sunday. Of all my jobs, the one at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is the most diverse, it's a real mixed bag. I've learned so much."
06
The security officer
Erwin Schume coordinates the rescue teams
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Erwin Schume: “During the race, I sit in the command centre and monitor the situation on the mountain via several radio channels. Outside, we're organised into teams consisting of three elements. In each rescue vehicle, alongside the paramedics and emergency physicians, there's a mountain rescuer, because they're the only ones who know the mountain perfectly. Two motorcycle guides provide the escort. We have nine rescue vehicles on site, plus helicopters on standby. If a team has to leave its position due to an incident, the next team takes its place. The entire logistics operation is highly complex and precisely choreographed. Every race has its own dynamic. A rule of thumb: where one crash occurs over the course of the weekend, several more will follow. Another rule of thumb: one-fifth of the starting field will come into contact with us over the course of the weekend, though mostly for minor injuries like abrasions or bruises.”
07
The fans
Lukas and Gerd from Eisenz are regular attendees at the Erzbergrodeo
© Petra Sturma
Lukas and Gerd: "It's a real show, the whole atmosphere from early morning until late at night. It's simply fantastic. Our favourite is the Brit Graham Jarvis. We've been following him since we were teenagers. He's a really good trials rider and at 50, he's still going strong! We used to have some serious parties here. The beer bench sliding is legendary!"
08
The novices
Brothers Jonas and Linus Albert are competing for the first time
© Red Bull Content Pool
Jonas Albert: "It's an incredible experience – so many motorcyclists all in one place! We arrived last night from Schweinfurt, Germany, with Mom – Dad's injured from riding – and we're sleeping here in the caravan. We're heading back on Sunday because we have to be at school on Monday. We started this hobby five years ago – and have always dreamed of this race! We were really nervous at the start and afraid of crashing at those speeds, but everything went smoothly. We're very happy with our positions in the prologue, and in the race itself, we made it to checkpoint 13 and checkpoint 9 out of a total of 27 checkpoints."
09
The speed queen
Viktoria Dorfer finished second in the women's prologue in 2023
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Viktoria Dorfer: “I first rode a moped when I was ten, competed in my first races at 12 and knew early on that I wanted to be an enduro rider. I won the KRKA Enduro Raid in 2023 and 2024, and even the Enduro Trophy in 2025. Last year, I started in the prologue of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo for the third time. The Erzberg is my home mountain, and I love riding here as one of 16 women alongside the men. I managed to finish second in the women's prologue, just like in 2023! My whole family rides motorcycles – mom, dad, brother. Our hobby is a great balance to my job as a metalworker in the family business in Trofaiach.”
10
The champion
4-time winner Mani Lettenbichler knows what it takes to conquer the course
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
Manuel Lettenbichler: "It's become customary in recent years for tours to be held on the mountain on Monday and Tuesday, with many professionals participating. Because these tours cover sections of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, it gives us the chance to get used to the very specific terrain. Even we don't know the exact course for race day, so I arrive on the Sunday before the race, ideally with full physical and mental energy. The Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is the highlight of our season, and you don't want to mess it up. My game plan is simple: all in. There's no room for tactical games. It's too easy to make a mistake. So it's a proactive approach and focusing on myself. The nerves are enormous every year, and even my four consecutive wins haven't changed that. But the fact that I finished for the first time when I was just 16 years old has perhaps made me even prouder than my first victory later on. It shows the mystique as just being an Erzberg finisher is incredibly difficult to achieve."
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2026 takes place from June 4 to 7, 2026 and you can watch the action live on Red Bull TV