Enduro
Get revved up for the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo with these extreme facts
The world's ultimate Hard Enduro event, Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, is the toughest one-day race in the world, and last year's race was one of the most difficult of all. Get in gear with these hard facts.
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The first Red Bull Erzbergrodeo was held in 1995 and involved 120 brave riders. It was a clarion call to adventurous riders around the world looking for the supreme test of all-round off-road ability. Within four years, the entry list had swollen to 1,000 riders and included a who's who of international extreme sports stars.
Now the 1,500 starting places sell out within a few hours as the lucky riders line up to compete in the Rocket Ride, the two-day Iron Road Prologue and the Red Bull Hare Scramble on Sunday. Here's a quick guide to this amazing race...
Watch the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo live
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo LIVE
1 mountain. 500 riders. 23 checkpoints. 4 hours of time – and only a handful of riders cross the finish line.
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Extremely hard: 99 percent of starters can fail to finish
In 2015, only five out of 500 bikers made it to the finish – exactly one percent. In 1999, the mountain was slightly kinder to the racers, and 51 crossed the finish line – a bumper success rate of 10 percent. What this all means is that even during favourable conditions in Erzberg, 90 percent of riders still don't finish the race. For the record, last year, one of the toughest races in the event's history, Mani Lettenbichler was followed over the line by just 17 other battered and weary riders - that's less than 3.5 percent of the 500 starting riders.
Helping hands are very much a necessity for 99% of Erzbergrodeo riders
© Philipp Carl Riedl/Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo quick facts
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Extremely fast: The speed record is 193kph
Speed has never been a top priority at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, but it's still required. Italian rider Giovanni Sala reached an incredible 193kph on his KTM 950 Super Enduro during the 2005 Iron Road Prologue. However, on the final climb of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, the world's best riders will average just 15kph.
Riding through Eisenerz
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
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Extremely crowded: There's a population explosion in the host town of Eisenerz
Three hundred sixty days of the year, the peaceful town of Eisenerz has a population of less than 4,000 inhabitants, but during the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, more than 40,000 visitors come to the old mining town in Styria. An additional 6,000 people take care of the organisation, construction and execution of the event. The Hard Enduro riders also bring the party to the locals with the annual Raid on Eisenerz, which sees the bikers descend on the town the night before the race.
7 min
Raid on Eisenerz – Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
The biggest celebration of off-road motorcycle racing isn't complete without the annual ride through Eisenerz.
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Extremely driven: It's not about the money
The Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is unique in terms of racing and financial matters. The top riders do not receive starting fees, and there is no prize money for the winner. However, a handshake from event mastermind Karl Katoch at the finish line and the chance to become respected worldwide await all finishers.
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Extreme fame: From Erzberg to the top of the world
Billy Bolt is now a hard enduro legend, but first made his name at Erzberg
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
The Red Bull Erzbergrodeo makes careers: In 2007, Taddy Błażusiak came as a spectator, won the race on a borrowed bike and went home with a contract from KTM. Or take Manuel Lettenbichler, who was the youngest finisher in history at only 16 years old in 2014 and is now the youngest winner. This year, he arrives in Eisenerz in pursuit of a third consecutive win – and only Taddy has won three in a row. Cyril Despres, Jonny Walker and Billy Bolt all launched their international racing careers on the Iron Giant as did our expert commentator Darryl Curtis and our field reporter Paul Bolton.
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Extremely successful: The biggest names and brands
The most successful rider at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, with five wins in a row between 2007 and 2011, is Poland’s Taddy Błażusiak. Graham Jarvis has won five times, although not consecutively – but Jarvis' staying power and the longevity of his career are all part of the legend that makes him the greatest Hard Enduro rider in the sport's history. By far, the most successful brand at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is KTM, with 18 titles spread over 26 years.
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo videos
9 min
Practising for Erzberg
Ski champ Marcel Hirscher swaps skis for an enduro bike to tackle the toughest Hard Enduro race in the world.
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Extreme guests: Keep an eye out for celebrity guest riders
The Red Bull Erzbergrodeo attracts athletes from different sports, including FMX stars Travis Pastrana, Ronnie Renner and Robbie Maddison, trials legends like Laia Sainz and Dougie Lampkin and MotoGP legend Dani Pedrosa. The last two years it was the turn of Olympian Marcel Hirscher. As one of the most successful skiers of all time and a national hero in his native Austria, Hirscher knows a thing or two about mountains and, having grown up riding motorbikes, he's also a skilled rider.
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Extremely live: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo comes to your living room
Red Bull TV is the place to see Mani Lettenbichler, Billy Bolt and their hard enduro rivals race the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. Almost 30,000m of fibre optic cables are laid out – so you won't miss a second of the spectacular footage on offer at Erzberg. Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2025 is live on Red Bull TV on June 1 from 10:30am UTC.
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