Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2025
MITAS Rocket Ride
On the first day of the event, thousands of enthusiastic fans witnessed the selective, steep slope course of the MITAS Rocket Ride, where almost 300 participants lined up for the first Red Bull Erzbergrodeo race day. The tough track, consisting of four steep slopes, offered the usual spectacular full-throttle action for the thousands of spectators.
After the spectacular qualifying, the fastest 48 riders advanced to the super final in the evening, led by the most successful MITAS Rocket Ride participant to date, Ossi Reisinger. Facing strong competition from 16 nations and three continents, the Austrian managed to secure his seventh victory in the legendary steep slope race.
The powerful twin-cylinder enduros of Johnny Aubert (FRA, KTM), Kevin Gallas (GER, Yamaha), and Chris Gundermann (GER, KTM), who competed in the Super Final on both a single-cylinder enduro and a KTM 890 Adventure R twin-cylinder enduro, also delivered spectacular performances.
MITAS Rocket Ride Results
- Ossi Reisinger (AUT, Husqvarna)
- Chris Gundermann (GER, KTM)
- Kevin Gallas (GER, KTM)
- Artsiom Kuntsevich (BLR, Husqvarna)
- Kornel Ott (HUN, Beta)
- Wade Ibrahim (AUS, Husqvarna)
Blakläder Iron Road Prologue
On the second day of racing at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, the entire field of 1,100 participants competed in the first run of the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue. The nearly 15-kilometre long, tough gravel track stretched across the entire Erzberg and provided sensational high-speed off-road action.
Josep Garcia finished fastest from the two runs ahead of fellow EnduroGP star Andrea Verona while Rally expert Daniel Sanders topped the Prologue podium ahead of Dominik Olszowy, Carson Brown and Billy Bolt.
For two superstars of the Extreme Enduro scene, the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue did not go according to plan: five-time Red Bull Erzbergrodeo winner Graham Jarvis (UK, Husqvarna) and the most successful American at Erzberg to date, Cody Webb (USA, Yamaha), would have to start the main race from the second row.
Aussies to make it onto the front row for 2025 included Will Riordan, Wade Ibrahim and Ruben Chadwick, while Tom Woodhouse was on the second row.
As expected, the twin-cylinder class of the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue delivered. The exciting three-way battle between KTM, Ducati, and Yamaha was won by two-time Enduro World Champion Jonny Aubert on his KTM 890 Adventure R. Armin Ohrlinger surprisingly took second place on his Aprilia RXV 450, while Kevin Gallas (DE) brought his Yamaha Tenere 700 to third place, thus picking up another rock trophy after his podium finish in the Mitas Rocket Ride. The fastest of the twin-cylinder bikes, the KTM 890 Adventure ridden by Aubert, recorded a time of 11:48.185.
Blakläder Iron Road Prologue Results
- Josep Garcia (ESP, KTM) 10:25.661 minutes
- Andrea Verona (ITA, GASGAS) 10:32.804
- Daniel Sanders (AUS, KTM) 10:46.804
- Dominik Olszowy (POL, Rieju) 10:54.455
- Carson Brown (USA, KTM) 10:54.891
- Billy Bolt (UK, Husqvarna) 11:02.426
- Jonny Walker (UK, Triumph) 11:03.519
- Szymon Zajaczkowski (POL, KTM) 11:04.068
- Will Riordan (AUS, Sherco) 11:09.074
- Chris Gundermann (GER, KTM) 11:09.516
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER, KTM) 11:10.919
- Wade Young (RSA, GASGAS) 11:11.886
- Camilo Herrera (CHI, Beta) 11:12.898
- David Cyprian (CZ, KTM) 11:15.288
- Dieter Rudolf (AUT, GASGAS) 11:17.316
Erzbergrodeo 2025
Only the fastest 500 riders from the Iron Road Prologue qualified for the main race on Sunday. After the entrants were whittled down for the big day, the 2025 Red Bull Erbergrodeo followed a very similar pattern to the 2024 race. The lead of the race was only swapped between the two top riders – this year Lettenbichler and Bolt – who share nine world championships between them.
After placing sixth in the Prologue, it was Bolt who took the lead from the start, laying down a blistering pace until checkpoint number 10 of 27. After that, the race saw a shift when Lettenbichler passed his great rival amid huge boulders right before the ‘George Avenue’ checkpoint.
About an hour into the race the weather shuffled the game, with a heavy rain shower bringing some additional challenges due to reduced traction, pushing the riders to adapt to very different conditions than earlier in the race.
None of this slowed Lettenbichler however. The German rode a supreme, mistake-free race over the second half of the course to pull clear of Bolt and reach the finish line in 2h 49m 17.58s.
The British rider, who missed the 2024 race due to injury, had to be content with second place. He reached the finish 11 minutes behind Lettenbichler in 3h 1m 57.565s, while Kabakchiev celebrated his first Red Bull Erzbergrodeo podium finish after coming home in 3m 13m 44.94s.
With four consecutive wins at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo now, Lettenbichler is just one victory away from equalling Tadeusz Błażusiak’s record of five wins at the race. Few would bet against the 27-year-old achieving that in next year’s event.
Mani Lettenbichler – P1
“It feels amazing to take the win here at Erzberg again. Nothing in hard enduro is guaranteed and I was definitely feeling the pressure here, even before the race. I got a good start, but Billy’s pace at the front was really fast and it took me a while to catch him. I knew when we got into the trees, I’d have a good chance to make a push for the lead. I think Billy made a couple of mistakes and I was able to get ahead. After that I just kept my head down and focused on getting through every section without any issues. The track was perfect this year, I really enjoyed it, and the fans have been incredible as always. That’s four in a row now – I’ve got one more to get to equal Taddy and then a few more wins to beat the record. I’m already looking forward to next year, it’s such an amazing event.”
The 35km-long, rugged and boulder-strewn Red Bull Erzbergrodeo course features massive climbs and is contrasted by a backdrop of Styrian mountains, offering a mix of barren landscapes and Alpine lushness.
The race completion rate is famously low, with an approximate 99 percent of participants failing to reach the finish. Many never even make it past the first of the 27 checkpoints. This year, only 14 riders reached the finish line before the four-hour time cut-off, six more than last year’s edition.
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (GER) KTM 2h 49m 17.58s
2. Billy Bolt (GBR) Husqvarna 3h 1m 57.565s
3. Theodor Kabakchiev (BUL) Sherco 3h 13m 44.942s
For Billy Bolt, the intensity of the race became obvious once again.
Billy Bolt – P2
“It was a tough one, I knew after a good start that I had to push hard from the off. I got a little bit tired on the first section of Carl’s Dinner, needing a couple of goes to exit the trees. That took my momentum away from me. I got fresh energy on the second run through Carl’s Dinner but by that stage Mani had already gained control of the race and I knew I needed to maintain my position of second. But I can’t complain. To have missed the race 12 months ago with injury and come back to where we are now is really satisfying. For sure, runner-up is not the result I came here for, but I left it all out on the mountain today, I didn’t hold back.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart fought back from a mid-pack start to climb to third place by the Machine section at around one hour into the race. Holding that position and riding smoothly and with great pace over the challenging course, the Canadian began to close in on Bolt in second.
Unfortunately, disaster struck for the 2024 AMA Endurocross Champion with only two checkpoints to go when a small technical issue required Hart to make repairs trackside. Getting underway again, the FMF KTM rider was able to secure a highly commendable fifth place result at the flag.
Trystan Hart – P5
“I’m gutted to be honest. Any finish at Erzberg is good, but I was definitely on course for a podium when I had a small issue with only a couple of sections to go. I was able to get back on the bike and bring it home in fifth, but it wasn’t where I wanted to be. I had a tough start but managed to get into a strong rhythm and started passing the riders ahead. All these other guys are riding really well, but it’s my fourth time here and my fourth top five. I’ll be back again next year, aiming to fight for my first win.”
Jonny Walker has won Erzberg three times and due to his tie-up with Triumph was one of the only four-stroke riders to make the event. Not only that, the Brit took Triumph’s brand-new TF 250-E four-stroke in its hard enduro debut to an amazing sixth outright. Triumph tell us that Walker was running a stock-engine with just a few added race parts, namely chassis upgrades such as Xtrig triple clamps, Renthal bars, and Haan wheels.
Jonny Walker – P6
“What an amazing race! The bike was absolutely brilliant and didn’t miss a beat. Considering I’ve only had it for two weeks and took it straight from the launch, it’s been faultless. The only thing I would have changed is my mousse – not knowing what to expect, I think I had it a little too hard and that put us at a bit of a disadvantage later on in the trees where you really need the traction, especially after the rain. Honestly, this feels like a win. To come here, to the toughest extreme enduro, and finish inside the top six on a four-stroke with the minimum of upgrades, I’m over the moon. It really shows what the Triumph TF 250-E can do.”
The only Australian to finish the event in the four-hour allotted time was Sherco 300 rider Will Riordan who was also inside the top ten outright in what is an amazing achievement amongst some highly credentialled company.
Riordan finishing ahead of Alfredo Gomez, Wade Young and Matthew Green. Phwoar…!
Anthony Solar (Sherco 300) made it to the 22nd check-point to be ranked 21st while countryman Ruben Chadwick (Beta 300) also made it to ‘Carl’s Dinner’ and was ranked 25th.
Wade Ibrahim (Husqvarna 300) was one check-point further back at ‘Burping Stones’, ranking 31st.
Houston Walters (KTM 300) made it check-point 19 ‘Chris’ Stony Party’ to rank 40th while Adam Giles (KTM 300) made it to ‘One Way Train’ to complete the top 50. Tom Woodhouse (Sherco 300) also made it to ‘One Way Train’ to rank 52nd on the official time-sheets.
Other Aussies included Frank Fee (KTM 300) and Dylan Reinshagen (KTM 300) who made it to check-point 9 ‘Crossing’ to rank 163rd nd 210th respectively. Lachlan Snow (KTM 300) made it to check-point 6 ‘Wacker Neuson’ to rank 297th.
High profile American motocross racer and YouTube star Carson Brown (KTM 250) made it to check-point 13 ‘Machine’, ranking 84th.
Yamaha World Superbike rider Remy Gardner was entered in the event on a YZ250X but did not start the prologue.
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2025 Results
Finishers
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER) KTM 2h 49m 17.58s
- Billy Bolt (GBR) Husqvarna 3h 1m 57.565s
- Theodor Kabakchiev (BUL) Sherco 3h 13m 44.942s
- Mitch Brightmore (GBR) GasGas 3h 13m 46.895s
- Trystan Hart (CAN) KTM 3h 18m 32.642s
- Jonny Walker (GBR) Triumph 3h 26m 53.833s
- Mario Roman (AND) Sherco 3h 29m 17.323s
- Graham Jarvis (GBR) KTM 3h 39m 39.218s
- Will Riordan (AUS) Sherco 3h 42m 3.376s
- Alfredo Gómez (ESP) Beta 3h 44m 55.805s
- Wade Young (RSA) GasGas 3h 46m 5.313s
- Matthew Green (RSA) KTM 3h 48m 14.153s
- Francesc Moret (ESP) KTM 3h 51m 53.701s
- Dieter Rudolf (AUT) GasGas 3h 58m 1.037s
