Known for its brutal terrain, demanding obstacles, and minimal finish rate, Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is the ultimate test of physical endurance. This year, Manuel Lettenbichler claimed his fourth consecutive win with a faultless delivery.
Eisenerz, Austria – In its 29th edition, the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo once again proves why it’s the gnarliest motorsport weekend on the planet.
Here’s all you need to know:
– Taking place in the largest iron ore mine in Central Europe, the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is known as the toughest off road motorsports race weekend. The 2025 edition was no exception to the rule, with over 1000 riders from 43 different countries on the start line, ready to battle the terrain of the ‘Iron Giant’.
– With no difference to 2024 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, the lead of the race was only shared between the two top riders – sharing nine World Championships between them – Manuel Lettenbichler and Billy Bolt.
– But it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Lettenbichler who proved to be yet again unstoppable, finishing first in 02 hours and 49 minutes, 11 minutes ahead of Bolt. Completing the podium was Teodor Kabakchiev with a time of 3 hours and 13 minutes.
– “Coming to this race you are the title contender there was so much pressure already before the race. It was really difficult to chase Billy in the first third of the race as the pace was so high, and Theo was in between but I managed to pass him and push on and try to give Billy a hard time. He was riding really well in the stones, but I knew that in the trees I should have him”, summarized Lettenbichler.
– The 35-kilometer-long, rugged and boulder-strewn race course featuring massive climbs is contrasted by a backdrop of Styrian mountains, offering a mix of barren landscapes and Alpine vegetation.
– The race completion rate is famously low, with an approximate 99% of participants failing to finish the competition. 2025 edition saw 14 people out of 500 finishing before the 4-hour cut-off, 6 more than last year’s edition.
– For Billy Bolt, the intensity of the race became obvious once again. “This is such a special event. It’s the race that made our sport what it is. I think if you had all day to complete the track, then it would not be so difficult. But, you know, the time limit and start of 50 guys on the same line, and the intensity that we ride at least the first hour of the race is insane”.
– The opening day started with the Iron Road Prologue qualifying which offered drama and action in its purest form. The race weekend started off with rainy conditions on Saturday, which meant the course was a bit softer at places. It was Spain’s five-time Enduro World Champion Josep Garcia who set the fastest time on of the Iron Road Prologue in 2025.
– Only the fastest 500 riders of the Iron Road Prologue qualified for the main race on Sunday. Amongst those were offroad racers Seth Quintero and 2025 Dakar Rally winner Daniel Sanders who came to the mountain to perform a rally raid showrun. The pair were drawn in by the spectacle of a must-see weekend event for petrol heads.
– Starting from the front row having placed 6th in the Prologue, it was Britain’s Billy Bolt, that sped off to the lead position, laying down the blistering pace until checkpoint number 10. After that the race saw a shift when Manuel Lettenbichler overtook Bolt, right before ‘George Avenue’ checkpoint.
– About one hour after the race started, the weather shuffled the game, with rain bringing some additional challenges due to reduced traction, pushing the riders to adapt to very different race conditions than what they started in.
– As more and more competitors began to drop out during the course, the reigning Red Bull Erzbergrodeo and FIM Hard Enduro World Champion Manuel Lettenbichler kept growing his lead and repeated his win for the fourth time in a row.
AVAILABLE CONTENT
(free content for editorial use – no restrictions)
– Global News Cut (16:9) & News Cut „Austria” with shot list / transcript
– Social News Clips (English & German) for DOWNLOAD
Contact: Fabian Ress
fabian.ress@3mpg.ch / +49 173 248 8404
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Credit: Red Bull Content Pool