- 300 entries mark a new record in the history of the hillclimb
- Emanuel Reisinger posts the fastest time across all classes with a Yamaha YZF-R6 in the first practice session
- Overall fastest in practice is Thomas Altenhuber with 1:13.327 minutes
When the L1507 state road between Landshaag and St. Martin in Upper Austria’s Mühlviertel region transforms into a racetrack once a year, it marks the start of the most exciting time for hillclimb racing fans. On April 11 and 12, 2026, the MSC Rottenegg hosts the 45th FUCHS Silkolene Motorcycle Hillclimb, which also serves as the opening round of the FIM Europe Hillclimb Championship, the Historic Hillclimb European Championship, the Austrian Motorcycle Hillclimb National Championship, and the Supermoto Racer Cup. The 3,620-meter course with 19 corners and approximately 230 meters of elevation gain is considered the fastest motorcycle hillclimb in Europe. Where a speed limit of 100 km/h normally applies, the fastest riders reach speeds of over 220 km/h already at the town sign of Landshaag, and according to top speed measurements are said to reach up to 311 km/h in the upper section of the course.
Entry Record: 300 Competitors at the Start
The MSC Rottenegg was literally overwhelmed this year. With 300 registered participants, including seven women, a new entry record has been set. Last year there were 260. The field ranges from the 125cc class through Supersport, Superstock, and Superbike to Supermoto, Sidecars, Classics, and Young-Timers.
The fact that riders accept long journeys from across Europe is also due to the course itself. Last year, a new asphalt surface was laid, intended to offer riders even better conditions. Previously, deep ruts on the heavily used state road, which sees nearly 10,000 vehicle movements daily, had been a talking point in the paddock for years.
Reisinger Surprises the Superbike Riders
On practice Saturday, Emanuel Reisinger delivered arguably the biggest surprise of the day. The Austrian posted a time of 1:14.142 minutes in the first session with his Yamaha YZF-R6 in the Superstock 600 class, a time that initially no single rider on a more powerful machine could match. Manuel Schleindlhuber on his BMW M 1000 RR lost 237 hundredths of a second to the 600cc rider. Only Markus Mitterbauer on a Yamaha YZF-R1 and Reisinger himself on his Supersport Yamaha stayed under the 1:15-minute mark in that session.
In the second practice session, Reisinger again initially set the fastest time with 1:13.698 minutes. Thomas Altenhuber, the overall Landshaag winner from 2024, ultimately undercut this mark with 1:13.327 minutes to secure the practice best time. The gap to third-placed Mitterbauer was just 0.134 seconds. Alongside Altenhuber and Mitterbauer, Harald and Manuel Schleindlhuber as well as Thomas Altendorfer are also considered serious contenders for the overall win at Sunday’s races. Altendorfer, who has announced himself as a potential debutant at the Manx Grand Prix, completed his first competitive outing at Landshaag on a 765cc Triumph.
Course Record Holder Datzer Without Victory Chances
The notable absentee in the fight for the top is none other than the course record holder himself. David Datzer, who last year burned a phenomenal time of 1:08.795 minutes (average speed 189.43 km/h) into the Mühlviertel asphalt, arrived this year with two BMW naked bikes. With these machines, the 34-year-old from Lower Bavaria is entered in the Special Bikes and Naked Bikes classes, but is not in contention for outright fastest times.
Datzer’s return itself is already remarkable. The IRRC Superbike Champion, who also competes at international road races such as the North West 200, the Tourist Trophy, and the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, suffered serious injuries in May 2025 at the road race in Staré Město, Czech Republic, when he was hit by a crashed competitor’s motorcycle. Just weeks earlier at Landshaag, he had broken the course record held since 2016 by Andreas Gangl (1:09.940 minutes) twice, first with 1:09.841 in the Superstock 1000 race, then with the final best mark in the Superbike race. When asked whether a new course record might be possible, Datzer responded before the weekend with a laconic Bavarian: “Tat scho geh’.”
Familiar Names Missing, New Ones Arriving
Also absent from the fight for the overall win are the Italians Maurizio Bottalico and Stefano Bonetti. Bottalico, five-time European Hillclimb Champion in the Supersport class and last year’s runner-up in the Supersport standings, and Bonetti, fourth overall in 2025, have decided to focus exclusively on international road races such as the North West 200, the TT, and the Macau Grand Prix this season.
In the Supersport class, Alexander Kastenhuber is considered the clear favorite. The young Austrian broke the nine-year-old Supersport record held by Italian Francesco Curinga (1:13.020 from 2016) last year with 1:12.897 minutes, finishing as ninth-fastest of the day and beating many 1000cc riders in the process.
Comeback After 40 Years and a 125cc Veteran in a New Class
One of the most emotional stories of the weekend comes from Manfred Binder. The internationally renowned motorsport press photographer, who has been producing spectacular racing images through his company “sportmediapics” for many years, set aside his camera this time and got back on the throttle after a 40-year break. In the 250cc class, where he faces the entire hillclimb elite of this displacement category, including nine-time European Hillclimb Champion Guido Testoni, his father Angelo Testoni, Swiss rider Rolf Haller, and Belgian Bernard Depierreux, Binder classified third in practice. A podium finish on race day seems possible.
In the 125cc class, there will be a historic change. Johann Karl, 15-time Landshaag class winner in the 125cc category, has retired his 125cc machine and now competes in the class up to 500cc. That didn’t stop him from setting the pace there as well in practice with his FTR.
Weather Conditions and Schedule
The setup Friday had already tested the organizers. Heavy rain showers and temperatures just above freezing couldn’t stop the MSC Rottenegg setup team. On practice Saturday, both sessions ran smoothly between 12:00 and 17:00.
On race Sunday, April 12, the third practice begins at 8:30 AM. The timed runs start at 12:00 PM and are scheduled to last until approximately 5:30 PM. The award ceremony is set for 7:00 PM. Admission on race day costs 25 euros, and the paddock is freely accessible to all spectators.
Current Course Records at Landshaag
- Superbike: David Datzer, 1:08.795 (2025)
- Superstock 1000: David Datzer, 1:09.752 (2025)
- Special Bikes: Christian Zaiser, 1:10.657 (2022)
- Supersport: Alexander Kastenhuber, 1:12.897 (2025)
- Superstock 600: Emanuel Reisinger, 1:13.963 (2023)
- Naked Bikes: Stefan Kuktits, 1:16.466 (2025)
- Sidecars: Josef Sattler/Uwe Neubert, 1:18.870 (2017)
- Supermoto: Josef Frauneschuh, 1:19.851 (2016)
- Supersport 300: Daniele Stolli, 1:33.294 (2023)
- BRIDGESTONE 24758Bridgestone – Battlax Hypersport S23 – 180/55 Zr17 Tl 73(w) Rear – Sommerreifen
