Erzbergrodeo 2026: Electric Bikes Join the 30th Anniversary Edition

• Date: June 4 to 7, 2026, in Eisenerz, Styria
• More than 1,100 riders, including 43 on electric motorcycles
• Top favorite: Defending champion Manuel Lettenbichler with four consecutive victories

The “Mountain of Iron” is calling for the 30th time. What began in 1995 as a rugged hillclimb race across the spoil heaps of a Styrian open-pit mine has long since evolved into the biggest festival in off-road sport and is now considered one of the toughest extreme enduro events in the world. In the new Hard Enduro World Ranking, Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is listed as a World Xtreme Enduro Supreme, making it one of the key fixtures of the 2026 hard enduro season. For the anniversary, the organizers are raising the bar both on and off the track.

When and where does Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2026 take place?

Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2026 runs from Thursday, June 4, to Sunday, June 7, at the Erzberg near Eisenerz in Styria. It is the 30th edition of the event, which started in 1995.

Around the four race days, a self-contained infrastructure is built at the foot of the mountain, which the organizer himself describes as a “small town on the Mountain of Iron.” According to the organizers, the grounds are set up for around 7,000 “residents” and approximately 50,000 spectators, managed by a crew of nearly 800 staff. Founder and mastermind Karl Katoch looks back in amazement at its development: “I am often asked whether I could have imagined a 30-year success story after the first race at the Erzberg. I’ll be completely honest — back then we didn’t even know if we’d be allowed to come back the next year!”

How does the race weekend at the Erzberg unfold?

The race weekend is divided into several competitions that build from Thursday through to the main race on Sunday. Traditionally, the hillclimb race kicks things off.

On Thursday, the REMUS Rocket Ride begins — a hillclimb race that has been part of the program since 2009. The field is limited to around 300 riders and is fully booked. From 8:00 PM, the 48 fastest qualifiers battle in the superfinal for the title of REMUS Rocket Ride Champion 2026. On Friday and Saturday, the Iron Road Prologue follows — a nearly 15-kilometer gravel course across the mining area, packed with numerous chicanes. Each rider starts individually, and the faster of two runs counts. Only the 500 fastest participants qualify for the main race on Sunday.

In parallel, the Milwaukee Action Arena offers a packed side program. At the Trial Xtreme Challenge, more than 100 riders compete on identical GASGAS trial motorcycles for a wildcard starting position in the front row of Sunday’s race. New to the program is the SEGWAY Quad Challenge, in which top riders from the quad scene take on the Iron Road Prologue.

Who is the favorite at Erzbergrodeo 2026?

The clear favorite is German rider Manuel Lettenbichler, currently regarded as the most successful extreme enduro rider in the world. The factory rider for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has won the last four editions from 2022 to 2025 and could match Erzberg legends Taddy Blazusiak and Graham Jarvis with a fifth victory.

Organizer Karl Katoch assesses the 28-year-old’s role: “Manuel currently has the best combination of riding technique, physical fitness, and mindset, plain and simple. He will be the hunted one at the Erzberg, and we can look forward to seeing how he handles the pressure — and whether he can match Red Bull Erzbergrodeo legends Taddy Blazusiak and Graham Jarvis with his fifth win.” His toughest rivals include KTM teammate Trystan Hart, Husqvarna rider Billy Bolt, Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev, three-time winner Jonny Walker on Triumph, Spain’s Mario Roman, and American Cody Webb on Yamaha. Also competing is a true legend: Graham Jarvis, five-time Erzberg winner, is lining up at age 52 for the first time on an electric motorcycle — the JARV-E, which he co-developed.

The entry list extends far beyond the hard enduro scene. Eight-time EnduroGP world champion Andrea Verona is competing, as is Dakar winner Daniel Sanders, who will tackle the Iron Road Prologue on his KTM 450 Rally. Also joining are American supercross rider Carson Brown and Swiss ski racer Franjo von Allmen, a three-time Olympic champion, who is taking on the challenge aboard a KTM 300 EXC. Not on the start list, however, is reigning EnduroGP champion Josep García, who is sitting out due to the upcoming birth of his second child. The age structure of the field is notable: 63 percent of all participants are between 16 and 29 years old.

Why are electric motorcycles competing for the first time in 2026?

For the 30th anniversary, electric motorcycles are eligible to compete in all classes for the first time. A total of 43 riders will start on electric machines, more than 90 percent of them on a Stark VARG from Spanish manufacturer Stark Future.

Four top riders will represent the Barcelona-based brand: Eddie Karlsson, Toby Martin, Cooper Abbott, and two-time motocross world champion Sebastien Tortelli. What makes this particularly significant is that the electric machines compete head-to-head against combustion-engine bikes, without a separate classification. A central charging station provided by partner RHK Energy Solutions supplies the necessary power. Katoch justifies the move with his own experience and an earlier side event using fully electric KTM Freeride E models, and sees great potential for the technology going forward.

Twin-Cylinder Class: Big Enduros Against the Clock

There is also a show beyond the classic single-cylinder enduros. In the twin-cylinder class of the Iron Road Prologue, another battle is shaping up between KTM, Yamaha, CFMOTO, and KOVE. Yamaha is fielding two riders on the Ténéré 700: Pol Tarres and Kevin Gallas. Both plan to enter Sunday’s main race as well as the REMUS Rocket Ride with their heavy adventure enduros.

How to watch Erzbergrodeo 2026 live

Red Bull Erzbergrodeo will be broadcast live on race day from 12:50 PM on ServusTV and ServusTV ON. The international livestream runs on Sunday, June 7, from 12:50 PM on Red Bull TV. The German-language broadcast is hosted by moderator Andreas Gröbl with experts Heinz Kinigadner and Stefan Nebel, while Nicole Oberlechner reports live from the start and finish area.

Since ServusTV switches to MotoGP coverage from Hungary after the start, the race can be watched in full on ServusTV ON. The international stream is commentated by Pat Parnell and Ed Leigh, among others. Around the track, rock radio station 88.6 is setting up a glass studio in the arena for the first time, and a Saturday evening concert by the band Pineapple John takes place in the NORDIC SPIRIT tent.

30 Years of Erzberg: From Hillclimb to Festival

The emotional highlight of the anniversary is a side event on Friday. At the Kessel Parade powered by OBI, Karl Katoch leads the entire starting field in a massive motorcycle parade into the start bowl, where all participants form a “30” formation. The resulting group photo is intended as a tribute to three decades of Erzbergrodeo.

How much the event has grown over the years is evident in the words of prominent riders. Five-time winner Taddy Blazusiak calls the Erzberg “our Olympic Games,” while motorsport icon and Wings for Life founder Heinz Kinigadner describes it as “the Woodstock of motorcycle off-road.” The sporting depth further underscores the anniversary: the top riders at this edition alone account for 48 world championship titles and 19 Erzberg victories combined. Additionally, the highest-placed Austrian rider in the new Hard Enduro World Ranking after the race will receive a special award in the form of a check for 1,000 euros (approximately 1,080 US dollars). Those looking to dive deeper into the history can find it in the anniversary book “Red Bull Erzbergrodeo — The Iron Giant and Its Heroes” by author Werner Jessner, a 224-page hardcover.

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