MX-3 World Champion Matthias Walkner (AUT) took the first KÄRCHER Rocket Ride cup at the iron mountain

300 participants started yesterday, at the first racing day of the Erzbergrodeo 2014, at the steep rock slope race „Kärcher Rocket Ride“. The starterfield was fully packed with odds-on favorites like Ossi Reisinger and Seppi Fally (both won twice the spectaculare race) – as well as Motocross-Worldchampion Matthias Walkner, the three belgian Freestyle-Motocrosser Jimmy Verburgh, Steven Stufen and Gilles DeJong. Just the 48 fastest riders from the qualification were allowed to start at the Superfinal. Already after the first rounds, the talents of the Austrian Motocross elite took a clear step ahead. Reisinger, Heinz and Matthias Walkner gave the contrahents no chance on the way to the final, while Seppi Fally (Kawasaki) didn’t catch a good day and dropped out already in the quarterfinal. The spectacular final heat was the clash between the top-favorites, which finally culminated in the austrian podium: Walkner (KTM) ahead of Reisinger (Husqvarna) and Shooting-Star Christoph Heinz (Suzuki)!



Star-posse at the 20th Erzbergrodeo: Karl Katoch presented the Offroad motorbike elite and the Erzbergrodeo special-stamp during the press conference

The first highlight of the day was the Kick-Off pressconference. Erzbergrodeo-organisator Karl Katoch presented on front of the present worldpress from 26 nations and all continents the probably most top-class starterfield in history of the unique World Xtreme Enduro Event: legends and winners of the past 20 years gave an assignation together with the Worlds top elite of the Endurosport. Next to the first Erzbergrodeo winner of 1995 Alfie Cox (RSA) took place motorsport icons like Giovanni Sala (ITA) and Juha Salminen (FIN), as well as top-favorites like Graham Jarvis (UK), Andreas Lettenbichler (GER), Jonny Walker (UK), Alfredo Gomez (ESP), David Knight (UK), Wade Young (RSA) and Dougie Lampkin (UK). Also the star-actors Tobias Moretti and Gregor Bloeb tookplace. After this prominent riders presentation a world premiere was celebrated together with the media: The Austrian Post honored the Erzbergrodeo 2014 with a special-stamp for the 20th anniversary, which was presented by Karl Katoch, KTM-factory rider Jonny Walker – who is on the picture of the stamp - and Ing. Jörg Pribil from the Post AG.

Generali Iron Road Prologue 2014: the biggest and craziest starterfield of the dirtbike-scene against the iron giant.
Todays second race day of the Erzbergrodeo is all about the lusty highspeed. At the legendary Generali Iron Road Prologue 1500 riders from 38 nations are going on a 13 kilometer long and till 15 meter wide gravel track up to the top of the Erzberg-mountain.It will show up, if the Austrians can also push through against the strong starterfield. In the last years especially the national Offroad-Cracks like Ossi Reisinger, Seppi Fally and Lars Enöckl picked up the laurels for themselves.

Red Bull Hare Scramble 2014: the Erzbergrodeo Highlight on the upcoming sunday offers the most top-class riderfield in the history of this unique event
Just the 500 fastest rider of the Generali Iron Road Prologue are qualified for the taffest Xtreme-Enduro Event of the world. The really strong and selective 35 kilometer long offroad track over the „iron giant“ seperates the wheat from the chaff and pushes also the standed world champions to their limits. 2014 the probably most spectacular starterfield of the dirtbike-scene is taking up the fight for the vitcory of the Erzberg and guarantees an awesome thrill. Toprider like the last year winner Graham Jarvis (UK/Husqvarna), Jonny Walker (UK/KTM), Dougie Lampkin (UK/KTM), Andreas Lettenbichler (GER/KTM), Alfredo Gomez (ESP/Huqvarna), Taichi Tanaka (JAP/KTM) and Lars Enöckl (AUT/KTM) will provide the challenge on the 1st of june at the Red Bull Hare Scramble.





written by Marlies Frey