Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2024: Josep Garcia sets best time at the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue
On the second Red Bull Erzbergrodeo race day, the largest and most colourful starting field in motorcycle offroad racing entered the high-speed battle against the ‘mountain of iron’ with more than 1,300 participants.
Spanish enduro world champion Josep Garcia set an impressive best time on his KTM 350 EXC-F on the 15 km gravel track, beating Chris Gundermann (DE, KTM) into second place and Dominik Olszowy (POL, Rieju) into third place. Five-time Prologue champion Ossi Reisinger (AUT/Husqvarna) finished 12th on today's first heat.
In rainy and overcast weather, the gritty gravel racetrack over the Erzberg presented itself to the starters of the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue 2024 in perfect condition. Dust-free visibility made it possible for the world's extreme enduro elite, who were in full attendance, to put their foot down and perform spectacular high-speed drifts. At the end of the first Prologue day, Josep Garcia put on an impressive demonstration of power at the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue, setting a clear best time of 10:19.563 minutes. At the finish, the winner said: ‘I'm delighted to be back at the Erzberg after 5 years. The Prologue course has changed a lot since my last visit and had a lot of very fast sections today. I felt really comfortable and am happy to have set the fastest intermediate time!’
The 31-year-old German privateer Chris Gundermann (KTM) finished second with a time of 10:49.806. Rieju Factory Racing factory rider Dominik Olszowy placed third with a spectacular 10:50.955 minutes in a promising position for a podium finish on tomorrow's second and decisive race day. The other top favourites for the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2024 also left nothing to be desired and all qualified in the top 50 and thus for the front row of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo next Sunday.
Of course, the favourites Manuel Lettenbichler (DE, KTM), Trystan Hart (CAN, KTM), Mario Roman (ESP, Sherco), Teodor Kabakchiev (BG, Sherco), Wade Young (RSA, GASGAS), Jonny Walker (UK, Beta), Alfredo Gomez (ESP, Rieju) and Graham Jarvis (UK, Husqvarna) will also be there. Michael Walkner (AUT, GASGAS), Austria's great hope for the first home podium place at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, finished 9th today among the world's elite of hard enduro sport. Austria's young star, 16-year-old Valentino Hutter (GASGAS), finished a sensational 10th on today's first prologue day with a time of 11:13.298 minutes. Ossi Reisinger (AUT,Husqvarna), the most successful Prologue rider in the history of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo with 5 victories, placed 12th.
Provisional results BLAKLÄDER IRON ROAD PROLOG 2024 (first heat):
1. Josep Garcia (ESP, KTM) 10:19,563 minutes
2. Chris Gundermann (DE, KTM) 10:49,806
3. Dominik Olszowy (POL, Rieju) 10:50,955
4. Wade Young (RSA, GASGAS) 10:54,174
5. Manuel Lettenbichler (DE, KTM) 10:54,354
6. Teodor Kabakchiev (BG, Sherco) 10:55,229
7. Jonny Walker (UK, Beta) 11:01,355
8. Trystan Hart (CAN, KTM) 11:09,14
9. Michael Walkner (AUT, GASGAS) 11:10,507
10. Valentino Hutter (AUT, GASGAS) 11:13,298
The complete BLAKLÄDER Iron Road Prologue results at www.redbullerzbergrodeo.com
Akrapovic Speed Challenge: the high-speed measurement on the iron mountain
On a short, specially approved section of the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue, a speed measurement of all participants was carried out today in the Akrapovic Speed Challenge. The Slovenian exhaust specialist has been a Red Bull Erzbergodeo partner for many years and awards the fastest participant on the measuring track with a prize money of EUR 1,500. In the interim standings after the first prologue day, German Chris Gundermann, who also took part in the Prologue on a Husqvarna 901 Norden twin-cylinder enduro thanks to a double entry, leads with a measured top speed of 134.49 km/h ahead of Patrick Neisser (AUT, Ducati) with 131.19 km/h and French Enduro World Champion Antoine Meo (Ducati) with 130.87 km/h. Tomorrow, Saturday, the participants in the second Blakläder Iron Road Prologue race will have another chance to win the main prize. The winner of the Akrapovic Speed Challenge will be crowned on Saturday evening during the prologue award ceremony in the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo Egger Bier marquee.
Siberia Trial Xtreme Challenge offers spectacular action in the Acerbis Action Arena
Almost 200 participants took on a very special challenge in front of an enthusiastic audience today. In the Siberia Trial Xtreme Challenge, the starters rode uniformly on GASGAS trial motorbikes over the specially constructed trial course, which offered spectacular entertainment for thousands of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo visitors, featuring a 5 metre high banked curve. After today's practice runs, tomorrow's timed qualifying will determine the 48 fastest riders who will contest the Siberia Trial Xtreme Challenge Superfinals in the evening. A very special prize awaits the winner: he/she will receive a fixed starting position on the front row of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on Sunday!
LOUIS One-On-One Rider Presentation: Experience riding technique at the highest level up close!
The spectacular Red Bull Erzbergrodeo rider presentation was once again THE highlight for the fans in the grandstands in the Acerbis Action Arena in 2024! For two hours, event presenter Andi Brewi, supported by Red Bull Erzbergrodeo press spokesman Martin Kettner, presented the top riders and newcomers from the international off-road motorbike scene. At the Louis One-On-One Rider Presentation, the riders showed off their breathtaking riding technique on the gritty trial course - a sensational spectacle that had the spectators on the edge of their seats despite the rain showers!
Storming Eisenerz powered by HDI: the legendary rally of thousands of participants through the city of Eisenerz
On Friday evening, Red Bull Erzbergrodeo mastermind Karl Katoch gathered all participants, employees, journalists and VIP guests for the traditional rally through the town of Eisenerz. The event, intended as a welcome from the thousands of offroad athletes from 50 nations and all continents to the enthusiastic population, was once again an impressive experience: almost 2,000 motorbikes were led through the tranquil town of Eisenerz and offered a tremendous spectacle for the inhabitants.
On tomorrow's second day of the Blakläder Iron Road Prologue, all motorbike fans can look forward to another fast-paced encounter between the world's best Hard Enduro riders - at the end of the race day, the fastest 500 Prologue riders who have qualified to take part in the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on Sunday will be determined - and will enter the ring with the mighty ‘mountain of iron’!
The detailed schedule and all information about the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo can be found at www.redbullerzbergrodeo.com
