Watch highlights from the 21st Erzbergrodeo culminating in the brutal Red Bull Hare Scramble.
The 2015 Red Bull Hare Scramble will live long in the memory, partly for the brutal course and sublime racing skills of the competitors, but mostly for the extraordinary display of mutual respect and good sportsmanship that saw the top riders work together to defeat the Iron Giant.
The 21st Erzbergrodeo was a four-day festival of extreme motorsports as nearly 2,000 hard enduro riders gathered in the Erzberg iron mine in Eisenerz, Austria, to compete in the Rocket Ride, Iron Road qualifying races. Joining the party were racing driver/bike nut Mark Webber, FMX legend Robbie Maddison and the Red Bull X-Fighters’ jam team.
On Sunday morning, the 500 fastest racers set off to tackle the Red Bull Hare Scramble, the toughest single-day motorbike race. In their path was 35km of boulders, dust, thick mud and near-vertical climbs, all in energy-draining, bike-killing 30ºC heat.
Leading the way was defending champion Jonny Walker, followed by five-time champion Taddy Blazusiak, returning for the first time in four years, 2013 champion Graham Jarvis and the cream of hard enduro riders.
Blasuziak’s challenge ended on the first hill climb as he clashed bars with his Red Bull KTM team-mate Walker and tumbled heavily back down the mountain.
Walker streaked away into the lead with Jarvis and his Husqvarna team-mate Alfredo Gomez giving chase. After the signature Carl’s Dinner section, Walker cracked his radiator and Jarvis and Gomez pounced to take the lead.
Then they reached the revised Downtown section, leading them into a deep gulley through thick forest. Jarvis and Gomez got stuck. Walker and German veteran Andreas Lettenbichler soon joined them. With help from South African Wade Young (unfortunately disqualified for missing a checkpoint), the men put racing to one side and worked together to get clear of the thick mud and slippery rocks.
The four riders then completed the Red Bull Hare Scramble together, crossing the finishing line in unison to be declared joint winners. Apart from Young, only Mario Roman, of Spain, crossed the finishing line, a remarkable feat given the Spaniard rode with a debilitating knee injury.