KTM IS READY TO RACE ERZBERG – JOIN THE MADNESS

 The countdown is on for the world’s most iconic Hard Enduro event: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. Set against the jaw-dropping backdrop of an iron ore quarry in Eisenerz, Austria, the race is widely regarded as the toughest challenge in offroad racing. For KTM, it’s more than just another stop on the calendar – it’s home.

KTM’s connection to Erzberg runs deep. From the very first edition in 1995, when just 120 riders lined up, to today’s global spectacle featuring over 1,300 entrants fighting for one of 500 places on the main race start line, the event has grown into a true festival of offroad racing. Each year, more than 43,000 fans descend on what’s known as the Iron Giant to witness the chaos unfold. The format is simple, but unforgiving. Two days of flat-out Iron Road Prologue runs decide who earns a place in Sunday’s main event. Then, the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble: 35 kilometers of relentless climbs, rock gardens, and legendary sections that push riders and machines up to and beyond their limits. With a strict four-hour time limit and 27 checkpoints to pass, fewer than five percent of riders will ultimately reach the finish. In 2025, just 14 riders made it to the end. And yet, this is where KTM dominates.

As the most represented and successful brand on the mountain, KTM continues to define what’s possible at Erzberg. In 2025, 41% of competitors lined up aboard KTM machinery, with the KTM 300 EXC alone making up nearly a third of the field. When it came to the finish line, KTM power delivered again, with six of the 14 finishers riding orange. KTM has claimed 19 wins at the event to date, and in 2026, the team lines up with a clear target: victory number 20. Leading the charge is Manuel Lettenbichler, the dominant force of modern hard enduro. A five-time world champion with four consecutive Erzberg victories to his name, Lettenbichler is closing in on the all-time win record and has already secured his place in the history books as both the youngest ever finisher, and youngest winner of the event. Alongside his father, Andreas Lettenbichler, he also forms part of Erzberg’s first father-and-son winning legacy – a story that perfectly reflects KTM’s enduring presence at the race.

For 2026, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing arrives at Erzberg with a stacked lineup ready to take on the mountain. From hard enduro, rally, and EnduroGP stars to multi-discipline talent, KTM’s presence at Erzberg will be undeniable, and something you definitely don’t want to miss. But Erzberg is more than results. It’s raw, it’s unpredictable, and it’s one of the few events in the world where fans can stand meters away from the action as hundreds of riders take on the same near-impossible terrain. Nowhere else offers this level of access, intensity, and atmosphere.

This year, don’t just watch it. Be part of it. Join us at Erzberg 2026 to support the riders and experience the madness.