SIBIU, ROMANIA - Aug 5, 2025. Red Bull Romaniacs 2025 didn’t play by the rules, because the rules were never made for this. From unleashing multi-cylinder adventure bikes into terrain once thought impossible, to electric motorcycles going full distance against traditional combustion engines, the race tore through every expectation of what enduro “should” be. Whether it was elite pros conquering hillclimbs or first-time eMoto riders pushing tech boundaries in real-world chaos, 2025 proved one thing: the future of enduro isn’t following a script. It’s being written here.

The 22nd edition of Red Bull Romaniacs has concluded after five intense days across Romania’s unforgiving Carpathian Mountains, leaving an undeniable mark on the global enduro landscape. With competitors from 63 nations, and the debut of the Adventure Bike categories, this year’s event lived up to its billing: The Game Changer.


Manuel Lettenbichler, 2025, his sixth Red Bull Romaniacs win.

At the center of it all, Manuel Lettenbichler (DEU, KTM) claimed his sixth Romaniacs title, reaffirming his dominance in the hard enduro world and securing the 2025 Extreme Enduro Rallye World Champion title in the process.

But 2025 was about much more than titles. It was about a shifting tide in motorcycle sport, from the rise of electric bikes in elite competition, to big-bike adventure racing earning a place alongside traditional classes.

Sam Sunderland in Adventure Lite Class.

Evolving the Sport: Key Milestones from 2025

Adventure Bikes Make Their Mark: For the first time, Romaniacs welcomed multi-cylinder bikes into the high mountains. Pol Tarres (AND) and Jonny Walker (GBR) led a fierce, crowd-thrilling contest in the Adventure Ultimate category, while Dakar legend Sam Sunderland (GBR) topped Adventure Lite on debut.

Electric Breakthrough: Eddie Karlsson (SWE) won the Silver Class aboard a Stark VARG eMoto, going head-to-head with combustion bikes across nearly 600 km of terrain, a first for a bike of its kind at this level.

Global Depth, Diverse Podiums: From Guatemala to China, Kazakhstan to Portugal, riders from every continent stood on the podium, proving that hard enduro is now a truly global sport.

The Hillclimb Arena Reimagined: Red Bull Romaniacs closed with an entirely redesigned Final Hillclimb Arena: three hillclimbs, gap jumps, a wall ride, and more, creating a stadium-like spectacle never before seen in hard enduro.

“This edition was more than a race. It was a turning point,” said Martin Freinademetz, Red Bull Romaniacs founder. “We set out to push boundaries, and the response from the riders, fans and industry shows that the future of enduro is wide open. Electric is real. Big bikes belong. And the global community is stronger than ever.”

Graham Jarvis at the Hillclimbs Arena.

Fastest in the Mountains: Gold Class Top 3

  1. Manuel Lettenbichler (DEU, KTM)
     
  2. Billy Bolt (GBR, Husqvarna)
     
  3. Mario Roman (ESP, Sherco)

    Lettenbichler’s sixth win edges him closer to Graham Jarvis’ legendary seven victories, while Bolt continues his climb toward a future title with unmatched consistency. Roman, meanwhile, battled illness and adversity to secure his fifth Romaniacs podium.

Honorable Mention: Graham Jarvis, age 50, proved he’s far from finished by finishing P5 against riders half his age.

Class Champions: A Truly International Podium Spread

  • Silver Class: Eddie Karlsson (SWE, eMoto), Justin Elizondo (CRI), Kornel Ott (HUN)
     
  • Bronze Class: Diego Chang (GTM), Xing Yang (CHN), Eddie Findling (DEU)
     
  • Iron Class: Fabio Carvalho (PRT), Alexander Petroiu (CAN), Ovidiu Tronaru (ROU)
     
  • Atom Class: Dmitriy Reznitskiy (KAZ), Carlos Gracida (MEX), Justin Short (GBR)
     
  • Adventure Ultimate: Pol Tarres (AND), Jonny Walker (GBR), Dawid Szczotka (POL)
     
  • Adventure Lite: Sam Sunderland (GBR), Joop Nissink (NDL), Daniel Fernandez (COL)
     
  • eMoto Expert: Sebastian Dudaș (ROU), David Freidinger (AUT), Thomas Warmuth (AUT)
     
  • eMoto Hobby: Martin Dosch (DEU), Bogdan Cimpu (ROU), Ionut Tocitu (ROU)
     

A Final Word

With new classes, record-breaking participation, a future-facing embrace of electric and adventure platforms, and another legendary title battle in the books, Red Bull Romaniacs 2025 has closed a chapter and opened a new one for the global enduro community.

“Our mission has always been to evolve the sport without compromising its essence. What we saw in 2025 proves that the spirit of hard enduro is alive, inclusive, and evolving,” said Freinademetz.

The 2026 edition is already in the works and it promises to raise the bar once again, mark your calendars: 28 July -1 August 2026!

Billy Bolt flying to the finish.

Media Assets, Results & Replays:

Photo credit: Attila Szabo, Red Bull Content Pool
Head of Press Release: Susan Mould

Media Team
Red Bull Romaniacs
 

 

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