Sibiu, Romania. 03 July 2026 - In just under a month Sibiu will once again welcome hundreds of Hard Enduro and Adventure Bike riders for the Edition 23 of Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye, “UNSTOPPABLE,” taking place July 28–August 1. This legendary five-day Rallye draws competitors from all over the world and with 58 nations being represented this year it is considered the most international Hard Enduro event on the planet.
Accompanying the huge gathering of competitors will be an entourage of support crew, family, friends, media crews and staff from across the globe all descending upon Sibiu creating one of the most energetic and exciting Offroad motorcycling communities out there.
2026 Nations Chart
The driving force behind this epic event is Martin Freinademetz who continues to raise the bar with fresh challenges, innovative ideas and a touch of spice. The 2026 “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23 is going back to its Rallye roots with the introduction of two accommodation nights outside of Sibiu. This bold new format increases the intensity of the competition while unlocking access to vast, previously unexplored terrain, revealing spectacular new landscapes, new challenges and an even greater sense of adventure.
Competitors will race through the historical mining heartland of Romania, the Jiu Valley, where the coal mining industry dates back to 1890’s. The Offroad Days will weave through the iconic mining sites of Petrila and Lupeni. These unique industrial environments will present a striking contrast to the rugged mountain and forest terrain, where specially designed urban-style obstacles add another dimension to the race.
Enduro competitors will experience the two overnight stays in the mountain setting of the Straja ski resort, while the Adventure Bike competitors will stay in the heart of Petroșani, bringing the race atmosphere into the city.
Industrial mining sites in the Jiu Valley.
Red Bull Romaniacs features nine classes across three categories: Enduro, Adventure Bike and eMoto. Multi disciplinary training is a must as competitors will be up against everything from mountain landscapes and high-altitude ridgelines to steep forest climbs, rocky descents, roots, gullies and cliff-lined trails. Adding another twist to the challenge, riders will navigate abandoned industrial structures, including stairways leading to rooftop checkpoints. The nine classes are: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron, Atom, Adventure Ultimate, Adventure Core, Adventure Lite, eMoto Hobby.
The NEW Red Bull Romaniacs Camp
New this year is the introduction of the Red Bull Romaniacs Camp - hosted by Mosko Moto which will offer a back to basics basecamp for both Enduro and Adventure competitors. The camp will be allocated to those who prefer to bring their own tents and overnight gear and stay in a riders community. It will be located adjacent to the Sibiu competitor paddock and will relocate to Straja during the two overnight stays outside of Sibiu. This offers a variation to the usual hotel style accommodations, unites riders and their crew/supporters in a more rustic, back to the roots, bivouac style setting where campfires and basic facilities are provided. For the first time in event history, riders can camp throughout the entire rallye, creating a unique community atmosphere while also being more budget friendly.
A look at what and who we can expect to see in 2026?
Mani Lettenbichler (DEU, KTM), current leader of the Hard Enduro World Ranking, scored his sixth victory last year leaving only one more win to match the record held by the all time great, Graham Jarvis. Despite having many years of racing experience in the unforgiving Carpathians, Lettenbichler will be hunted by hungry wolves determined to get their spot on the top of the podium.
Billy Bolt (GBR, Husqvarna) has been pushing hard to tick this event off his list of achievements and hasn’t quite made it, placing second last year, he’ll be eager to hit the tracks. Then there are the young Brightmore brothers from the UK, Mitch having had a taste of glory recently and proving he has what it takes to battle right to the very end with inexhaustible perseverance. Teo Kabakchiev (BGR, Sherco) definitely has unfinished business having crashed on Offroad Day 3 last year. Seasoned veterans Alfredo Gomez (ESP) and Wade Young (ZAF) will be hoping to make the hall of fame and the young guns Francesc Moret Clota (ESP) and Matthew Green (ZAF) and who placed 7th and 10th in 2025 will once again push hard against the category's elite.
Making history at Red Bull Romaniacs “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23, Graham Jarvis (GBR) will take on the Gold Class on his Jarv-E electric motorcycle, becoming the first rider ever to compete in the event's premier class on electric power. With some impressive results this season on his custom design eMoto, the “Silent Assassin” is still one to watch out for in the Carpathian mountains.
In his first attempt to reach the finish in a Hard Enduro event, World Superbike Championship rider, former MotoGP rider and Moto2 World Champion in 2021, Remy Gardner from Australia will debut in the Silver Class.
Mani Lettenbichler Offroad Day 1, 2025.
Mario Roman (ESP, CFMoto) will make his debut in the Adventure Ultimate Class at the “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23. Having been on the Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro podium five times, he has decided to compete on a CF Moto 450MT this year. The Adventure Ultimate Class start line promises an action-packed battle. Roman will go up against former Enduro opponent Jonny Walker (GBR, Triumph), who finished just 3 minutes and 43 seconds behind Pol Tarres (ESP, Yamaha Ténéré 700) in 2025 and is a four time podium finisher in the Hard Enduro category. The Ultimate Class will be putting the “HARD” into Adventure Bike racing with this year’s edition featuring more demanding terrain, increased frequency of technical sections, and greater mountain challenges.
The new Adventure Core Class bridges the gap between Ultimate and Lite Classes. It will feature tough Romaniacs style tracks and is not for the faint hearted. Meanwhile, the Adventure Lite Class should not be mistaken for a casual ride; while more accessible, it still takes competitors into high alpine landscapes via challenging tracks that require determination and precision. In short, every class comes with its own test—none of them hand-delivered.
Beyond the race:
The Red Bull Romaniacs IT team have been working full tilt to deliver a refreshed website, featuring a clean new design, improved navigation, and a strong focus on dynamic video content and race replays.
As the Adventure Bike category continues to redefine itself Red Bull Romaniacs has established dedicated social media channels for the discipline which were launched in June this year:
Instagram: Red Bull Romaniacs Adventure Bikes
Facebook: Red Bull Romaniacs Adventure Bikes
VIP special packages:
Red Bull Romaniacs offers three exclusive VIP packages; EXPERIENCE VIP and ACTION VIP provide guests with close access to the competition, opportunities to meet organisers and selected competitors, and the chance to follow the event each day in style. The RACE VIP package is designed for competitors. It offers a brand new bike of choice, guaranteed starting spot, a VIP manager and mechanic, 4 star hotel, exclusive social media coverage, VIP areas throughout and more, offering a comprehensive event experience.
Hard Enduro World Ranking
The Hard Enduro World Ranking, established in February this year, brings together events worldwide under one independent ranking system. Each event is classified according to its importance and scale.
Red Bull Romaniacs is ranked in the Supreme category, along with Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, placing it among the top tier of global events and offering the maximum available points. With strong recognition and prize money at stake, competitors are expected to go all in as they take on the Carpathian extreme Hard Enduro challenge. Current season rankings are:
With the countdown now in its final weeks ahead of the “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23, preparations on the tracks are nearing completion, as a strong back-to-the-roots spirit builds, promising yet another unique extreme Hard Enduro Rallye experience.
The organisers at Red Bull Romaniacs look forward to welcoming returning and new media representatives to Sibiu as they join us for the “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23.
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Petrila Mine site.
Photo credits: Claudius Vasilescu, Mihai Stetcu, Attila Szabo
Diana Lomota Head of Marketing Red Bull Romaniacs redbullromaniacsmedia@xventure.net Mobile & WhatsApp: +40 745 661 046
România Media națională: Renatta Stepanov renatta.stepanov@gmail.com Media locală: Bogdan Brylynski press@brylu.ro Press Release created by Susan Mould susan.mould@xventure.net