Sibiu, Romania. Saturday August 1, 2026 - Offroad Day 4 of the “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23 delivered the final showdown after four relentless days of racing through the Carpathian Mountains. The heat increasing throughout the week had transformed the tracks, leaving them dry and dusty for the final battle.
Mani Lettenbichler (DEU, KTM) entered the final day with a commanding 18m 44s lead over his closest rival, Teo Kabakchiev (BGR, Sherco) who was even more determined after his win yesterday.
From the start of Offroad Day 4 Lettenbichler proved once again that he is almost impossible to match, he gave a flawless performance and continued to extend his lead through what was the toughest of the four Offroad Days delivering him to the Sibiu Hillclimb Arena which would be the final LEATT LIVEmaniacs Stage 4 well ahead of the Gold pack.
The victory was complete. Lettenbichler charged through the technical hillclimbs, flew over the ramps and crossed beneath the finish arch to secure another dominant Red Bull Romaniacs win.
Lettenbichler and Graham Jarvis (GBR, Jarv-e) now stand together with an incredible seven victories at Red Bull Romaniacs.
Hillclimbs Arena, Sibiu
An early mechanical issue lost Kabakchiev some time, but he fought relentlessly to recover into second position. The setback ended any hopes of catching the leader, yet he continued to push at full pace until the finish, securing a well-deserved second place on the podium.
The battle for third position then took an unexpected twist moments before the finish in the Hillclimb Arena when Michael Walkner (AUT) who had delivered an outstanding week of racing, held a strong third place and looked set for his first ever Red Bull Romaniacs podium finish, had a crash, ending a remarkable performance but still wrestling in sixth position.
James Moore (ZAF), the 2025 Junior World Champion and Roof of Africa winner, made his Red Bull Romaniacs debut this year and impressed from start to finish, gaining more confidence and momentum with each day.
During the four Offroad Days there was a fierce battle between the future generation of elite riders; Matt Green (ZAF), first ever Hard Enduro Junior Champion in 2022, Mitch Brightmore (GBR), former British Youth Elite Champion, FIM SuperEnduro Junior World Champion and Junior World Hard Enduro Champion in 2023, Ashton Brightmore (GBR), second place in FIM Hard Enduro World Championship 2023. Tom Scales (ZAF), former South African National Enduro Champion and third-place finisher in the 2025 FIM Junior Hard Enduro World Championship, Lorenzo Gandola (ITA), a former World and European Trial Champion.
Moore was pushing his way through the group when his hopes were almost shattered just after the Service Point. His front fork suddenly collapsed and locked, only unlocking again when he hit a depression with force. Which was clearly a major limitation for the young rider. Refusing to let the problem slow him down, Moore continued to fight his way to the finish, completing three laps of the treacherous Hillclimbs with the malfunctioning suspension before crossing the finish line in an incredible third position.
Today was the hardest day for the Gold Class with signature sections coming at them one after the other such as ‘The revenge’, ‘Too many switchbacks’ and ‘Momentum’, ‘Bed Time Alarm’, ‘Skydive’ and ‘Pandora’, ’Wolfnest’. The Finish featured the LEATT LIVEmaniacs Stage 4; three laps of the Sibiu Hillclimb Arena and additional obstacles created by Prolog mastermind, Andy Fazekas, included motocross style ramps and a gap jump across the top the famous Hillclimb.
Lettenbichler: “I’m speechless, it's nuts how my career has gone so far, it's an unreal feeling. Every win I put so much work in but I didn’t ever expect to have seven wins here at Red Bull Romaniacs. I enjoyed the tough sections today. I knew Teo had lost some time so I just took my own pace and I could really enjoy it. The finish area is the best feeling ever. I love it here. You meet so many riders from everywhere, everyone is the same, we're all here to ride. I’m so happy right now”
Gold Class Results:
- Mani Lettenbichler (DEU)
- Teo Kabakchiev (BGR)
- James Moore (ZAF)
At a youthful 51 years old the “Silent Assassin”, the “GOAT”, Graham Jarvis proved once again that he is not only a legend in the sport of Hard Enduro but that he is a leader. He showed that he is “UNSTOPPABLE” and became the first rider ever to compete in the Gold Class on an electric motorbike. He not only reached the finish unassisted with any battery changes during the four days but he had the second fastest time in the LEATT LIVEmaniacs on Offroad Day 2. This was a massive achievement on his Jarv-e motorbike and he’ll take home important insights that will contribute to further research and development of his Jarv-e eMoto. To be a true motorcycle ready to resist an average fun rider for a day in the forest.
Kabakchiev (BGR) Offroad Day 4
Today in Silver Class it was all about technical tracks and a lot of altitude meters.
Sandon Kerswell (AUS) dominated the competition with victories on every Offroad Day and a commanding overall win.
Sandra Gomez (ESP) delivered an impressive performance in the extreme Carpathian terrain, securing fifth overall in Silver Class after four gruelling days of racing. Adding to her impressive result this year, Sandra Gomez (ESP) also remains the only female competitor ever to have successfully completed Gold Class.
World Superbike Championship rider, former MotoGP rider and Moto2 World Champion in 2021, Remy Gardner from Australia opted for a change of scenery and successfully took on the Silver Class challenge, finishing an impressive 34th in extreme Hard Enduro
The founder Martin Freinademetz 'son Santiago Freinademetz (AUT), who has spent many years working behind the scenes on Red Bull Romaniacs track building and logistics, stepped onto the Silver Class start line himself for the “UNSTOPPABLE” Edition 23. He delivered an impressive performance, finishing tenth overall.
Bronze Class delivered a close battle, with Emanuel Gyenes (ROU) adding another chapter to his incredible Red Bull Romaniacs journey. The Romanian rider, who has competed in every edition of the event, completed his 23rd edition with a hard-fought third-place finish. Female competitor Tjaša Fifer (SVN) delivered an impressive performance to secure fifth overall.
For the amateur classes, the challenge was every bit as real as it was for the experts. Silver, Bronze, Iron and Atom riders were pushed beyond their limits in the Carpathian Mountains, facing challenges beyond imagination and proving that the Red Bull Romaniacs challenge is real for every competitor.
The eMoto Class continued to have its place in Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro. Romanian TV celebrity Dani Oțil secured an impressive third-place overall finish.
OVERALL RESULTS can be found on the website.
Gold Class Podium
ADVENTURE BIKE CATEGORY
The Adventure category has truly arrived. Riders from all three Adventure Bike classes embraced the challenge of the Hard Enduro tracks which was once unheard of on multi - cylinder adventure bikes. Both Adv Ultimate and Adv Core Classes were exciting battles right to the end with extremely high levels of competition.
Pol Tarrés (AND, Yamaha Ténéré 700) paved the way for riding a large-capacity Adventure Bike through extreme Hard Enduro terrain and this year he was joined by an exciting line-up of big names, including former Hard Enduro Gold Class competitors; Mario Roman (ESP, CFMoto 450MT) and Dieter Rudolf (AUT) on a KTM 890.
The competition was fierce throughout the week. Roman claimed two of the first three Offroad Days, Tarrés took the other victory, while Dieter Rudolf (AUT) consistently finished third. Kevin Gallas (DEU) and Jonny Walker (GBR, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro) added to the competitive field.
With just five minutes separating Roman and Tarrés at the start of the day, the battle for victory really was down to the wire. Tarrés suffered two crashes, breaking a footpeg before the Service Point and later damaging his visor, while Roman was focused and made few mistakes and was able to protect his overall lead. Dieter Rudolf (AUT) pushed hard and closed the gap, but it wasn't enough to deny Tarrés second place overall.
Mario Roman: "I am so, so happy, my first win at Romaniacs. I didn't have experience on the big bike before, I’m thankful to Pol because he introduced me to this category and the CFMoto has been unbelievable. I'm so proud of myself. I love Red Bull Romaniacs”
Adv Ultimate Class Results:
- Mario Roman (ESP)
- Pol Tarrés (AND)
- Dieter Rudolf (AUT)
Kevin Gallas (DEU) finished fourth and was the first Adventure Bike competitor to conquer the main hillclimb. Jonny Walker (GBR, Triumph) finished sixth, both delivering commendable performances throughout the week.
After four demanding days, the Adventure Core and Adventure Lite competitors emerged exhausted but elated to reach the finish. Both classes provided intense racing from start to finish, even in the Lite Class, whether it was realised at the start these riders ended up racing hard and pushing themselves and their bikes to the limit.
Two-time Dakar winner Sam Sunderland (GBR, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro) committed to a final day charge, clawing back valuable time, finishing just 11 minutes shy of victory.
Both Sam Sunderland in Adv Core and Jonny Walker in Adv Ultimate competed on the heaviest and least modified motorcycles in their respective classes. Their Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro bikes demanded huge endurance and skill to manoeuver, making their performances highly impressive. Ivan Cervantes (ESP) also started the event on a Triumph Tiger 900 but he had mechanical issues on Offroad Day 2, as did Walker, and Cervantes decided to sacrifice his race to donate parts to Walker allowing him to continue.
Two female competitors, Amanda Elvin (SWE) P14 and Andrea Goga (ROU) P26 conquered the Adventure Core Class, proving that strength and determination know no limits on the big bikes of Red Bull Romaniacs.
Adventure Core Class Results:
- Rene Columna (DOM)
- Sam Sunderland (GBR)
- Chris Power (NZL)
Adventure Lite Class Results:
- Guishu He (CHN)
- Adrian Raduta (ROU)
- Matěj Oliva (CZE)
The Adventure category featured a wide range of motorcycle sizes and an impressive variety of manufacturers including CFMOTO, BMW, KTM, Triumph and Yamaha to Kove, Honda, Suzuki, Aprilia and Ducati.
For competitors from all classes, whether experiencing Red Bull Romaniacs for the first time or returning for another attempt, the 2026 "UNSTOPPABLE" Edition 23 delivered an unforgettable test. The race stretched far into new areas of the Jiu Valley and covered long distances especially on Offroad Day 1 - opening access to spectacular new terrain.
The terrain showed no mercy. Endless rock gardens, high alpine slopes with huge rock garden features, rugged mountain terrain with hidden stumps and unforgiving obstacles lay in wait around every corner. Even the flowy sections had ruts and debris hidden under the grass. Every section demanded absolute concentration as physical and mental fatigue took their toll. A single mistake could mean lost positions, bike setbacks or even end the race. These were factors facing every class at every level.
The Offroad Day 1 and 2 unique finish line challenges in the old derelict mine sites of Petrila and Lupeni were unlike anything competitors from 58 nations had experienced before. A first for Hard Enduro Rallye racing, this unique experience added yet another twist to the day. Offroad Day 3 finished with competitors riding over obstacles in front of cheering crowds in the city of Săliște and of course, the grand finale at the Sibiu Hillclimbs Arena remains unmatched, in front of thousands of fans it delivered a finish experience unlike anything else in Hard Enduro Rallye.
Adventure Bike Category Offroad Day 4
Martin Freinademetz: “I think this edition has just been so amazing. We have been so lucky with the weather conditions and the racing was just insane. All the classes have done such a good job and there's a lot of happy faces. I'm also really glad we now have the big bikes as a part of Romaniacs.
It's unbelievable how many people have come up and said ‘Great job and your team is amazing’. I have to emphasize that I can not do this alone, I need all these people out on the tracks, doing the branding and sponsors and all that goes on behind the scenes, so thank you very much to my team”.
One of the defining characteristics of Red Bull Romaniacs is the camaraderie shared across every class. That same spirit extends beyond the competitors to event organisers, joining the event today was Karl Katoch, founder of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo.
Katoch “I think this is the best race in Extreme Enduro. Well done to you Martin and your team”
Karl actually competed in the first ever edition of Red Bull Romaniacs and came second in Hobby Class and Martin competed six times finishing three times in Erzbergrodeo.
Together Martin Freinademetz and Karl Katoch developed the Hard Enduro World Ranking established to bring events together worldwide under one independent ranking system. Each event is classified according to its importance and scale. Red Bull Romaniacs is in the top tier; the Supreme category offering maximum points.
Adventure Ultimate Podium
Adam Reimann (AUS) Offroad Day 4
Photo credit: Mona Pekarek, Tibi Hila, Andrei Apolzan.
Press Release: Susan Mould
Media Team
Red Bull Romaniacs