South African hard enduro racer Wade Young is getting ready to take on the one-day Erzbergrodeo race with the podium in his sights!
South Africa (02 June 2024) – Red Bull athlete and Hard Enduro living legend Wade Young sets his sights on the podium at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo today, the world’s toughest one-day motorcycle race. With a new bike under him and years of experience battling brutal terrain, Young, despite the name, is primed to take on the “Iron Giant” from 30 May 2024.
The famous off-road race gets its name from the historic mining town of Eisenerz in Austria. With the terrain pushing riders and machines to their absolute limits, the event’s low completion rate has only added to the race’s prestige since its inception in 1995.
Notoriously unforgiving in its landscape, Erzberg isn’t like the other locations. “It is an active mine,” Young explains.
“The rocks are huge, the hills are long and steep, it’s a crazy race!”
Training for a race of this scale is no ordinary feat. When asking Young how he was feeling leading up to the race, he said, “Training has been going good… We are on a new bike this year which has taken a bit of time to adjust to, but we are ready.”
Acknowledging the hurdle that is the infamous opening minutes of the race, Wade says, “If you aren’t in the top 10 positions going into the forest, you can lose a lot of time that will be difficult to regain.”
Beyond the physical demands, the Erzbergrodeo offers a unique thrill.
“The rush of the race is incredible,” Young enthuses. “It’s the biggest race of the season, and a podium finish would be amazing.”
Young’s strategy and ambition are clear:
“It’s a short, intense race. The goal is to get a good start, reach Carl’s Diner clean, and push hard all the way through. My goal is to be on the podium. If all goes well, I believe it’s achievable.”
Stream all the live action here on the 2nd of June 2024: https://www.redbull.com/za-en/live/fim-hard-enduro-world-championship-2024-red-bull-erzbergrodeo
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