Red Bull Romaniacs is an annual off-road motorcycle race held in Sibiu, Romania. It was founded in 2004 by Martin Freinademetz. The event attracts competitors from over 52 nations each year. The competition spans five days, with the first day featuring an in-city Prologue, followed by four days of off-road racing on enduro trails in the regions surrounding Sibiu and the Southern Carpathian Mountains.
The event is part of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Series.
Organizer Martin Freinademetz conceived the idea for a hard enduro rally in the Transylvania region after visiting the Carpathian Mountains that surround the historic city of Sibiu.
The Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye is organized under the patronage of the Romanian National Tourism Authority.
Prologue The Prologue is held on Bulevardul Coposu, the main street in the city center of Sibiu. It then moves to the nearby mountains and forests, where competitors must prove their endurance and riding skills. Each year, a different Prologue course and off-road race tracks are created.
Tracks The tracks cross mountain areas, rocky terrain, hills, and valleys, with tarmac being avoided as much as possible. The length of the tracks varies between 100 km and 180 km each day, depending on the class in which the competitor enters. The main challenges include technical sections that pass through wooded areas, where competitors face natural terrain obstacles, such as trees, rocks, mud, and steep inclines. Petrol fuel stops, or tank stops, are placed at intervals of approximately 70 km, allowing contestants to refuel their motorcycles and refresh themselves.
The track is marked with banners, signs, and colored markings, and it is loaded onto a GPS to ensure safety. There are also specially designed spectator points along the route.
List of winners Graham Jarvis and Manuel Lettenbichler are the most successful competitors in the event's history, with seven overall wins apiece.
Year Rider Motorcycle2026 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2025 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2024 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2023 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2022Husqvarna TE 3002021 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2020 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2019 Manuel LettenbichlerKTM 300 EXC2018Sherco 300 SE-R2017Husqvarna TE 3002016Husqvarna TE 3002015KTM 300 EXC2014KTM 300 EXC2013Husaberg TE 3002012Husaberg TE 3002011Husaberg TE 3002010KTM2009 Andreas LettenbichlerBMW G450 X2008Sherco 4502007 Cyril DespresKTM 300 EXC-E2006 Michel GauKTM2005 Cyril DespresKTM2004 Cyril DespresKTM Source:
Competitors and classes
Competitors can participate in five different race classes: Atom, Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, with Gold being the most challenging. Event registrations open in October for the following year's event, and the starting places for the Amateur race class are typically filled within days.
In the 22nd edition "Game Changer" in 2025, four new classes have been added: Adventure Ultimate & Lite, eMoto Expert & Hobby.
Television coverage The Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye has been broadcast in over 215 countries.
References
Further reading
External links Official website (multilingual)