I finished yesterday's Red Bull Halfway Report wondering where Joakim was. 8 Pro Riders had come in and still no Joakim Ljunggren. Husaberg now reports that Joakim had to quit the race due to stomach problems. It turns out Joakim wasn't alone. Only 10 of the 21 Pro Riders made it across the finish line and less than half the original 165 competitors finished the race.
29-year old New Zealander Chris Birch (KTM), sometimes described as "Blazingly Fast," took his first Red Bull Romaniacs win. Graham Jarvis (Sherco 300), favored to win, claimed the second spot on the podium after harsh troubles on the second stage that irreconcilably set him back. 2009 Winner Andreas Lettenbichler (BMW G 450X) cracked his ribs on the first day and proceeded to ride injured and claim the third spot on the podium, only one hour and three cracked ribs short of Birch. Dude.
The Red Bull Romaniacs is reputed to be the toughest Enduro Rallye in the world and this year it was almost all under heavy rainfall, making it the toughest ever. The Rallye's menu consisted of "endless uphills, eye-opening downhills, rocky sections and deep Romanian forests." The heavy rains were described as "extra spice."
Husaberg rider Erich Brandauer ("Austrian Tower of Power") finished 10th in the Pro Riders on his FE570. His claim to fame is making it through the canyon that was shut down soon after he conquered it.
Overall Results:
- Chris Birch, KTM, 28:17:31
- Graham Jarvis, Sherco, 28:46:12
- Andreas Lettenbichler, BMW, 29:18:19
- Paul Bolton, KTM, 29:52:12
- Jade Gutzeit, KTM, 30:21:32
- Lionel Seydoux, KTM, 33:21:58
- Gerhard Forster, BMW, 35:47:18
- Darryl Curtis, KTM, 40:06:41
- Emanuel Gyenes, KTM, 42:10:59
- Erich Brandauer, Husaberg, 42:36:54
For all the exciting details and great photos, go to RedBullRomaniacs.com.
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