VOL. 52 ISSUE 24 JUNE 16, 2015 P135
N
ot far from KTM's Austrian head-
quarters lies the "Iron Giant," a
large open-pit iron mine nestled in
the eastern tip of the Alps. What started
decades ago as a friendly competition
among KTM staffers gradually birthed a
motorcycle festival of sorts, and has since
evolved into a four-day Red Bull-sponsored
event. The "festival" theme remains, with a
variety of fun competitions throughout the
weekend including the "Iron Road Pro-
logue"—the challenge that started it all. But
the race that elevated Erzberg to the global
scene (and can be credited with sparking
the worldwide Extreme Enduro craze) is the
final event of the weekend, the Red Bull
Hare Scramble.
This year saw the 20th running of the infa-
mous race, and as promised, event promot-
er and founder Karl Katoch put together the
toughest course yet to challenge the world's
best. The result was a historic one, as only
five riders (out of 500) were credited with a
finish. Of those five, four were crowned as
winners in an unprecedented four-way tie.
Here's an inside look at the 20th anniver-
sary of this tortuous race. For the best riders
in the world, it continues to be a torturous
battle through unimaginable terrain. For the
rest of us, a feast for the eyes…
E
BY JEAN TURNER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KTM IMAGES AND RED BULL CONTENT POOL
