Amir SohailBARCELONA, Spain, (ZEEST MEDIA) — For thirty years, riders have travelled to Austria’s Iron Giant to test themselves against one of the toughest challenges in motorsport.
The 2026 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo was no different.
Over four days of competition, Stark Future delivered its strongest hard enduro performance to date, sweeping the REMUS Rocket Ride podium, placing three riders inside the Prologue top ten, and finishing the world’s toughest one-day hard enduro race with two riders inside the overall top twelve.
What began with the acceptance of electric motorcycles into Erzbergrodeo became something much more significant in 2026.
Competition.
A PERFECT START
Thursday’s REMUS Rocket Ride saw Stark Future lock out the top four positions.
Racing Director Sébastien Tortelli took victory after winning every qualifying heat and securing the holeshot in the final. Marc Sans finished second, David Herbreteau third, and Austrian guest rider Ossi Reisinger fourth.
On one of the most iconic hill climbs in off-road racing, the Stark VARG dominated from start to finish.
Sébastien Tortelli
Stark Future Racing Director & REMUS Rocket Ride Winner
“Winning the Rocket Ride was special, but what made me most proud was seeing the entire team perform throughout the week. We came here to compete, not to participate. To leave Erzberg with a victory, a complete Rocket Ride podium, multiple top-ten Prologue performances and two riders inside the top twelve of the main race shows how far this programme has come.”
Marc Sans
REMUS Rocket Ride Runner-Up
“The Rocket Ride is pure intensity. One hill, one chance, and no room for mistakes. To stand on the podium alongside Seb and David and give Stark a complete sweep was a great way to start the week. It showed what the VARG can do when traction, precision and commitment matter most.”
David Herbreteau
REMUS Rocket Ride Third Place
“The result belonged to the entire team. From the riders to the mechanics and engineers, everyone contributed. To lock out the podium at Erzberg is something we’ll remember for a long time.”
SPEED ON THE MOUNTAIN
The momentum continued into the Iron Road Prologue.
Against a field packed with factory-supported combustion machinery, David Herbreteau finished sixth overall, Marc Sans seventh, and Sébastien Tortelli secured a top-five result on Day One before family commitments prevented him from starting Day Two.
Further back, Eddie Karlsson, Toby Martyn and Cooper Abbott successfully completed their objective of securing front-row access for Sunday’s Main Event.
Three Stark VARG riders finished inside the overall top ten.
THE MAIN EVENT
Five hundred riders started. Fifteen finished.
Eddie Karlsson’s race became one of the stories of the event.
Before the race had properly begun, a staging incident damaged his rear brake, forcing him to tackle Erzberg without rear stopping power. Adapting his regeneration settings on the fly and changing his riding style throughout the race, Karlsson fought through the mountain to finish ninth overall.
One of only fifteen riders to complete the course.
Eddie Karlsson
9th Overall – Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2026
“Finishing inside the top ten at Erzberg is something every hard enduro rider dreams about. Losing the rear brake before the race even started wasn’t part of the plan, but we adapted and kept moving. The bike performed exactly as we needed it to, and bringing a VARG into the top ten at Erzberg is something the whole team should be proud of.”
Toby Martyn delivered an equally impressive performance.
Running as high as fourth in the opening stages, Martyn suffered a heavy crash before later losing his rear hand brake in the infamous Karl’s Dinner section. Armed with little more than zip ties, tape and determination, he repaired the bike trailside and continued.
He crossed the finish line in twelfth overall with more than twelve minutes remaining before the four-hour cut-off.
Toby Martyn
12th Overall – Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2026
“Erzberg has a reputation for a reason. It tests everything. We had crashes, damage and plenty of challenges along the way, but that’s what this race is about. To finish my first Erzberg and put another VARG inside the top twelve made every challenge worthwhile.”
Cooper Abbott
38th Overall – Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2026
Cooper Abbott also delivered a strong ride to complete the course in 38th overall, adding another Stark VARG to the finishers list at one of the hardest races in the world.
After securing his Sunday start through the Prologue, the American managed the mountain with control and consistency, bringing the bike home in a race where most of the field did not reach the finish.
“Erzberg is unlike anything else. The mountain keeps asking questions all day, and you just have to keep finding answers. To finish the race and bring another VARG to the line is a strong result for the team, and something we can keep building from.”
Among the 500 riders who entered the 2026 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, more than 23 competitors took to the start on Stark VARG machinery. This contingent included guest riders Jon Pearson and Eric Seifert, both of whom successfully navigated the grueling course to reach the finish line.
VALIDATION ON THE WORLD STAGE
- A win in the Rocket Ride.
- A clean sweep of the top four positions.
- Three riders placing in the Prologue top ten.
- Two riders finishing in the Main Event top twelve.
- A total of five finishers.
The 2026 Erzbergrodeo was more than a display of potential for Stark Future—it was a definitive proof of performance. This was not about participating in a separate exhibition or category. It was about pure, high-level competition.
TAKE AWAYS
- A Rocket Ride victory.
- A complete top-four sweep.
- 3 riders inside the Prologue top ten.
- 2 riders inside the top twelve of the Main Event.
- 5 finishers.
- For Stark Future, Erzbergrodeo 2026 was not about demonstrating potential. It was about proving performance.
- Not a separate category. Not an exhibition.
Further Imagery and information can be found the Stark RBE – MEDIA KIT: HERE
Publication Partner: Zeest Media
