Chess on two wheels

According to Graham Jarvis, he won Red Bull Romaniacs because he was ‘more tactical and smarter than the rest.’ Yet the world’s toughest enduro rally also demanded a further two or three qualifications.

‘It can’t get any worse than this,’ groaned Chris Birch after two Red Bull Romaniacs stages. The 27-year-old has been competing in enduro races for ten years; in his native New Zealand he’s won numerous trial titles; he’s one of the toughest cookies in his sport – and, despite this, was still so exhausted after the first half of the race that he thought about giving up. What didn’t help his mood: One day later, at the second-to-last stage, his prediction proved wrong: things got worse. At 2200 meters he and the other contestants had to deal with freezing point temperatures, which made the torture just a little more torturous. But this just spurred Birch on, and the KTM rider refused to give in – fighting with the course, his rivals and with himself. And, for the second time, fought his way across the finish line third overall.

Tougher than Dakar

It’s hero stories like these – among other things – that make a victory at Red Bull Romaniacs one of the most prestigious goals of all extreme enduro riders. ‘From a fitness point of view, Red Bull Romaniacs is even more challenging than the Dakar,’ event organizer Martin Freinademetz says from experience. ‘Nobody could handle the strain of this race for longer than four days.’ But fitness is not everything. Roots and debris, deep muddy conditions, rocks and crevices demand the most artistic mastery of the bike from the riders – and the inner calm that enables picking yourself up again and again after slips, slides and falls, and getting back in the saddle.

Head-to-head races for the victory

That 2007 winner Cyril Despres was not competing this year freed up the path for new title contenders. After prolog winner Paul Bolton had to give up his dream of winning following a missed checkpoint, the Carpathian Mountain race became a duel between the German Gerhard Forster and the Brit Graham Jarvis. Jarvis, an experienced trial specialist, played a tactical game. In the fast passages he followed navigation talent Forster like a shadow; on the technically challenging parts he tried to make up time.

First non-French winner

Successfully. Jarvis won the first and third stages and on the last day arrived at the finish line in Sibiu – European Capital of Culture 2007 – ahead of Forster. ‘It was beginner’s luck,’ he said of his success with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Because during the race I was actually only concentrating on not making any huge mistakes, and attacking in the deciding places.’ And Jarvis, the first non-French Red Bull Romaniacs winner, wants to come back in 2009 at all costs. “The last few days might have been tougher than I expected, but it was just wicked fun!’