Runner-up result for Billy Bolt at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2025

Putting in a solid performance, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has conquered Austria’s Iron Giant to finish a determined runner-up in this year’s Red Bull Erzbergrodeo.

Missing the 2024 running of the world’s toughest single-day hard enduro due to injury, Billy Bolt arrived at the 29th edition of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo hungry to fight for the top step of the podium. Kicking off the event with the Iron Road Prologue qualification on Friday and Saturday, Billy powered his Husqvarna TE 300 up the long, fast, and winding gravel roads of the Eisenerz quarry with supreme confidence.

Placing sixth-fastest out of the 1,800 competitors in this year’s event, Billy easily qualified through to Sunday’s all-important main race with a front-row start.

Mixed weather greeted the 500 qualifiers on Sunday as rain clouds covered the Iron Giant as everyone assembled on the start line. Unfazed by the weather conditions and those around him, Billy set about putting himself into the best position possible when the starter’s flag dropped.

Quickly powering his way into the lead, he looked to open up a healthy advantage on his TE 300. Enjoying the changing conditions, he remained out front until the first of two formidable Carl’s Dinner signature sections.

Despite working his way through the boulders, he came unstuck on the tree-covered rocks as he exited the section, which allowed close rival Manuel Lettenbichler to take over the race lead. Losing touch with Lettenbichler, Billy dropped back to second. Regrouping as they approached the MOTOREX Highway section, at checkpoint 23 of 27, Bolt began to find his rhythm once again.

From there, he comfortably controlled his runner-up position, building a 10-minute buffer over the rider in third. Mastering the final three sections of Killing Leap, Dynamite, and Lazy Noon with relative ease, he reached the finishing arena in style to secure a superb second place in this year’s Red Bull Erzbergrodeo.

The Husqvarna Factory Racing team now looks towards round two of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at Silver Kings in the United States on June 12-14.

Billy Bolt: “It was a tough one, I knew after a good start that I had to push hard from the off. I got a little bit tired on the first section of Carl’s Dinner, needing a couple of goes to exit the trees. That took my momentum away from me. I got fresh energy on the second run through Carl’s Dinner but by that stage Mani had already gained control of the race and I knew I needed to maintain my position of second. But I can’t complain. To have missed the race 12 months ago with injury and come back to where we are now is really satisfying. For sure, runner-up is not the result I came here for, but I left it all out on the mountain today, I didn’t hold back.”

Provisional Results: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2025
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 2:49:17.58
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 3:01:57.565
3. Teodor Kabakchiev (Sherco) 3:13:44.942
4. Mitch Brightmore (GASGAS) 3:13:46.895
5. Trystan Hart (KTM) 3:18:32.642
6. Jonny Walker (Triumph) 3:26:53.833
7. Mario Roman (Sherco) 3:29:17.323
8. Graham Jarvis (KTM) 3:39:39.218
9. Will Riordan (Sherco) 3:42:03.376
10. Alfredo Gomez (Beta) 3:44:55.805