It's This, That and the other
By TMX Archives on 18th Jun 09
This week JD looks at the tremendous extreme Rodeo which is Erzberg, reminisces about the Gilles Lalay and of course it was the TT THE Erzberg Rodeo Extreme Enduro, the latest version of which took place just last weekend, is a modern off-road classic – and I say that without (sadly) having been anywhere near the place. The 1,500 riders who sign-up just for the chance of a blast in Qualifying is surely testament to that. And so Erzberg joins the ever-growing list of ‘things to do and see' in my diary, although when that day will come I really don't know! My list doesn't actually grow particularly quickly, it's just that I don't get to tick things off as often as I'd like. Shame really as any and every new encounter is an adventure and I know from talking to those who go just what a blast they have.
Just as with events like the Scottish Six Days Trial and the Weston Beach Race, Erzberg attracts a breed of rider who, once they have encountered it just can't leave the event alone. Paul Bolton, Mark Jackson, Martin Craven, David Myers, David Wood, Richard Ellwood – all are converts to the madness that is Erzberg. The event is now a full four-day festival with a whole host of qualifying peripheral events leading up to the awesome Red Bull Hare Scramble.
Extreme Enduros really are where it's all happening just now. You could argue that the whole extreme thing really started with the original Gilles Lalay – and yes, I would argue that case as I was lucky enough to attend the Lalay twice and thus know just a little of what I'm talking about! It started in the French city of Limoges with the morning (starting at 7am) taking the form of a normal enduro. This was just to sort the qualifiers out though with the top 100 going on to contest the Gilles Lalay proper.
This was an incredible single lap of a course that twisted and doubled back on itself endless times in the forests and bogs and was a devil's own job to follow. And spectating wasn't helped by the fact that there was an estimated 30,000 fanatics all trying to find their vantage points. I was lucky to be WR Yamaha-mounted, along with enduro legend Geraint Jones one year and Geraint's ‘instinct' for where the action was taking place meant that we saw much more than the average. The night stages – it didn't finish until around midnight – were awesome with five massive climbs illuminated by floodlights, culminating in the incredible atmosphere of Le Corbeau Morte – Dead Crow Hill!
Whatever, it remains the most amazing event I've ever attended and it was a sad day when the organisers called it a day as it was such a headache to stage.
It is events like this that led to extreme spectaculars like Erzberg – and also to such events as The Tough One which promoter Steve Ireland is constantly looking to take to the next level. These events also led to the Indoor Extreme events that are now rapidly growing in popularity. Again, I have yet to visit one personally even though Barcelona has been pencilled in my diary before sadly being rubbed-out for whatever reason. Dougie Lampkin rode the Indoor Enduro in Madrid last year and told me he was amazed that the venue was absolutely packed.
The news on that front for British fans is that Future West is staging a round of the World Indoor Enduro Championship this October at the Sheffield Arena. John Hellam is currently talking to riders such as David Knight in order to be able to assemble a suitably demanding course that will test the riders while entertaining us spectators. Yes, I do intend to be there!
Back to Erzberg, and while there is no way in history that I would wish to even consider riding the Extreme bit (while admiring intensely those who do) I do have to say that I would absolutely love a bash at the Prologue which comprises a thrash up what must be one of the longest quarry dirt roads in the world. The twisting, twining climb takes even the quickest guys around nine-minutes while anything around the ten minute mark is still seriously fast.
Just getting to the top in one piece would be the primary goal, a reasonable time, thus earning a congratulatory beer would be a bonus. They have a class for big, bruising twin-cylinder machines – which David Knight won the other year on the prototype KTM V-twin, despite never having ridden the beast before. "How was that, Knighter?” I asked. "Well, I took it easy for a couple of corners – and then I gave it some stick!” was the true and forthright reply. And ‘stick' from Knighter would have been truly awesome to witness.
The Erzberg time trial is very similar in format to one of motorcycles longest lasting traditions, the Isle of Man TT – another event that riders get hooked-on for life. There are always a few off-roaders racing at the TT – including the quickest of the lot, Morecambe's own John McGuinness who averaged over 131mph before sadly dropping out of the big race with a broken chain when holding the lead. Commiserations to Mac, I know how much it means to him.
There's no denying that the TT is a supremely dangerous event so last word to Barrow-in-Furness rider Dan Stewart who finished a brilliant sixth in the big one: "It's just what you do every Sunday – only there's nothing coming the other way!”
