Marathon Stage and One Night Stand added to 2021 Red Bull Romaniacs
By Press Release on 14th May 21
Can the madness get any "madder"? Red Bull Romaniacs organiser Martin Freinademetz thinks it can for the Vertical Madness Reloaded 2021 edition, he is adding a marathon stage to the rallye.
His latest crazy idea includes an overnight bivouac - to be featured between off-road day two and three. Competitors will not go "home" to their hotels. Instead, they will spend the night in an outdoor overnight location in the Romanian wilderness, "alone" with their bike and fellow competitors. Appropriately the project is called the "One Night Stand".
Of course, in true Martin style, in order to make things even more interesting, there will be no access for mechanics or support teams, no friends and family and neither internet nor phone access. It will be riders only - with their bikes, their tents and an amazing campfire atmosphere. A unique opportunity for riders to hang out under the night sky, experiencing a true back to basics adventure.
This marathon stage steps things up a notch, adds a new level of endurance to the event and will increase the demand for riders to demonstrate their mechanical skills. From the service point of off-road day two until the service point of off-road day three, all competitors are on their own and will need to take care of their own bikes. There is no mechanical support after the finish of off-road day two and during the One Night Stand overnight bivouac.
In order to make things more practical, the service point of off-road day two has been moved closer towards the end of the day, just one riding hour before the finish. This will be the final meeting place for competitors and their teams, mechanics and families until the next day after that, it is bye-bye and off into the wilderness.
The service point the following day, off-road day three, will remain as usual at about mid-raceday. For their overnight needs, such as toothbrush, dry clothing, sleeping bags etc., competitors will receive a large container from the organisers that will be transported to the location of the overnight bivouac.
The finish of off-road day two and the start of off-road day three are located directly at the One Night Stand bivouac. It will be physically impossible for support teams, friends and families to reach the location.
"The idea of a bivouac night has been on our minds for years," says Martin Freinademetz, organiser of the Red Bull Romaniacs. "We started planning it two years ago, and we`ll finally set it up this year.
"The Romanian wilderness is something unique, and our marathon stage will, for sure, be an amazing experience for all the competitors. There are no limits to how wild Red Bull Romaniacs can be. Competitors will have a chance to test their mechanical skills, mixed with the ultimate outdoor experience.
"And without being able to have our usual renowned prologue and spectators, we had to keep things spiced up and keep moving into another realm of excitement.
"Even the competitors who have raced Red Bull Romaniacs several times might need to slightly rethink their strategy now.
"The breathtaking countryside and the unique outdoor experience will make up for the extra effort - and might even mix things up a little bit on the podiums!"
The Red Bull Romaniacs 2021 is the fourth and longest event of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, and it is held in Sibiu, Romania, on July 27-31.
More like this…
FIM Hard Enduro World Championship looks ahead to series re-start
After the strangest of opening rounds you could imagine, the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship is looking to put the disappointment of Extreme XL Lagares and the cancellation of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo behind them.
Britain's Billy Bolt shines at pointless Extreme XL Lagares
Britain’s Billy Bolt topped the podium at Extreme X Lagares, round one of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, but wasn't awarded points for his victory.
Extreme XL Lagares forced to make significant changes to planned event format
Due to a regional Covid hot spot, and the subsequent ruling by Portugal’s General Health Directorate on Thursday, May 6 that requires all international sporting events to now be held behind closed doors, Extreme XL Lagares has been forced to make significant changes to the planned event format.