- Manuel Lettenbichler claimed a record-equalling seventh Red Bull Romaniacs victory.
- The KTM rider dominated the 2026 event, winning by more than an hour after four days in the Carpathian Mountains.
- The German now heads to Sweden for round four of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.
Manuel Lettenbichler has etched his name even deeper into Hard Enduro history, claiming a record-equalling seventh victory at the Red Bull Romaniacs in Romania.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider delivered one of the most dominant performances the event has seen, winning the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rally by one hour, three minutes after four brutal off-road days in the Carpathian Mountains.
The victory sees the German equal the legendary Graham Jarvis’ all-time record of seven overall Red Bull Romaniacs wins, while also extending his own remarkable streak to four consecutive victories at the iconic event.
Widely regarded as one of the toughest motorcycle races on the planet, Red Bull Romaniacs combines a spectacular city-centre Prologue in Sibiu with four gruelling days of navigation, extreme climbs, river crossings and technical mountain terrain through Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. Riders from 58 nations lined up for the 2026 edition, with professionals and amateurs tackling courses tailored to their respective classes.
After qualifying fastest for the Prologue before finishing third in the head-to-head final, Lettenbichler wasted little time taking control of the rally.
He won Offroad Day 1 by almost eight minutes to move into the overall lead before extending his advantage to more than 19 minutes with another commanding performance on Day 2.
Although narrowly beaten by less than a minute on Offroad Day 3, the KTM rider remained firmly in charge heading into the final stage.
He then removed any doubt over the outcome by crushing the field on Offroad Day 4, taking the stage win by an astonishing 44 minutes to secure one of the biggest winning margins in recent Romaniacs history.
“It’s honestly hard to put into words,” Lettenbichler said.
“I really enjoyed the riding this week. There were some incredibly tough sections, but I was able to ride my own race, especially on the final day, and really enjoy it.”
“Riding through the final grass fields, I was just thinking about how far my career has come. To win Red Bull Romaniacs for the seventh time is something I never expected, and it’s an unreal feeling.
“Every victory here takes so much hard work and preparation, so this one is really special.
“I really enjoyed the riding this week. There were some incredibly tough sections, but I was able to ride my own race, especially on the final day, and really enjoy it.
“Crossing the finish line is always an amazing feeling, and one of the best parts of Romaniacs is sharing the experience with so many riders from all over the world. Everyone goes through the same challenges out there, and that makes this event really unique.”
Bulgarian Sherco rider Teodor Kabakchiev finished second, more than an hour behind Lettenbichler, while South Africa’s James Moore completed the podium for Beta.
The victory strengthens Lettenbichler’s status as the benchmark in modern Hard Enduro and continues a remarkable run of form that has seen him dominate the discipline over recent seasons. Having now matched Jarvis’ long-standing record, attention will inevitably turn to whether the German can claim an outright eighth Romaniacs title in 2027.
Before then, his focus switches back to the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, with round four, Forza Orza in Sweden, scheduled for August 20-22.
Provisional Results – 2026 Red Bull Romaniacs
Manuel Lettenbichler (GER) – KTM – 22:14:41
Teodor Kabakchiev (BUL) – Sherco – +1:03:27
James Moore (RSA) – Beta – +2:20:22
Matt Green (RSA) – KTM – +2:50:18
Mitch Brightmore (GBR) – GASGAS – +2:53:17
