JONNY WALKER AND TRIUMPH FACTORY RACING SET FOR ERZBERGRODEO CHALLENGE

Words and images courtesy of Triumph Racing

This weekend, Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team’s Jonny Walker heads to Austria to take on the legendary Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. With three previous wins at the event, Jonny knows what it takes to conquer the Iron Giant. In 2025, he returns with the fresh challenge of racing Triumph’s brand-new TF 250-E four-stroke in its hard enduro debut.

For Walker, Erzberg marks a return to familiar ground. He is a proven winner with years at the forefront of hard enduro. He arrives fresh from a highly successful 2025 SuperEnduro campaign with Triumph, featuring podium finishes, race victories, and runner-up result in the final standings. Now, his focus shifts to the outdoors.

Widely regarded as the toughest test in the sport, the Erzbergrodeo takes place in the iron ore quarry of Eisenerz. The weekend begins with the high-speed Iron Road Prologue, followed by Sunday’s main event – the infamous Hare Scramble. The brutal course covers over 30 kilometres of unforgiving terrain. Fewer than five percent of the 500 qualified riders typically reach the finish within the four-hour limit.

While Erzberg marks the first hard enduro outing for the Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team, expectations remain grounded. The team’s setup in Austria is intentionally low-key. Their focus is on gaining valuable insight and experience from one of the toughest races on the calendar. Jonny will line up aboard a near-standard TF 250-E, fitted with only a handful of race-specific parts. In a field dominated by two-strokes, taking on the Iron Giant with a four-stroke adds an extra layer of difficulty. Yet, it’s a challenge the three-time Erzberg winner is excited to take on.

The Red Bull Erzbergrodeo takes place from May 29 to June 2, with the main Hare Scramble set for Sunday.

Jonny Walker

“Erzberg is a huge event, with over 80,000 spectators in person and even more watching online. Triumph have never raced here before, so coming on the new enduro bike that I’ve not ridden for very long is an exciting challenge. The goal is to finish, and of course I’d like to fight for a podium as always. I’ve been training hard, so I know that my fitness is where it needs to be. Riding a four-stroke is not the most common choice, but I’ve really enjoyed riding it for the past few weeks. I’m feeling confident. I’ve won here three times before and had a few more podiums too, so I know what I need to do. I can’t wait to get underway with the prologue!”

Paul Edmondson – Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager

“Our plan this year is to use Erzberg for experience and to learn more about the bike. Using the base bike of the TF 250-E is a great starting point to achieve our goals in hard enduro. We’re really looking forward to seeing how the team progresses this weekend. We are eager to support Jonny with his personal goals for the race.”

Ian Kimber – Head of Global Racing Programmes, Triumph Motorcycles

“Erzbergrodeo is one of the toughest races on the enduro calendar. What better way to test our new enduro bike than in the most extreme competitive environment? We aim to understand the capability of a four-stroke machine in a field dominated by two-strokes. The bike Jonny will ride is essentially an OEM-specification model that customers can collect from their dealerships. A few components have been replaced by those from our racing partners. Jonny is feeling confident ahead of the race, and we’re excited to see how both he and the bike perform.”