[Overseas] Tenere 700 Conquers the World's Toughest Race, "Erzberg Rodeo"! Pol Tarrés Sets New Record in Big Bike Category

Yamaha's Pol Tarrés and Kevin Gálvez competed in the "Red Bull Erzbergrodeo," one of the world's toughest hard enduro races, on the Ténéré 700. Tarrés set a new record in the Big Bike class, proving the Ténéré 700's off-road capability and durability.

Ténéré 700 Proves Its Mettle in Grueling Enduro Race

Pol Tarrés and Kevin Gálvez of Yamaha Racing Adventure Touring tackled the 30th anniversary edition of the "Red Bull Erzbergrodeo," held from June 4th to 7th in Austria, aboard the Ténéré 700. Considered one of the world's most demanding enduro races, this event pushes both riders and machines to their absolute limits over four days of intense competition. Tarrés and Gálvez once again demonstrated the exceptional performance and durability of Yamaha's adventure machine, the Ténéré 700, on one of motorsport's most challenging stages.

The event kicked off on Thursday with the "Remus Rocket Ride," a hill climb challenge where riders race up a steep quarry as fast as possible, testing pure speed and rider skill. Tarrés and Gálvez took on the course with the Ténéré 700. Gálvez was the only rider in the Big Bike class to qualify for the final, finishing an impressive 5th. Tarrés narrowly missed the final, finishing 5th in his semi-final heat.

Friday and Saturday featured the Prologue, the qualifying rounds for Sunday's main event. Each rider had one timed run per day, aiming to secure a spot in the top 500 to earn a place on the starting grid for Sunday's race. Tarrés and Gálvez achieved impressive results in the Twin Cylinder class, finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively, earning them a second-row start for Sunday's main race.

Tarrés Sets New Big Bike Record, Gálvez Provides Support

Sunday's main event, the "Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble," saw 500 competitors start from the base of the quarry to tackle the infamous "Iron Giant" course. The objective was to pass 27 checkpoints within a strict four-hour time limit, with only a handful of riders typically managing to finish. This race, traversing loose shale, gravel, and fields of massive boulders, tests not only riding skill but also mental fortitude.

The Ténéré 700 demonstrated its exceptional reliability by showing no mechanical issues throughout the grueling four-hour ordeal. This allowed Tarrés to reach checkpoint 19, achieving a remarkable feat and setting a new record for the Big Bike class. He finished an outstanding 77th out of 500 competitors. Gálvez, having achieved his goals in the Rocket Ride and Prologue, chose to support Tarrés, opting to end his race at checkpoint 1 to consider his upcoming racing season, embodying true team spirit.

Both riders are also scheduled to compete in the Adventure class of the "Red Bull Romaniacs," starting July 28th.

Yamaha USA ambassador Cody Webb also participated, riding a WR250F and achieving a commendable 13th overall.

Pol Tarrés commented, "In this race, you never know what the weather will bring, but luckily this year we had good weather and I had a strong strategy to give it my all. Kevin ending the race at checkpoint 1 to support me, showing me better lines, was a huge help. The start is crucial, and I tried to manage the race without pushing too hard in the beginning to conserve energy. When I reached checkpoint 16, I realized I was very close to the Big Bike record, and from there, I pushed even harder. To be able to give everything until the end and reach checkpoint 19 is something I am incredibly proud of. I also want to thank the Trece Racing Society team for their hard work. The bike was also incredible, and although I pushed it to its limits, its performance throughout the race was amazing."

Kevin Gálvez stated, "I was highly motivated for the Rocket Ride, as last year I achieved my first podium finish on a twin-cylinder bike. This race is very short, and any mistake can immediately cost you the race, so precision is key. My goal for the Prologue was clear; that was my main event this year. I tested and trained for this, aiming to push Yamaha to the top. I felt very confident on the first day, but unfortunately, a small issue with my goggles due to the bad weather caused me to lose time and finish second.

On the second day, the weather improved, but I had a minor issue during my run, and I couldn't improve my time. For Sunday's main race, my main objective was the Rocket Ride and the Prologue, so there was no point in pushing too hard. The day before, Pol and I made a plan for him to make a big effort in this race. I was able to support him on the track, helping him mentally, with nutrition, and hydration. It was an emotional day watching him push so hard, and I am proud to be part of a group that can achieve such a performance. I already had a lot of respect for Pol, but now I have even more."