Rally engineer Phillip Case – in his own words – tells us about his Red Bull Erzbergrodeo experience – and photos

Rally engineer Phillip Case – in his own words – tells us about his Red Bull Erzbergrodeo experience – and photos

The 2026 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo marked my first appearance at one of the world’s most demanding and prestigious hard enduro events. Competing aboard a Husqvarna TE300, the primary objective was not simply to chase a result, but to gain experience, understand the demands of the event and learn what would be required to return stronger in the future.

The 30th anniversary edition of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo provided the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

Arriving in Austria on Sunday evening, preparations began immediately with training on the mountain on Monday and Tuesday with the legendary rider Afredo Gomez and his sister Sandra Gomez. The opportunity to ride some of Erzberg’s most famous sections, including Carl’s Dinner, Machine and Dynamite, was an incredible experience and provided a real appreciation for the scale and difficulty of the terrain.

The practice days delivered a wide variety of conditions. Day one was wet and foggy, creating challenging visibility and slippery terrain, while day two was hot, dry and dusty. Experiencing both extremes highlighted the importance of adaptability and provided valuable insight into bike setup and rider preparation.

One of the most valuable outcomes from the week was the knowledge gained regarding machine setup. Significant lessons were learned regarding tyre selection, mousse choice and overall bike preparation. Throughout the week, the Husqvarna TE300 performed well and gave me complete confidence in the equipment prepared back in Technopark Motorland. The support and direction received from Ride Xpower and Bjorn Carlsson during the prologue stages also proved invaluable in helping maximise the experience.

The competition began with Prologue 1 in damp conditions following heavy overnight rain. Although I had cycled the course the previous day, the stage had changed dramatically by the time I lined up to compete. The surface had become heavily broken up, with exposed rocks, loose stones and large braking bumps developing throughout the course which were also filled with water. My starting order of 800 – 900 for the prologue stages meant I had a very damaged road for both days.

Despite the challenging conditions, I completed Prologue 1 in 587th position from almost 1,200 competitors. While it was a respectable result, the experience highlighted just how important course knowledge and confidence are at Erzberg.

Prologue 2 proved to be a much stronger performance. Having gained valuable experience from the opening run, I felt significantly more comfortable and better prepared for what the course would present. The increased confidence translated into a faster and more committed ride, resulting in a finish of 498th overall. A small crash during the run cost approximately 12 to 14 seconds, but despite that setback, the result represented a significant improvement on the first prologue of 23 seconds over 13km.

When the final qualification positions were confirmed, I missed a place in Sunday’s Hare Scramble by just 14 seconds. While it was naturally disappointing to come so close, I was happy in the context of a first appearance at RefdBull Erzbergrodeo. Improving from 587th to 498th across the two prologues and coming within seconds of qualification gave me more determination to return next year and get into the Sunday race.

A special thank you goes to Ride Xpower, Bjorn Carlsson, Technopark Motorland and everyone who offered support throughout the week.

Most importantly, thank you to my wife Claire, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes throughout the event. From managing the day-to-day logistics to preparing wet, muddy and dusty riding gear for the next day’s action, her support made the entire experience possible and allowed me to focus fully on the challenge ahead.

First-ever Erzbergrodeo: A solid first step, valuable experience gained, and unfinished business waiting for 2027.

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