Across four demanding Offroad Days, riders from all three Adventure Bike classes pushed multi-cylinder motorcycles through terrain once considered suitable only for lightweight Hard Enduro machines.
Both Adventure Ultimate and Adventure Core delivered close battles until the final stage, while the variety of riders, motorcycles and manufacturers confirmed that big-bike racing is no longer simply a side attraction at Romaniacs.
At the front of the Ultimate class, Mario Roman completed an impressive debut on the CFMOTO 450MT, holding off Pol Tarrés and Dieter Rudolf to claim his first Red Bull Romaniacs victory.
Mario Roman Completes a Remarkable Adventure Debut
Pol Tarrés helped redefine what could be achieved on a large-capacity Adventure motorcycle by taking the Yamaha Ténéré 700 into extreme Hard Enduro terrain. This year, he was joined by a strong group of experienced riders, including former Gold Class competitors Mario Roman and Dieter Rudolf.
Roman entered the Adventure Ultimate category with limited experience on the larger motorcycle, but quickly adapted to the CFMOTO 450MT.He won two of the first three Offroad Days, while Tarrés claimed the remaining stage. Rudolf remained consistently close, finishing third throughout the week and keeping himself in the podium fight.
With only five minutes separating Roman and Tarrés before the final day, the overall victory was still far from secure.
Tarrés Crashes as Roman Protects the Lead
Tarrés began the final stage needing to recover time, but his challenge became more difficult after two crashes.The Yamaha rider broke a footpeg before the Service Point and later damaged his visor. Despite the setbacks, he continued pushing and successfully defended second place overall.
Roman produced a more controlled final ride, avoiding major mistakes and protecting the advantage he had built during the opening three stages.
Rudolf also attacked on the final day and reduced the gap, but could not recover enough time to take second from Tarrés.
Adventure Ultimate Final Results
- Mario Roman – Spain, CFMOTO 450MT
- Pol Tarrés – Andorra, Yamaha Ténéré 700
- Dieter Rudolf – Austria, KTM 890
Mario Roman: “My First Win at Romaniacs”
“I am so, so happy. My first win at Romaniacs. I didn’t have experience on the big bike before. I’m thankful to Pol because he introduced me to this category, and the CFMOTO has been unbelievable. I’m so proud of myself. I love Red Bull Romaniacs.”
For Roman, the result represents both his first Red Bull Romaniacs victory and an important achievement for CFMOTO in one of the toughest environments available for an Adventure motorcycle.
Kevin Gallas Conquers the Main Hillclimb
Kevin Gallas completed the Adventure Ultimate classification in fourth position and became the first Adventure Bike competitor to conquer the main final hillclimb.
Jonny Walker finished sixth aboard the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro, completing a demanding week after mechanical trouble nearly ended his race on Offroad Day 2.
Both riders delivered strong performances throughout the event and added further depth to an already competitive Ultimate field.
Ivan Cervantes Sacrifices His Race for Jonny Walker
Walker’s finish was only possible because of help from Triumph teammate Ivan Cervantes.
Both riders suffered mechanical problems on Offroad Day 2. Cervantes made the decision to sacrifice his own race and donate the necessary parts to Walker, allowing the British rider to continue his Adventure Ultimate campaign.
The decision became one of the strongest examples of teamwork and sportsmanship during the event.
Rene Columna Wins Adventure Core
Adventure Core also remained competitive until the finish. Two-time Dakar winner Sam Sunderland launched a final-day attack aboard the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro and recovered valuable time, but completed the event 11 minutes behind class winner Rene Columna.
The result was particularly impressive considering that Sunderland and Walker competed on the heaviest and least-modified motorcycles in their respective categories.
Controlling the large three-cylinder Triumph through technical Romaniacs terrain demanded considerable strength, endurance and precision. Chris Power completed the Adventure Core podium in third position.
Adventure Core Final Results
- Rene Columna – Dominican Republic
- Sam Sunderland – Great Britain
- Chris Power – New Zealand
Amanda Elvin and Andrea Goga Complete Adventure Core
Two female competitors successfully reached the Adventure Core finish. Amanda Elvin completed the event in 14th position, while Romania’s Andrea Goga finished 26th.
Their results underlined the physical and technical level required to complete the class while also proving that determination and ability matter more than stereotypes when the motorcycles become bigger and the terrain becomes harder.
Guishu He Wins Adventure Lite
Adventure Lite may have followed the most accessible routes of the three Adventure categories, but the riders still faced four long and demanding days.
What may have started as a challenge to simply finish quickly developed into genuine racing, with competitors pushing themselves and their motorcycles harder as the week progressed. Guishu He secured the class victory ahead of Romania’s Adrian Răduță, while Matěj Oliva completed the podium.
Adventure Lite Final Results
- Guishu He – China
- Adrian Răduță – Romania
- Matěj Oliva – Czech Republic
A Huge Variety of Motorcycles and Manufacturers
One of the defining features of the Adventure category was the range of motorcycles competing across the three classes.
The field included bikes from:
- CFMOTO
- BMW
- KTM
- Triumph
- Yamaha
- Kove
- Honda
- Suzuki
- Aprilia
- Ducati
From lightweight 450cc machines to large multi-cylinder motorcycles such as the Yamaha Ténéré 700, KTM 890 and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro, the event brought together very different approaches to Adventure racing.
That variety highlighted both the versatility of modern motorcycles and the skill required from riders adapting them to extreme terrain.
Adventure Bike Racing Has Found Its Place
Red Bull Romaniacs once helped define Hard Enduro. The rapid growth of its Adventure classes now suggests that another discipline is beginning to take shape.
Roman, Tarrés and Rudolf brought the Ultimate fight down to the final day. Columna and Sunderland delivered a close Core battle, while riders throughout Lite discovered that even the most accessible Adventure category still demands genuine commitment.
Big motorcycles are now climbing, descending and surviving terrain that would have seemed unrealistic only a few years ago. The Adventure category has not merely arrived—it has earned its place.
