Full Highlights From Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble 2019 | Red Bull Signature Series

SALT MASEKELA: A sinister mountain, chiseled and extracted for its precious iron ore as early as the 12th century. But for one weekend a year the machinery that mines this mountain is silenced and replaced by the roar of 500 two-wheeled motocross bikes. This is the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble. And you're watching the Red Bull Signature Series. SAL: Welcome everyone to the Red Bull Signature Series. I'm your host Sal Masekela and we're here enjoying the shadow of the Iron Giant. Eisenerz, the mountain town nestled in this Alpine valley, literally means iron ore. Now this mountain, also known as Erzberg, is a mine in constant transformation.

The landscape changes every year, it is a very different mountain and course since the competition began 25 years ago. And it has evolved into what has become one of the most grueling races on a motocross bike. Now, unfortunately, America's best hope of finally having a competitor who can bring the rock home has been dashed with the recent injury to Cody Webb. He will have to wait until next year. But there are others who are ready for this challenge, including young Manuel Lettenbichler, Germany. Wade Young of South Africa. The Spanish, Alfred Gómez and Mario Román. And the British Johnny Walker and Billy Bolt.

Now, a man you can never rule out in a race like this, his nickname says it all, the silent assassin, Graham Jarvis. At 44 years old, this guy doesn't slow down. He is the elder statesman of the sport of hard enduro. He may not be the fastest off the line, but he is meticulous in racing and chasing his competitors, staggering one by one and navigating the treacherous parts of this course with impeccable testing skills. The chase is on right now, let's send it to Jack Nicholls and Grant Langston to call. JACK NICHOLLS: Thanks, Sal. Today is a beautiful day in the mountains, but it hasn't been that way for the last month.

Heavy rain earlier this week, and snow before that. So the conditions on the mountain are going to be really challenging. So let's take a closer look at this 25th edition of the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble. For the anniversary, Karl Katoch, the track designer, made the toughest track to date and ground the dust at the bottom of the pit. GRANT LANGSTON: Yes, 35.2 km is about 22 miles. The beginning of this year was very wet because of all that rain. Series of climbs to leave the mountain and then return through a water pipe. That's the first very technical section.

Then through the forest, very slippery, lots of exposed roots and humidity there making these climbs more difficult. Look, there they are approaching the top. Quite a bit of elevation, a lot of climbing in the first half. Then it gets a little more open in the midsection here. JACK: This is where Carl's dinner, one of the most famous parts, becomes key. That's where he's technical, you have the huge rocks. GRANT: Absolutely, and let's not forget the Green Hell, which has decided many of the races. Heading to the final stretch through checkpoint 23, then Dynamite. They will go down to Lazy Noon, descending to the finish line.

And 500 runners have qualified. 1,500 showed up. Let's see how many finish. JACK: Well, 1,500 came to qualify. Only 500 can start the race, ten rows of 50 runners. There are 27 checkpoints in total. The first to reach the goal wins. At the first 10 checkpoints the public can help cyclists. But starting at checkpoint 11, they are alone. You can help each other, that's all. Now the leader is Manny Lettenbichler, the 21-year-old German. He is the youngest rider to finish Hare Scramble. His father, Andreus, was champion in 2015. Manny finished third last year. And, in fact, if it hadn't been for his incident in the Green Hell, he might have won.

So this afternoon he seeks victory. And now he approaches checkpoint 11, Machine, as he turns it to the right and begins this tricky part where Tina Dixon is waiting. TINA DIXON: I'm at the base of Machine right now and behind me is the leader, Manny Lettenbichler. And he looks solid right now. Guys, keep in mind that in the past he came out of the gates very fast, but he lost energy near the end. He and his father Andreus have been preparing meticulously for this event and have done a good job so far in this section. JACK: Yes, it's also a new slower entry for this year, meaning they don't have as much speed to get to the top, which makes it harder to get out.

The next rider is approaching now, Tina. What's coming up is second place right now. It's Johnny Walker, chasing Manny Lettenbichler, who is in the lead. Now, I talked to Johnny earlier. He said his body feels strong. Remember, he is coming back from that right wrist injury, but so far it doesn't seem to be affecting him. JACK: There's Johnny Walker. He has Wade Young behind him. But that wrist injury to Johnny Walker will surely affect him soon. GRANT: You might think so. He mentioned that in the first two hours he is usually fine. It's later that it affects him.

You see the bike stopped, press the electric start. And with that slower entry, these drivers have to use a little more throttle and clutch. You can see that the rocks are spinning and the conditions are constantly changing. JACK: Here's a look at the start of the race. You can see how wet it was at first after all that rain. And splashing around in that water was not ideal. And here too there was a new, narrower starting point. Then, as the forwards took the hole shot, Ryan Sipes fell in the middle. And that caused chaos. From here no one can go anywhere.

GRANT: You always see this in Erzberg. That's why the best are so eager to get out quickly. Nice shot here from the front there. Horsemen charging. They know it's important to clear the way. You see how quickly it separates once you get out of the Iron Giant and back into the forest. All teammates are going for the same real estate. JACK: Yes, three KTMs lead the way in the first part. This was with Ryan Sipes. He was the guy who went down and then caused all the chaos in that first half. When you have these runners trying to get on top of you it must be very difficult.

And this was Graham Jarvis, who fell back at the beginning, he doesn't always have quick exits. And he got caught up in that chaos in the first corner. Let's see how he's doing now with Tina. He comes right behind me. This is Graham Jarvis. And he is already running the course, surpassing the other runners. He didn't get off to a good start, but we've seen in the past that he doesn't get off to a good start. But he will make up ground. Please note that Carl's dinner is still to come. That's where he shines. JACK: I'm 44 now, Graham Jarvis.

He is in fourth place. In fifth place is Billy Bolt. Behind them is Mario Román, the Spaniard. But Jarvis, as we saw, didn't get off to the best start. But he can rise back to the front of the order. Meanwhile, here's Manny Lettenbichler, currently finishing checkpoint 12, Sleeping Beauty Forest, and moving towards checkpoint 13, which is Devil's Kitchen. And he looks pretty strong right now. Now, this is how he took the initiative. Josep García was the man who shot and walked away through checkpoint four. This is on board with Lettenbichler following him through one of these higher speed hill climbs.

Here we go. Climb inside and climb to first place. And Josep García is now going back a little. That's how Manny Lettenbichler took the lead. Now comes Josep García. Oh, and fighting a little. He got the hole, but on the technical side he's not having a good day. GRANT: Well, different riders have their strengths and weaknesses. Some with trial experience really excel in these sections. Garcia there, obviously, struggling with the rocks. And they are big. JACK: Meanwhile, the race leader is at checkpoint 14, Elevator. Lettenbichler leads, Walker 2nd, Young 3rd. And this 25th edition of the race is the toughest so far.

It may be the same mountain, but the size of the event and the mountain itself are almost unrecognizable from when it all started in 1995. ALFIE COX: The first time they did it it was exactly the same format. The prologue first goes uphill, and then they put us between rocks that we had never seen before. And I would say it was as hard as it is now, it was about 25 kilometers. If you look up at the top of the mountain, you'll see that peak is where we ended up. MAN 1: When I first came here 18 years ago, first to Erzberg as a privateer, it was great fun listening to the young talents.

They would say, oh, no, but no, no, that's completely different now. No, that is the same mountain. My bike had two wheels, some nuts, and a bottom bar. And it was about climbing and having some rock sanction. Karl was already angry at that point, and I mean, it was pretty much the same race. More Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble when we return. You are watching the Red Bull Signature Series. SAL: This is Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble and you're watching the Red Bull Signature Series. JACK: This is the current leader of the

2019

Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble, Manny Lettenbichler. He approaches checkpoint 17 at Burping Stones.

He has Wade Young following him, at this point about 10 seconds behind. But here you can see that there is some snow on the field, since we are on board with Lettenbichler. These are going to be really tough conditions, Grant. GRANT: Do these riders increasingly have to try to figure out what tire compounds you use? I'm sure many tire companies are scratching their heads to figure out what works on tree roots, rocks, gravel, dirt, snow and mud. I mean, talk about all the elements. And going down these hills through that snow makes things very unpredictable. You see Manny, not taking his time, but being methodical in each and every line he selects.

JACK: Going down a little bit now, you see Wade Young is chasing him down the right side, the South African, about ten seconds behind at the moment. Meanwhile, Johnny Walker lost second place. He was running well from the beginning, oh, but then he has a hard time getting here. GRANT: You can tell right there. I mean, basically, vertical. The tree root rotated a little. And now the fight begins. How do you lift that bike? You're backwards? Another fallen. JACK: That's Young going up and passing him, but also coming down. GRANT: So this is one of those slow but intense battles for podium positions right now.

JACK: Here's the descent he was talking about. Covered in snow, race leader Manny Lettenbichler arrives first. Wade Young has really caught it. And at this point, the question will be how easily you can descend. And Lettenbichler falls. GRANT: And you can see how skilled he is. That bike won't stop. JACK: He's coming down on his own. GRANT: Wade obviously saw what happened and thought, hey, this is my chance. Learn from the leader's mistakes. He caught up with him and saw Lettenbichler make that mistake. Wade Young, different approach, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be pretty, you just have to get to the bottom of it.

Adding the snow element really changes things for cyclists. JACK: Yeah, so Wade Young got off his bike. Lettenbichler tried to stay on top and ended up falling. Thus, South African Wade Young is now the man leading the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble after that very, very complicated descent. Manny Lettenbichler was in the lead and fell. And this agrees with him. GRANT: He just tries to turn around and loses his balance. Obviously, being on the side of a hill there, mountain, comes down. So he looks at this. He enjoys the trip. He's probably thinking, at least it's the right direction.

He puts his bike into gear quickly. But you'll see Wade Young, with a different approach. But he does it, he takes the initiative. JACK: Now he's taken the initiative. In fact, he's starting to distance himself quite a bit from Manny Lettenbichler. For more information on our race leader and what's at stake here on the mountain, here's Tina Dixon. South African Wade Young has been very close to the podium here. But the last two years he has finished in that fourth position. I spoke to him before and he said a podium would be nice. But I'm here to win.

And if he succeeds, he will take home a piece of the mountain in the form of a first place trophy. JACK: First of all, he has to keep that first place. He has had some problems on this stretch of snow. And that means Manny Lettenbichler is back with him. And right here at the top is Graham Jarvis. He surpassed Johnny Walker in the problems we saw Walker have before. Now it's Wade Young who leads. He almost made it out of that snow pretty quickly. But another incomplete moment. There will be a lot during the rest of the race.

GRANT: Well, I think the snow that came in through the entrance at the base of this mountain robbed them of all their momentum and speed. Therefore, passengers are allowed to catch up. And they are starting to retreat. JACK: That's how Jarvis took that downhill section. He has decided to stay on the motorcycle instead of getting off it. Oh. He just goes faster and faster. GRANT: I'm sure with... Oh! He probably had the front and rear brakes completely locked. You can see the slide. He was gaining speed downhill faster than he wanted. Look at that, he threw his glasses away.

That will be interestinglater in this race, especially behind these runners on some hills with rocks and roots. It will be a great challenge. JACK: Well, that was a terrifying moment for Graham Jarvis. He is still in the race. Young has the lead, but Lettenbichler is close behind. Graham Jarvis approaches them as they approach Carl's Dinner, as iconic a part of the event as the champion drivers. TADDY BLAZUSIAK: There's definitely some history between me and this mountain. I came here in 2007 as a privateer and ended up winning this race. It's been an incredible journey since 2007. We've won this race five times along the way.

GRAHAM: It's important to forget what happened before and just focus on that race. JACK: Graham Jarvis has been disqualified three times in a row, twice when he was the first to cross the finish line. GRAHAM: Incredible. JACK: But in 2013 he finally achieved his goal of winning the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble. GRAHAM: It's a big relief to get that first win after so many disqualifications. If I stop now and have four victories, I think I can be satisfied with what I have achieved. But it would be nice to win this race and get five wins to equal Taddy's record.

JACK: Welcome back to the Styrian mountains of Austria and the Red Bull Signature Series. This is the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble. And although we have the professionals at the helm, 500 runners participate in the race. And many of them are amateurs. And it is a real challenge for them. If it is a challenge for the best, for these guys it is almost impossible. GRANT: What's really cool about this event is that even amateurs can ride the exact same course as the pros. It's not often you see that in many extreme events like this. And you can see how twisted and hard it was.

Believe it or not, people come from all over the world to enjoy this punishment. And they come back year after year. JACK: Meanwhile, our leaders are in the iconic section known as Carl's Dinner. This is Manny Lettenbichler in second place. And he looks at how big those rocks are. Is incredible. GRANT: Very challenging section. I remember years ago Travis Pastrana and Jeremy McGrath came and did it. He started to rain. They said that section was impossible, even with their talent and skill. This section finished them off. JACK: One of the toughest sections of the race. You need a lot of stamina.

This year there is a new entry and exit. A slightly different challenge to previous years, but Graham Jarvis is the man leading the way. He didn't get off to a great start but he has taken the lead. He has won this event four times and also won it last year. The record is held by Taddy Blazusiak, who won it five times. And Jarvis looks to match that as he makes his way over these rocks. And even the guys who were looking for him are falling on these ropes. GRANT: Of course, and these rocks will continue to move.

They're pretty big and sturdy, but there are some that roll around and really change the dynamics. JACK: That's how Graham Jarvis took the initiative. First of all, Manny Lettenbichler didn't make a pit stop when Wade and Graham did when they entered Carl's Dinner. That took him to first place. And this was him fighting against the rocks. And Graham Jarvis was able to get ahead and make an overtake at a fairly slow speed. GRANT:Jarvis is very strong in these sections. I mean, it's very difficult. We call him the old man. He's been around a long time, but he's very astute, very wise, very good at selecting lines.

Look at his line selection, usually a little different than competitors. JACK: This is Wade Young, who is now in third place, who was briefly in the lead a couple of moments ago. But now he has fallen back to third place. And Mario Román tries to chase him, with his teammate in the background. So that's the fight for third place right now. And Wade Young is still looking to try and get his first podium here. GRANT: Wade Young doesn't want to get passed and finish fourth. Again, that's probably the only place he wouldn't like to end up.

JACK: Meanwhile, Billy Bolt is back in seventh place and has had a very stressful time leading up to this race. He hurt his left leg, broke his left leg. And then, he's going to be really struggling. Look at him how he puts it and uses that left leg. It can't be easy. GRANT: Well, fresh off his injury, it seems like he's not in top form or at his best. It also looks like there may still be some nerve damage in that foot. So, make it even harder for him. JACK: This is Alfredo Gómez, two-time winner of this event in 2015 and 2017, the man from Cercedilla in Spain.

And he currently ranks fifth. And Johnny Walker has fallen back to sixth place, the other British driver suffering a wrist injury this time. And he got off to a fast start running to the front from the start. But he now he's starting to back off a little bit. GRANT: I ​​wonder if that wrist injury doesn't come into play right now when traversing these rocks. They are also very discordant for the body. When I got that little close-up of his face, he looked like he was in some pain. JACK: Graham Jarvis is out of the main section of Carl's Dinner then.

So, once again, Graham Jarvis broke through those rocks. And he is advancing in the final ascension. Lettenbichler remains in second position. And this is the battle for third place, very close indeed. And Tina Dixon is down there. TINA: We can see now that it's Wade Young. And in fact, Mario Román just happened to him. So now Wade Young has fallen back to fourth place. Now, the last two years he came fourth. He doesn't want to end up there again. There are still a couple of important technical sections and time for him to make a pass and move up to those podium positions.

JACK: So those two are still going through Carl's Dinner. Graham Jarvis is out of it. You can see how slow. It's almost like a chess game when you're going at these speeds. And this is Billy Bolt, and he's got the front of his bike stuck between two rocks. GRANT: Yeah, it must be hard to get out of there. And this is not, once again, what he wants after a leg injury. That left foot, putting it down, having to physically lift the bike. That is why many choose to ride two strokes. They are lighter, a little more agile and easier to handle.

In other modalities, or in extreme enduro, you will see more cyclists on four strokes. But not here in Erzberg. JACK: Yeah, it's not about

full

power here in Erzberg. It's about technical issues that Lettenbichler, in second place, is about to exit Carl's Dinner, about six minutes behind Graham Jarvis. Last year, his race failed at the next checkpoint known as the Green Hell. It has become a decisive section of the route for the race, especially in 2015. 2015, a slightly strange situation. We were all feeling pretty tired and realized we couldn't do anything alone. So we had to come together and pick ourselves up however we could.

COMMENT: The top four came together to finish all as one. It was a special moment competing for all of us. Normally, you race to win on your own. GRAHAM: It's a little disappointing because I was in the lead, but it still counts as a victory. So, it doesn't matter. MAN 2: We all finished together. COMMENT: Crowning four Iron Giant champions is fantastic. It has never happened in the history of this event. JACK:Welcome back to the Red Bull Signature Series on the Iron Giant for the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble. In the 25th edition of the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble, man and machine face off against the mountain.

And this is race leader Graham Jarvis arriving at the Green Hell section. Many fans have filled this part of the field because they know that this is where you win or lose. GRANT: This is usually the one who decides. We have seen it before. Once you reach this point, you can see Jarvis mentally preparing himself. He is wetter. It looks like they've had some landslides even in the tunnel they went through. He lowers that power and look at it. This is one of the best in the world showing these fans. Oh, and even he makes a mistake to the roar of the crowd.

JACK: It looked like he was going to get there. I had very good progress, but now I ran into problems. Meanwhile, Lettenbichler is in second place. He has caught up with Graham Jarvis. Now it's his turn to run and see how far he can go in Green Hell. This is where it all went wrong last year, let's get on board. The course turns to the right. Oh, and then he finds Jarvis there. Nowhere to go. GRANT: Absolutely nowhere to go, heading up the hill. They try to turn around. But Jarvis, maybe a little strategy. Place the bike on its side, create a small obstacle on the road.

But hey, you're watching the battle for the lead in one of the toughest sections of the toughest races at the end of the day. These guys are physically exhausted. Now they have to find the best line to get to the top. We talk about it with the weather, the rain. Has changed. It looks different from last year. Probably trying to figure out where to find traction. JACK: So last year, this was pretty much the best. They went out to the left as we looked at it. But now they have an even higher climb to try to climb.

That's why you can see them trying to get closer to the camera. That's where they have to come from. 90 meters long in this part of the route. And look, Graham Jarvis is really struggling to find traction anywhere because you're basically on tree roots here. GRANT: Oh yeah, traction is not a rare commodity. Plus, after going through all those rock gardens, the rear tires and knobs are non-existent. Watch that wheel turn. That's chewing up the tires. So even the grip on him has disappeared throughout this race. JACK: So, Graham Jarvis up front then. He's just trying to get over it.

GRANT: I ​​thought he might fall down the hill. That wouldn't be fun. Man, this is just amazing. The best runners in the world really put themselves to the test. JACK: There he's just digging out the back tire to have a place to stop the bike going backwards down the hill before taking off and trying again. And if you're Manny Lettenbichler, you're actually in a reasonable position, sitting, resting, watching to go up the hill, and then almost copying. GRANT: That's one way to do it. And at this point, there may only be one optimal line. Jarvis is trying to get it.

You can hear the fans trying to train their drivers by hearing him operate the clutch and throttle. Now digging a small hole. It won't roll back, but it will make it harder to get out. JACK: No physical assistance is allowed when lifting and pushing the bike. But they are removing some mud to try to make the climb easier for Graham Jarvis. He's really struggling to get something going there. And Manny Lettenbichler on the right, just watching, waiting, hoping they make a nice, clean path for him. GRANT: Jarvis could be stuck in a hole, literally. That hole is getting bigger.

He gives his all, but he can't quite get out of there. This is where the endurance, the strength of the rider, the general training lies. These riders also train a lot off the motorcycle to maintain their strength and endurance. This is the time when they need it. JACK: You've switched sides now, Graham Jarvis. He is not the tallest cyclist out there. He now he's on the other side and going up the hill. Maybe he can get a little more buy. There he goes. He can push the bike a little better. And now Lettenbichler is also following suit.

And will he come out this time, Jarvis? Oh, just going back to the position he was in before. GRANT: He wasn't sure if he had paralyzed him, if he was trying to try again. He's on a bike, which is usually a good sign. If you look at the handlebars on either side, he actually had what looked like energy bars strapped there. The crowd roars as he recovers. But I saw that the throttle side energy bar disappeared, so he probably had a small snack. JACK: Graham's Dinner, as followed by Manny Lettenbichler. So, he's seen what Jarvis has done.

But since there's more cheering, I think Jarvis almost gets out of there in Green Hell. But seeing what the guy in front does doesn't mean you can easily copy him. And there you can see Manny desperately trying to push that bike up. Someone else is arriving. I think this is Mario Román. He hasn't quite made it in his first race. Then, he will go back down to try to go back up to the Green Hell. Those two did a great job getting where they got the first time. GRANT: You can see that if you don't have a good run on that hill from the beginning, you might as well start over.

You must get close to the top before you get stuck. If you get stuck halfway, it will be a nightmare. It will take you forever. JACK: Lettenbichler struggling with it. He looks like he's almost out. I can't believe how many fans there are here. Last year there were maybe 10 or 15 people. But now here is Mario Román, the Spaniard in third place, and he has reached where Jarvis and Lettenbichler were. The crowd gives you a great boost. Everyone is applauding. GRANT: Oh, absolutely. And at this point in the day, I think these riders need that encouragement.

Is veryeasy for your body to want to shut down and even give up. But these guys tried too hard. They have teams behind them. They want to make them proud. JACK: And Jarvis will be out then. Graham Jarvis leaves the Green Hell and continues on his way. He heads to Dynamite, the next checkpoint. And that's good news for him. And we'll see how quickly Manny Lettenbichler can get out of the Green Hell and start chasing him. GRANT: Return to the Green Hell. This is the battle for third place, Roman, Young and Gomez are going for it, using Jarvis' line on the left.

So I am sure, as we said, that there will be no physical help from outside. But these people are training these guys on where to go. They're doing some pacing. So, I don't know if that's going to make it easier or harder with each passing runner. JACK It's very slippery here after the rain the last few days. That is also what is causing the problem. And there goes Gómez passing Wade Young. And Alfredo Gómez moves up to fourth place while Young is still trying to get out of the tree root on the right side.

He almost lifted his leg and pushed himself off the tree. GRANT: He has that bike very focused. Oh, and a mistake. JACK: Gomez falls. GRANT: If you're Wade Young, do you shoot up this hill knowing there's a cyclist on your line just a few feet in front of you? It's also a lot of strategy. JACK: These guys continue fighting in Green Hell, but there are only three checkpoints left for our leaders. Can Graham Jarvis hold on and tie his record for fifth victory? Or will Lettenbichler catch up and become the youngest winner in history? We'll find out when we return to the Red Bull Signature Series.

JACK: Welcome back to the Red Bull Signature Series for the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble. Our leaders approach the penultimate challenge of our 22-mile tour around the Erzberg iron mine. Checkpoint 25, dynamite. And right now Jarvis is at the helm. He is the man on the white motorcycle, the Husqvarna. You can see on the right side, below, Manny Lettenbichler in second place on the KTM. And here's Jarvis trying to get out of Dynamite. He looks like he is preparing here. GRANT: Yeah, Dynamite is definitely not the hardest section of this course. But at the end of the day, when you've already gone through everything else, this is very difficult.

And Jarvis will get there. Nice. That was important. Every time he clicks on them, he knows he's getting that much closer. And now we start going down. And this is... JACK: This is more complicated than it seems. GRANT: Exactly. It is very easy to get carried away, it carries a lot of speed. Then once you start locking the wheels, or get out of that line, it's very easy to fall and potentially damage yourself or the motorcycle and not be able to finish. Manny tries to get through this section. He saw Jarvis. He has vision and knows how far away he is.

If he gets this clean, he will make up some ground. There is still a possibility. JACK: So here he gets to this final hill-climb section, just concentrating, getting some advice from Andreus Lettenbichler, his dad and the winner in 2015. And there's a nod from Manny. But observers play a very important role. However, I don't know if it would be cool if my dad told me what to do in that particular relationship. Oh, Lettenbichler, he has strayed a little. GRANT: No, if your dad is a former winner, I guess I'll take his advice over most other people's. But it is very useful for him to have his father at his disposal.

JACK: And then Manny recovers and leaves Dynamite. Therefore, there are only a couple more checks left for these leaders. And now he will begin his sprint to try to catch Graham Jarvis. And now begins the descent that we saw Jarvis do a moment ago. GRANT: You can see how steep he's going down. Practically a single track. And then Mario Román, it seems like he's potentially stuck. He is. Breaking traction now, trying not to go off course. And you can see the physical exhaustion taking effect. JACK: This 200-foot-long section of Dynamite is

full

of loose rocks.

And that's where it changes for each rider as he progresses. Carl's dinner, those big rocks don't move. I just have to get over them. But here, the ground changes beneath you as you climb. GRANT: Yes, sometimes it's almost like riding on marbles. Where your eyes and what you want to go is not always where the bike ends. JACK: So here comes Roman to the last part, trying to lift the bike. Oh. Almost turning up. GRANT: These riders have great control of the bike. They do it on purpose, they lift the front wheel and basically do a 90 degree turn and choose their line.

When it's as technical as this, you end up having to zigzag to get there. And look at that. There really is no optimal line. He's trying to navigate... He basically wants to avoid the big rocks in front of them. See him making his line to the left where there is a little more dirt and gravel. JACK: Here's Alfredo Gómez. He made a good run there. That was nice and smooth. GRANT: That was very well done there. This is that corner. We have seen some cyclists get hung up. It is difficult to turn on the side of a mountain.

The bike wants to fall downhill. Ooh, that was a bit of a scary moment. JACK: Gómez, two-time winner of this event. GRANT: Yeah, I'm just trying to... I think he would shoot that way. But now we seek to return to that main line. JACK: And this is Johnny Walker, on board with him when he arrives at the Green Hell. Therefore, he is far behind the leaders in that first race. He's stuck there, even before the Manny Lettenbichlers and Graham Jarvises of this world, who were able to turn right quite easily... Not easily, but they made more progress there than Johnny Walker.

GRANT: Johnny must be feeling that wrist injury now, pushing that bike, manhandling it, maybe wondering why he decided to show up in this race. But we said it before, this is the one that everyone wants to win. JACK: Graham Jarvis in Lazy Noon. Can one do it? Yes, he can. That was actually the last major climb for Graham Jarvis. And he picked it up as if he wasn't there. Absolutely magnificent English stuff. And now he's heading into the latter stages of the race. That was simple. GRANT: Super soft. Jarvis is known for that, this guy is just incredible, what he can do.

He has been doing it for many years. And what's good for him... Look at that rock chasing him. That could have... Imagine getting hit from a rock when you're close to home. That can happen at this event. Just when you think you've made it, things like this happen. It's good for him to get out of the checkpoint without having Manny behind him. JACK: Mario Roman in third place then. Complete Dynamite. Can he stay third? Alfredo Gómez is still trying to chase him, as he now heads towards Lazy Noon. GRANT: To see the rear wheel completely locked, these riders negotiate the hill very well.

This is one of those sections that are starting to settle. Therefore, riders who come later will have more of an advantage there. So, some sections help to be first, and others maybe hurt a little more. JACK: Here comes Manny Lettenbichler. He doesn't have much momentum up there. Will he be able to get through the checkpoint in one go? His legs are out, his legs are down, but he's done it. Or if? To the top. It's just about getting ahead. When you compare that career to Graham Jarvis's, it's a different world. He is one of a kind from him.

But Lettenbichler keeps trying to chase him. And Tina Dixon is waiting for the winner. This is the closest we've seen leaders get to these final checkpoints. And when you see the winner cross the finish line, you will see the look of concentration transform into a smile and excitement as he realizes that he has just conquered the Iron Giant. JACK: At the moment, Graham Jarvis is at the helm. If he can complete these final stages without drama, he will achieve that record-equalling fifth victory in Erzberg that he so craves. Manny Lettenbichler won't let him have it easy.

When we return, someone will take home a piece of the Iron Giant. You are watching the Red Bull Signature Series. JACK: Welcome back to the stunning landscape of Austria and the Red Bull Signature Series. We are about to be crowned champions in the 25th edition of the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble. But for anyone not in the top 20, even making it to the end is not a possibility. But, for one man, the fight is practically over. Graham Jarvis, who has won this event four times previously, is almost equaling the record with a fifth victory. He now he's doing this final check in this section of the stadium where the crowd has gathered.

A few small obstacles to show off, but nothing compared to what he just endured on the mountain. And it's Graham Jarvis who wins the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble

2019

. And he's excited about it. GRANT: Yeah, that's amazing. Five-time winner here in the toughest race in the world, phenomenal work. This guy is like a fine wine, only he gets better with age. But he also knows that the window is closing. These young people are getting faster every year and are hot on his heels. But what a great journey this boy has had. JACK: A handshake with Karl Katoch and his mechanic Damo there, while Graham Jarvis enjoys his celebrations.

Manny Lettenbichler will achieve his best result in the mountains, since a year ago he finished third. He has had a strong career. It must be said, he will be one of the favorites for next year. GRANT: Without a doubt, he has been strong. Consecutive years. A little closer this year than last, but I'm sure he's just thinking, man, that Jarvis guy is so good. But he's young and getting better. He received good advice from his father. He has a good team behind him. He shows that he is happy. But he won't be satisfied until he gets that victory.

JACK: Less than half Graham's age. He is 21 years old, compared to Jarvis's 44. He now passes through the last checkpoint of him and will get a lot of applause on the KTM, local hero I guess. Maybe. Not Austrian, but German. GRANT: Same language. JACK: Exactly. Same language, on a KTM. He'll be a popular guy if he crosses the line and takes second place. Manny Lettenbichler, great performance. He put pressure on Graham Jarvis most of the time to get him to be fair. And that will be a very, very satisfactory result for him. So here is Lazy Noon.

And we have Alfredo Gómez, who is in fourth place right now, about to complete it. He has won this event twice before, but I don't think he is going to get on the podium today because Mario Román, the other Spaniard, looks like he is going to finish in third place. And he takes it very well in these last obstacles. He is the man completing the podium at the Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble 2019. That's the top three. Jarvis, Lettenbichler and Roman. The crowd standing, applauding. A large crowd has turned out to see this. And Mario Román is very happy with that.

GRANT: And it's also pretty hot after the rain and weather they had. This is the hottest it's ever been. Cyclists feel it. The fans came out in full force. JACK: Here's Taddy Blazusiak, and he's just completing Dynamite. We haven't seen much of him. He has gone from 23rd to sixth, a man with an incredible history around here with five titles of his. He also retired a couple of years ago. But now, that record of winning the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble five times has been equaled by Graham Jarvis, who is at the finish line with Tina.

Graham, the look on your face when you cross the finish line is priceless. Five time winner now. How much more does this mean? Well, matching Taddy's record was very important. After all the disqualifications, I looked at Karl just to make sure everything was okay, the checkpoints were okay, and we were ready to go. We can celebrate it and they are happy days. TINA: 44 years old, competing against cyclists half your age. Is there any concern with that? Yeah, I mean, I doubted myself. Do you feel tired. It had been a long week, with aches and pains. The young people are improving and trying hard.

I know people doubted me, I doubted myself. But we did it. Health. TINA: You absolutely did. A huge congratulations. Thanks greetings. JACK: Jarvis has been disqualified three times in his history here. But not today. He takes the victory. Manny Lettenbichler second. And Mario Román in third place. Alfred Gomez and Wade Young round out the top five. Another intense, grueling and merciless Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble comes to an end here in Austria. So, let's send it back to Sal Masekela. Thanks, Jack. And thank you all for joining us at the 25th Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble here in Eisenerz, Austria, home of the Iron Giant.

Congratulations to our podium. Mario Roman third and Manny Lettenbichler second, as well as the 16 runners who were able to finish this incredibly grueling course. But today only one man can take the stone home, and he is the silent killer, Graham Jarvis. Another bad start for the hard enduro legend. But Jarvis made his way through a field of runners nearly half his age, going from 14th to first, while making the historically difficult Carl's Dinner look like a walk in his front yard. Congratulations to the five-time winner of the contest. And today, of course, enjoy thisemblematic moment. Congratulations, Graham.

The Red Bull Signature Series continues in the mud, dirt and rocks from the Austrian Alps to the heart of the United States. Two- and four-wheel drive off-road truck racing, fighting and trading paint on one of the most famous circuits in history. This is the 50th anniversary of the Red Bull Crandon World Cup, from the Crandon International Off Road Raceway in Wisconsin. Thanks for joining today and be sure to follow us wherever you are on social media. On behalf of our entire team, including Jack Nicholls, Grant Langston, Tina Dixon and myself, we'll see you next time.