HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES EXTENDS CONTRACT WITH GRAHAM JARVIS
EXTREME ENDURO STAR TO STAY WITH HUSQVARNA FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS

Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce the renewal of their contract with Graham Jarvis – an agreement that will see the British rider continue to lead the efforts of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing extreme enduro team during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Remaining on top of his game, the 41-year-old Brit is currently enjoying one of the most successful seasons of his extreme enduro career. Starting 2016 with a runner-up result at Minas Riders in Brazil, Graham put in two dominant performances to secure a third win at Erzberg and a record-breaking fifth career victory at Romaniacs.

Following a tight race schedule Graham is now set to fight for victory at The Battle of Vikings, in Sweden, before heading to the States for the 2016 Tennessee Knock Out extreme enduro event.

Andreas Hölzl – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “We’re excited to renew our contract with Graham for another two seasons. He will continue racing our team’s TE 300 in the biggest extreme enduro events worldwide. Carrying a huge amount of experience in extreme enduro racing, Graham is still very fast compared to many of the younger riders, which he proved that this year at both Erzberg and Romaniacs. With Graham age really is just a number. I think Graham has a lot more to give and will continue to surprise us with his performances in the future.”

Graham Jarvis: “It’s fantastic that I’m going to race with Husqvarna for another two years. The new TE 300 is an amazing machine. I’ve been racing it for a few months and already I’ve earned two major wins on it – Erzberg and Romaniacs. Within Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing I feel like I’m part of a global team. My focus is on the big outdoor extreme enduro events, while I’ll also be trying to squeeze in as many other races as possible. I feel like I’m in the best place right now and I’m looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.”

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The following was issued by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing:

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Graham Jarvis claimed victory at the 22nd running of the ErzbergRodeo Hare Scramble. From a front row start Graham was well placed during the early, faster sections of the race. The hugely experienced former event winner then methodically worked his way into the lead with 30 minutes of the race completed.

Once out front and with the event’s well-known technical sections ahead of him, Jarvis never stopped extending his race lead to eventually reach the finish in a time of 2 hours and 19 minutes. Jarvis finished more than 33 minutes ahead of runner-up Cody Webb with third placed Alfredo Gomez a further three minutes behind.

Overall, it was a near perfect race for the now 41-year-old British rider. Always excelling when conditions are at their most difficult, Jarvis produced a world-class performance around the Iron Giant. Smooth, calculated and unrelenting, he took control of the race lead at a crucial moment in one of the forestry sections and never looked back. Crossing the finish line over 33 minutes clear of his nearest rival, Jarvis reminded everyone why he is one of the best extreme enduro riders in the world.

“This feels amazing,” Jarvis said. “Erzberg is a race I had marked out as one I wanted to win this year and I’ve done that. It was an amazing race – I got a good start and managed to start making my way forward through the pack. In one of the first sections in the woods I found a really good line and managed to get up a technical climb ahead of some of the others. After that I just tried to relax and do what I know I can do through the more technical sections. Everything went well but I knew I had to stay focused. This has been a real team effort.”

FIM SuperEnduro World Champion Colton Haaker competed in the ErzbergRodeo for the first time this year. Starting off his weekend on top form, Haaker placed an impressive 11th overall in the Iron Road Prologue to secure a place on the front row of the grid for Sunday’s Hare Scramble. Starting strongly, he then crashed on one of the first hill climbs, losing numerous positions. Pushing a little too hard to recover resulted in numerous further crashes and Haaker was unable to complete the race distance in the allotted four hours.

I got a good start, but then on one of the first climbs I crashed,” Haaker said. “That set me back a lot of places and from there on that theme would continue. It’s been a real eye opener for me doing this. It’s definitely something I’ve not really experienced before. Especially the forestry sections. They were so slippery and gnarly, we just don’t really have trees back home in California. But I’ve enjoyed the experience. I would have loved to finish but it is what it is.”

2016 Red Bull Hare Scramble
Erzberg, Austria
Results: May 29, 2016

Overall
1. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 02:18:47
2. Cody Webb (KTM) +33:07
3. Alfredo Gomez (KTM) +36:02
4. Mario Roman (Husqvarna) +58:19
5. Billy Bolt (KTM) +01:08:46
6. Wade Young (Sherco) +01:12:28
7. Paul Bolton (KTM) +01:19:35
8. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) +01:23:08
9. Philipp Scholz (KTM) +01:37:24

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The following is from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing:

Securing victories at Mexico’s AvandaRocks and The Tough One in Great Britain, as well as claiming a hard-fought runner-up result at the recent Minas Riders event in Brazil, Graham Jarvis will be looking for nothing less than a winning result at the ErzbergRodeo in Austria this year.

Sharing the podium with Alfredo Gomez, Jonny Walker and Andreas Lettenbichler in 2015, Jarvis is more eager than ever to put his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna TE 300 on the top step of the podium as he tries to secure an elusive second individual win.

“After last year’s event I think everyone is wondering what the organiszers have in store for us this year,” Jarvis said. “Erzberg is always a tough race, but I know what to expect. Getting the best time I can in the prologue is my first goal. Then I’ll just try and get the best start I can and take things from there. The faster, early sections of the Hare Scramble don’t really suit me so much–I just want to be as well placed as I can for the harder sections of the race. There’s a lot of guys wanting to do well this year, so the competition is high.”

“It’s going to be the first time I’m racing Erzberg and I’m really looking forward to the challenge,” Haaker said. “The Red Bull Hare Scramble is probably the biggest and hardest single day event of the year, and I’ve always wanted to give it a go. I’ve spent the last couple of months training hard for this event, trying myself in the gnarliest and most extreme stuff. I’ve also spent a decent amount of time getting used to my 300cc two-stroke bike, which for sure is the right tool for the event. I think the key is to learn how to find your way out of the most extreme stuff in one piece and without burning your body out. I know it’s going to be different to anything else I’ve ever done, but I’m ready for it.”

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing squad will be further strengthened by the participation of Spain’s Mario Roman. Taking the world by surprise with his runner-up result last year, the young Spaniard has spent the last few months preparing for the event in the hope of challenging for a podium result.

The 22nd running of the Erzbergrodeo takes place in Eisenerz, Austria this weekend, with the Red Bull Hare Scramble wrapping up three days of action on Sunday, May 29.

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The 2015 Red Bull Hare Scramble pushed the fastest 500 competitors to their limits in Erzberg, Austria, Sunday, with only five riders completing the course within the 4-hour time limit and with the top four sharing in an historic tie for first place.

This year’s edition of the event was decided at the new “Downtown” section shortly before the finish line. The top six riders to that point were forced to help each other drag their bikes through a seemingly unpassable forest. After more than an hour of backbreaking teamwork, four of the six emerged on the other side and engaged in a mad scramble to the finish. The leaders included Jonny Walker of Great Brtitain, Alfredo Gómez Spain, Andreas Lettenbichler of Germany and Graham Jarvis of Great Britain. In a carefully calculated move, the four riders crossed the finish line side by side after precisely four hours of racing and were welcomed with a huge round of applause by the crowd in the finish area. In recognition of the exceptional riding and determination shown by all of the athletes, organizer Karl Katoch declared the first ever four-way tie for first place in the history of the event.

“Red Bull Hare Scramble was totally different this year than last year,” Jonny Walker said. “Without all the guys pulling together it would have been almost impossible to finish.”

The first section of the course was a steep gravel climb that claimed several riders, including a number of favorites who had started on the front row. Walker mastered the tricky ascent and built a small lead. Among the high-profile names whose race day came to an early end was five-time Erzberg winner Taddy Blazusiak of Poland, who crashed early and was unable to continue.

Walker’s countryman and and 2013 winner Jarvis was able to move into second, behind Walker, while Gomez and Lettenbichler battled for the final spot on the podium place. When it was all over, all four riders took to the podium in a fitting end to the brutal event.

2015 Red Bull Hare Scramble
Erzberg, Austria
Results: June 7, 2015

Overall
1. Jonny Walker-KTM
Graham Jarvis-Hus
Andreas Lettenbichler-KTM
Alfredo Gómez-Hus

5. Mario Roman Serrano

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KTM rider Jonny Walker rose above a titanic field and adverse conditions to score a convincing win at the 20th running of the Red Bull Hare Scramble at the Iron Giant during the Erzbergrodeo in Erzberg, Austria, June 1.

Weather conditions were favorable as the 500-rider field got underway on the Iron Giant’s quarry floor, and from the start it was clear that Walker was on a mission, as he powered through the pack in the opening lap. Walker cleared every difficult section with ease as he began to build a lead that would grow to 15 minutes by the finish. Walker completed the race in 1 hour, 37 minutes and 38 seconds to take his earn his second Red Bull Hare Scramble win at the Erzbergrodeo. Afterward, Walker said that he felt as though he had given it everything he had.

“I believed I could win this race and that’s exactly what I set out to do from the off,” Walker said at the finish line. “I’ve trained my butt off since The Tough One. I felt ready, and I gave it everything I had. Overall the race went well. I hardly made any mistakes and got the win. I’m so happy right now. I needed this!”

Defending Red Bull Hare Scramble Champion Graham Jarvis was expected to be a threat for a repeat win, but Jarvis tangled with fallen riders, crashed and was forced climb the hill a second time on his Bel-Ray Husqvarna moments after the start as he exited the quarry. Jarvis found himself outside the top 40, but he went to work, passing as many riders as he could. By the time he reached the section known as Carl’s Dinner, he was in second place, but Walker was long gone.

“To be honest my chance of winning ended on the very first hill out of the quarry floor,” Jarvis said. “I came off the line quite well but got boxed out going into the first corner. When I came to the first climb, a few riders crashed in front of me. and I then crashed trying to get around them. I had to take a second run at the climb. That put me behind straight away, and it was an uphill battle from there. The pace was pretty high and it was tough to fight back. I got up to second going through Carl’s Diner but by that stage Jonny Walker was just too far ahead to catch. I had to take second. It’s disappointing–I wanted to win.”

Walker’s KTM teammate, Andreas Lettenbichler completed the Red Bull Hare Scramble with a podium finish. Lettenbichler was second for much of the race, but he was unable to hold off the flying Jarvis and had to settle for third place.

There was a good battle for the final top five positions between Alfredo Gomez and Paul Bolton. In the end, Gomez and his factory Husqvarna beat Bolton to grab fourth place. Multi-time former World Trials Champion Dougie Lampkin found a good pace after a slow start, and he picked off several riders in the treacherous forest sections to eventually finish sixth. Cory Graffunder made his long trip to Erzberg from Canada worthwhile by finishing seventh, ahead of Ben Hemingway.

The final two spots in the top 10 were occupied by American riders who also happened to be Erzbergrodeo rookies. FMF/KTM’s Taylor Robert and American Beta’s Cody Webb fought it out to the finish, with Robert narrowly beating Webb for ninth.

Red Bull Hare Scramble 2014
Erzberg, Austria
Results:

Overall
1. Jonny Walker-KTM/1:37:38
2. Graham Jarvis-Hus/1:50:50
3. Andreas Lettenbichler-KTM/1:53:01
4. Alfredo Gomez-Hus/1:53:53
5. Paul Bolton-KTM/1:55:21
6. Dougie Lampkin-KTM/2:05:31
7. Cory Graffunder-Hus/2:05:51
8. Ben Hemingway-Bet/2:18:01
9. Taylor Robert-KTM/2:19:24
10. Cody Webb-Bet/2:20:06

Red Bull Hare Scramble Winners List
2014-Jonny Walker, UK, KTM
2013-Graham Jarvis, UK, Hbg
2012-Jonny Walker, UK, KTM
2011-Taddy Błażusiak Poland, KTM
2010-Taddy Błażusiak Poland, KTM
2009-Taddy Błażusiak Poland, KTM
2008-Taddy Błażusiak Poland, KTM
2007-Taddy Błażusiak Poland, KTM
2006-David Knight UK, KTM
2005-David Knight UK, KTM
2004-Chris Pfeiffer, Germany, Gas Gas
2003-Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM
2002-Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM
2001-Juha Salminen, Finland, KTM
2000-Chris Pfeiffer, Germany, Gas Gas
1999-Stefano Passeri, Italy, KTM
1998-Giovanni Sala, Italy, KTM
1997-Chris Pfeiffer, Germany, Gas Gas
1996-Chris Pfeiffer, Germany, Gas Gas
1995-Alfie Cox South, Africa, KTM

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