Rally racer Xavier De Soultrait looks to summit the Iron Giant in the IRON ROAD PROLOGUE, hunting for gold aboard the latest version of KTM’s unstoppable middle-weight KTM 890 ADVENTURE R.
The IRON ROAD PROLOGUE might not be the main event at the ERZBERGRODEO but it certainly doesn't disappoint, drawing massive crowds year after year. It is a 13.5 km rollercoaster ride complete with tight hairpin turns, climbing to 1,466 m above sea level. Even the most hardened ERZBERG riders will tell you – it's no easy ride.
Xavier, who is no stranger to hitting the limiter in top gear offroad, after coming in first overall at the TRANSANATOLIA RALLY on a KTM 690 ENDURO R, will be stepping up in the twin-cylinder category from 8th - 11th June 2023 at the IRON ROAD PROLOGUE.
“I’m excited to take on this challenge. The KTM 890 ADVENTURE R is pretty much straight off the dealership floor, with the addition of some suspension upgrades and protective parts. Both the KTM 890 ADVENTURE R and I are up to the task. We will have to focus on our lines, hold on and keep it wide open.”
In terms of the machine itself, the 2023 KTM 890 ADVENTURE R engine is completely stock, the only modifications to being KTM PowerParts and WP PRO COMPONENTS - the XPLOR PRO 7548 front fork and the XPLOR PRO 6746 rear shock. The IRON ROAD rules are simple; Riders start in 20-second intervals, with each competitor having two timed runs up the mountain, with the top 500 fastest riders qualifying for the RED BULL ERZBERGRODEO on Sunday.
While Xavier won’t be competing in the main event, he will need to summon up all his courage and racing skills to keep razor-sharp focus to dominate the rest of the field and take his place on the top step of the podium, with a potential record-breaking time.
“This will be a great test bed for the KTM 890 ADVENTURE R and good preparations for some of our upcoming challenges and events later this year. It’s not going to be easy,” says Xavier. “But we are also going to try to have as much fun as we can. In the end, it's still a race and we must try our best to get to the top in the fastest time, but first, we have fun with it. I will have a better idea of how much I can push the KTM 890 ADVENTURE R after the first run and see how much grip we’re working with on the mountain. It’s going to be a blast and I cannot wait!"
The 2023 Erzbergrodeo runs from 8th - 11th June in Austria, with Xavier racing under the KTM FARIOLI tent for any fans wanting to see his KTM 890 ADVENTURE R in the metal and to meet the man who will tame it.
