TRIUMPH RETURNS TO RED BULL ROMANIACS WITH JONNY WALKER, SAM SUNDERLAND, AND IVAN CERVANTES
Triumph Factory Racing’s Jonny Walker will be joined by Triumph Motorcycles Brand Ambassadors Sam Sunderland and Ivan Cervantes at the 2026 Red Bull Romaniacs. The trio will tackle the iconic hard enduro event aboard near-stock Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro motorcycles. Taking place in Sibiu, Romania, from July 28 to August 1, the 23rd edition of the legendary race will once again push riders and machines to their limits across five days of demanding competition.
Following the successful introduction of the Adventure categories in 2025, the Tiger 900 Rally Pro returns to the Carpathian Mountains with minimal modifications. All three riders will compete on near-standard motorcycles, with adjusted stock suspension and a select few upgraded parts being the only enhancements made ahead of the event starting.
The race begins with the famous city Prologue before four challenging off-road days featuring steep climbs, rocky riverbeds, technical forest singletrack, and mountain traverses. Walker will contest the premier Adventure Ultimate class, while Sunderland and Cervantes will take on the Adventure Core category.
As a Red Bull Romaniacs winner on two previous occasions, Jonny Walker returns looking to build on an impressive debut in the Adventure Ultimate class last year. Riding the Tiger 900 Rally Pro, Walker overcame an early setback before claiming three consecutive off-road stage victories to finish second overall, narrowly missing out on the win and proving the capability of Triumph's adventure platform in one of the world's toughest races. Now in his second season with Triumph Factory Racing, the British hard enduro specialist heads back to familiar terrain aiming to challenge for the top step of the podium.
Two-time Dakar Rally winner and two-time FIM World Rally-Raid Champion Sam Sunderland also returns after a hugely successful first appearance at the event in 2025. Racing in the Adventure Lite class, Sunderland dominated the category by winning the Prologue and every off-road day to secure victory by more than four hours. This year, the Triumph Motorcycles Brand Ambassador steps up into the more competitive Adventure Core class, where he'll face a significantly tougher challenge as he continues to showcase the versatility of the Tiger 900 Rally Pro.
Joining Sunderland in Adventure Core is five-time FIM Enduro World Champion Ivan Cervantes. One of the most decorated enduro riders of all time and no stranger to adventure competition aboard Triumph machinery, Cervantes boasts victories at events including 1000 Dunas, Baja Aragón, and the Bassella Race on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. Returning to Red Bull Romaniacs for the first time in over a decade, the Spaniard brings a wealth of off-road experience and will be aiming to fight for class honours on his first appearance in the Adventure Core category.
Red Bull Romaniacs kicks off with the Prologue on Tuesday 28 July, followed by four gruelling off-road days.
Ian Kimber – Head of Global Racing Programmes, Triumph Motorcycles
“We’re really excited to return to Red Bull Romaniacs again this year. With very little preparation last year with the Tiger 900 Rally Pro machines, Jonny and Sam both had great races, and we enjoyed being part of such a world-renowned, and notoriously difficult event. This year we again race with the same bikes, and we know that Ivan and Sam will want to have positive results in the new class, while Jonny will be aiming for a top result in the Adventure Ultimate category. The Adventure classes had so much interest last year and it was great to see, so we’re looking forward to a great race. We’ve done very little to the bikes in terms of modifications, and this is the best test to show their capability. Roll on next week!”
