Wacky Races: Red Bull ‘Stalen Ros’ Tandem Racing

Let’s have some levity to lighten things up. Those crazy Europeans have been capitalising on their post Brexit freedoms by holding a race where health and safety rules apparently need not apply, as long as your outfit is suitably silly. ‘Stalen Ros’ translates as ‘Steel Steed’. We’ll leave the rest of the explanation to the official PR, and the video. Enjoy!

The inaugural Red Bull Stalen Ros attracted 10.000 spectators to Prinsessegracht in The Hague for a bike spectacle extraordinaire

The Prinsessegracht in The Hague formed the stage for the very first edition of Red Bull Stalen Ros. An enthusiastic audience of 10.000 spectators assembled to watch 33 duos creatively and speedily navigate an 80-meter-long track across water on their elaborately decorated steel steeds (bikes).

The participants conquered a route filled with typical Dutch challenges, such as a lift bridge and cobblestones, all in an exciting race to the bell across the track. The 33 duos, including 5 pairs of well-known content creators, were assessed based on speed, design of their bikes and attire, and the inventive way they completed the course.

The fate of the participants was in the hands of presenter Iris Enthoven, YouTuber Sophie Milzink, rapper Dio, and breakdancer Lee-Lou Demierre. Ultimately, three duos left a lasting impression on the judges and bagged awards:

• The swiftest: De Zouthappers. Nik Versprille en Merel van Rij from The Hague made it across the finish line in only 13,89 seconds and emerged as the fastest team
• The most inventive: The Bitterboys. Julian van Meerveld and Max Vos (Harderwijk) fascinated the judges with their cleverly conceived fryingpan bike and clinched the award for the most creative bike design
• The all-rounder: Döner macht Schöner. Colleagues Pascal van der Krogt (Rijswijk) and Mark Bons (Rotterdam), struck the optimal balance between time and creativity and were crowned the best allround team

“We participated in Red Bull Stalen Ros as a sort of relationship test, and yes, we passed.

Says the fastest duo Nik Versprille and Merel van Rij laughing here in The Hague(The Zouthappers). “Our secret? Teamwork, keep pedaling and knowing your teammate. It went surprisingly well, and we have to thank our amazing audience here in The Hague for that as well”.

Rapper Dio, one of the judges: “I have been very conservative with my ratings, but I have to say: The Bitterboys was executed extremely well, down to the smallest details. This was truly worth a ten. No one will forget this spectacle quickly. Hopefully, it will return next year.”

With the imaginative participants, the jury, and the 10.000 attendees, the first Red Bull Stalen Ros has surpassed all expectations. For those who missed it, a recap will be available to watch on Red Bull TV from 25th October onwards.

While you’re here…

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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