TRAVERSE 13
It was a deliberate contrast to the perception that the GS Trophy is simply a high-level off-road race. The event has always incorporated special tests and competitive elements, but BMW ' s format is built around teams, with riders required to work together through the challenges rather than simply trying to beat everyone else to the finish. That became particularly important as the week progressed and fatigue accumulated. The Carpathians provided the perfect arena. Romania ' s mountains are criss-crossed by a mixture of forestry tracks, historic mountain routes and remote trails, with the terrain changing almost by the kilometre. The dense forests can close in around a single track before suddenly giving way to open high-altitude grasslands and spectacular views across the mountains.
And then there were the technical sections.
Into the mountains
Among the toughest tests was the eight-kilometre Metzeler Enduro Navigation Challenge, which sent riders along narrow single trails where navigation became as important as motorcycle control.
On paper, following a GPS track might sound straightforward. In practice, narrow trails, missed junctions, steep embankments and increasingly tired riders made the challenge considerably more complicated.
The route also climbed towards the Strategica Mountain Road, a historic high-altitude route that cuts across the Carpathians. Riders were faced with steep, loose climbs before tackling an exposed descent along a narrow goat track.
Elsewhere, the terrain included riverbeds, deep fine gravel, wet grassy slopes and heavily washed-out forest tracks.
It was precisely the sort of terrain that exposes weaknesses in both rider and machine. A line that looks manageable from the bottom of a climb can become considerably less attractive halfway up, while a relatively simple descent becomes more complicated when there is a steep drop beside the trail and nowhere to put a foot down.
The event ' s location was also significant. The opening camp was established near Colțești, in Transylvania, overlooked by a 13thcentury fortress, putting competitors immediately into a landscape that felt considerably removed from conventional European adventure
TRAVERSE 13