Hirscher switches skis for Hard Enduro bike at Red Bull Romaniacs

Austrian slalom legend to ride Husqvarna TE 300i over iconic course.

Marcel Hirscher retired from alpine skiing in 2019 with eight overall World Cup titles and seven World Championship golds to his name and now the Austrian will switch up his skis for a Hard Enduro motorbike to take part in next weekend's Red Bull Romaniacs event.

Here is all you need to know:

- Austrian Hirscher can lay claim to being one of the best alpine skiers in history after his domination of the men's scene from 2012 through until his retirement seven years later.

- The 32-year-old has now decided to test his motorbike skills in one of the most demanding Hard Enduro events by riding a Husqvarna TE 300i over the arduous Romanian course across July 27-31.

- The organisers tag it 'Vertical Madness Reloaded', which alludes to the steep, challenging terrain faced by riders across one day of qualification and four days of full-on racing in and around Sibiu.

- Hard Enduro legend Graham Jarvis from Britain has won the event six times in total and took top honours on the TE 300i in 2016 and 2017, the bike which Hirscher has chosen for its Romaniac-winning pedigree.

- The TE 300i is the flagship two-stroke in the brand's enduro range, offering astonishing power and performance in a light and agile package making it both controllable and highly competitive.

- Hirscher will line up alongside veteran Jarvis for the 18th edition of the world's most prestigious Hard Enduro event with 50 nations and an epic 47 Gold class riders taking to the start line.

- For 2021, organisers are taking things one step further thanks to a marathon stage - two days combined - including a night in the mountains under the stars with no outside assistance allowed.

- Organisers are pushing the elevation with 35,000+ metres of altitude on the cards and battle-weary riders will literally have to jump through hoops to get through the Gusterita finishing area.

- As well as Jarvis, German Manuel Lettenbichler will look to score a hat-trick of victories after winning the previous two editions while former winners Wade Young and Jonny Walker also line up.