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MadRon Hard Enduro — Looking Back, Looking Forward

MadRon Hard Enduro was an incredible journey and one we're immensely proud of. The riding around Porto is genuinely world-class, the local support was fantastic, and by 2025 we had created an event that felt truly unique. We made a conscious effort to welcome Portuguese riders alongside our international entrants, and seeing so many locals embrace the event was one of its greatest successes. The adventure bike night racing, in particular, proved to be something really special.

The riding itself was never the problem. The challenge was that the event became increasingly difficult to sustain. As the number of returning riders gradually declined, the financial model became harder to make work. Hard enduro events require significant investment long before the first rider arrives — months of route preparation, permissions, logistics and organisation — and those costs only make sense when there is enough support. Unfortunately, the economics of the event no longer stacked up, and with each year it became harder to commit to the level of preparation the event deserved.

Looking back, Porto also lacked some of the ingredients that made the original MadRon so memorable. The Algarve naturally brings people together with its large event hotels, relaxed cafés and bars, warm late-season weather and holiday atmosphere. Riders spend as much time socialising as they do riding, and that sense of community has always been a huge part of what MadRon is.

That isn't a criticism of Porto — it offered some of the best riding we've ever experienced and provided the perfect setting for a genuine hard enduro event. It was simply a different style of experience and, ultimately, not the right long-term home for MadRon.

One thing we'll always be proud of is the community we built. We worked hard to encourage Portuguese riders to become part of the event, not just spectators, and they embraced it wholeheartedly. Bringing together local and international riders created something special, and watching everyone share the same paddock, stories and races was exactly what we had hoped for. The adventure bike night racing was another unexpected highlight and proved just how much fun could be had when different disciplines came together.

For now, MadRon Hard Enduro is on hold rather than finished. We'd love to return to this style of event in the future, wherever that may be. The experience taught us a huge amount about what makes this type of event work, both on and off the bike, and we know far more clearly what would be needed next time. If MadRon Hard Enduro returns, it will return with those lessons firmly in mind.

In the meantime, we'd encourage everyone to experience MadRon Monchique. It captures the original spirit of MadRon: incredible riding, a relaxed atmosphere, great company and unforgettable days in the Algarve. We also invite you to explore the MadRon Hard Enduro pages and event galleries. They tell the story of what we achieved, celebrate an event we're incredibly proud of, and perhaps offer a glimpse of what may return again in the future.