Team Pata Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu couldn’t retain his Superbike World Championship (WSBK) title in 2022. After a season-long, three-way battle with Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista and Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea, the Turkish rider relinquished his crown. With such a trying season in the rearview, it’s time for Razgatlioglu to unwind. What does that include, you may ask? Hard enduro training, of course.
The 26-year-old racer recently hopped aboard his Yamaha WR 250 F and joined some riding friends for a leisurely putt through the woods. For mere mortals, that translates to a grueling ride along Kemer, Turkey, where the Sea to Sky Hard Enduro race takes place. That’s right, Razgatlioglu spends his off-season plowing through rock gardens, climbing vertigo-inducing hillsides, and launching off makeshift jumps.
As soon as the group sets out, mayhem and hilarity ensue. The Yamaha rider is known for his aggressive style and he doesn’t disappoint in the Enduro Channel’s latest YouTube video. Whether he’s casually nose-wheelieing down a steep grade, clearing a ledge jump, or sliding his rear wheel with the utmost ease, El Turco shows that he’s just as skilled off-road as he is on track.
Razgatlioglu meets his only challenge in the form of a steep hill climb. Riddled with rocks and loose, muddy terrain, the mountainside still fails to slow Toprak’s ascent. Only when the WSBK champ attempts a trial-style jump at the crest does he take a tumble. Motivated by the mistake, Razgatlioglu repeatedly scales the hill until he’s satisfied with his dominant performance.
On the other side of the coin, we have Moto3 standout Deniz Oncu. The Turkish rider shares Toprak’s aggressive style on the circuit but only ranks as a novice in the enduro arts. He struggles throughout the ride but continues pushing forward, even conquering the same hill that got the best of Razgatlioglu at one point.
The WSBK and Grand Prix seasons may have drawn to a close, but with Oncu and Razgatlioglu endlessly working on their craft, it’s no wonder the two compete at the top of world championship motorcycle racing.
