Happy New Year! But how do our EURO MOTO riders actually celebrate the New Year? We asked around on a whim as we counted down to 2026—and were quite surprised by what we heard.
Markus “Reiti” Reiterberger is kept busy on the last day of the year. “We buddies traditionally go on our Kreidler riders’ trip to Obing. We’re heading to a friend of mine’s place. He has a woodworking shop, and we’ll sit there, drink that Bavarian staple, and eat ‘Weisswürscht’.” In the afternoon, we’ll take another short ride on the moped—no matter what the weather’s like. In the evening, I’ll celebrate New Year’s Eve with my little family. There’ll be some kids’ fireworks. For dinner, we’re making raclette. I’m not really sure what you can put in there, but there’s a lot.” Reiterberger and his partner have been parents to little Valentina for two years.
Daniel Rubin is heading really far away—all the way to Chile, where part of his girlfriend’s family lives. “On New Year’s Eve, we’re in Viña del Mar, where there’s a huge fireworks display over the ocean. The family has an apartment where we’ll celebrate, eat, and drink together. For example, pastel de choclo and pisco sour.” One is a corn casserole, the other a cocktail made with pisco.
Superbike runner-up Forian Alt is ringing in the New Year about 12,000 kilometers away from home as the crow flies, but he won’t be seeing Daniel Rubin. That’s because the Honda star has flown to Indonesia in Asia instead of Chile in South America. He has already spent the night in the jungle on the world’s largest archipelago. He will welcome the New Year in Medan with his wife Kimberly. The city is located on the island of Sumatra, more precisely in the northeast of the island. By the time we ring in the New Year here in Germany, it will have already happened in Indonesia. The time difference is seven hours ahead.
Two-time Supersport champion Andreas Kofler is keeping it in the family. “We’re celebrating in a small group with our parents. And my brother’s girlfriend will be there, too. We’ll have raclette and maybe play a few board games together. Nothing special, but nice.”
Christof “Fifty” Höfer sends his regards from southern Europe. He is in Spain—in Andalusia, to be precise—not far from the Tabernas Desert. He is staying with his Race Camp participants on a gorgeous sandy beach and celebrating at the hotel’s Irish pub as part of the bike promotion events. “It’s a mix of people, some of whom you didn’t even know before, and others you’ve known for what feels like an eternity. You really can’t help but feel at home.”
For the Orgis family—including brothers Leon and Kevin —the New Year’s Eve celebrations are a quiet affair. That’s because “Edgar” is the boss of the house. The family dog can’t stand firecrackers or fireworks, so things tend to stay pretty calm. As is tradition, they pass the time until midnight eating raclette until everyone is full.
Meat and vegetables in small pans are also served at the home of Dresden’s super-athlete Lennox Lehmann. Anyone familiar with this Saxon whirlwind might expect a wild—or at least lively—party. But they’d be wrong. Lehmann Jr. is staying home, completely relaxed.
Superbiker Marco Fetz and his girlfriend became the proud owners of their own home earlier this year. And now they’re throwing a housewarming party for eight friends. What’s on the menu? You get one guess: raclette.
Under the Spanish sun, Patrick “Pax” Hobelsberger is really letting loose. But only in a figurative sense. “There are quite a few dogs in Almería, and they don’t make much noise. We have ours with us, too. Never without him! So there won’t be any big special effects. I don’t know yet what we’ll be eating, but it should give us energy, because my first road bike training session is scheduled for January 1, 2026.”
Pro Superstock rider Paul Fröde is a repeat offender when it comes to ringing in the New Year with his girlfriend and friends at a small venue in Chemnitz. “There are about 15 of us. We play a little music to set the mood. I won’t be setting off many fireworks. That’s not really my thing.”
Richard Irmscher is celebrating the New Year in a relaxed atmosphere with his family. “I’ll eat whatever’s on the table. I’m not a fan of fireworks. I just don’t think they’re necessary. I’ll watch the other people, and that’s enough for me.” Irmscher is sixteen years old and completed his first year in the Supersport series in 2025.
The EURO MOTO-TEAM wishes the riders, teams, and fans of the championship all the best for the new year and a fantastic start to the new racing season.