Riders talk about 9th annual Red Bull Rampage

(Stephan Bergen)


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VIRGIN ā€” These riders redefine whatā€™s possible on a bicycle. They race down near-vertical terrain, throwing backflips off ramps and soaring across 50-foot canyon gaps on heavy downhill mountain bikes.

Spectators gathered Friday through Monday in Virgin to watch 33 athletes from 11 different countries compete for the winning title during the Red Bull Rampage. Spanish athlete Andreu Lacondeguy took first place after three straight years of coming in fourth.

ā€œRed Bull Rampage has some of the best riders in the world,ā€ said spectator Shaun Moyes. ā€œRampage truly is the elite. The riders who compete are the best of the best.ā€

Andreu Lacondeguy of Spain taking 1st place, USA rider Cam Zink with 2nd, and Canadian rider Brandon Semenuk placing third (Photo: Stephan Bergen)
Andreu Lacondeguy of Spain taking 1st place, USA rider Cam Zink with 2nd, and Canadian rider Brandon Semenuk placing third (Photo: Stephan Bergen)

These riders have to be able to get down the mountain in one piece ā€” southern Utah offers some of the most intense terrain in the world. Rampage organizers searched for the perfect venue in areas such as China and South America, but returned to southern Utah because of its unique landscape.

ā€œThis event is very unique mainly due to the fact that itā€™s big-mountain riding,ā€ said British Colombian rider, Darren Berrecloth. Berrecloth has participated in Rampage five times, but couldnā€™t compete this year because of injuries. ā€œIt requires a big-mountain bike mainly designed for downhill free riding and racing. There are a lot of variables in this terrain that make it daunting, but at the same time fascinating.ā€

At Rampage, athletes build their own lines to ride by carving trails, jumps and drops into the ridged sandstone terrain. Prior to the competition, many athletes spend days on the mountain creating their unique lines and practicing tricks.

Louis Reboul of France launching across Canyon Gap on his qualifier run Sunday, September 28 (Photo: Stephan Bergen)
Louis Reboul of France launching across Canyon Gap on his qualifier run Sunday, September 28 (Photo: Stephan Bergen)

ā€œWe do slope-style competitions all year long where we show up and thereā€™s one line weā€™ve got to ride,ā€ Berrecloth said. ā€œSome athletes will have a totally different take on how they interpret the landscape. Itā€™s kind of like freedom of expression. Being able to go out there and create your own line from the start to the finish is a pretty cool process.ā€

Berrecloth prefers to use only the natural terrain of the mountain for his line, rather than incorporate wooden structures such as the 50-foot step down ramp that was set up for the 2014 Rampage.

ā€œIā€™m a big fan of keeping it as natural as possible,ā€ he said. ā€œThe cool thing about this place is Mother Nature has already created some pretty mountain bike-friendly terrain.ā€

Other riders choose to use the wooden ramps to boost their score and give the audience a show. In the 2013 Red Bull Rampage, New Zealander Kelly McGarry launched off a ramp and did a backflip over a 72-foot-long canyon gap, winning him the Peopleā€™s Choice Award and placing him 2nd overall. But his successful performance last year meant people expected even bigger this year.

ā€œThereā€™s a lot of expectation,ā€ McGarry said. ā€œLast year went really well and in this competition itā€™s natural for people to want to see you go even bigger and see you keep pushing whatā€™s possible on a bike. Iā€™m going to have to step it up and do something else if I want to stand on the podium this year and thatā€™s how it is.ā€

Kelly McGarry of New Zealand (Photo: Stephan Bergen)
Kelly McGarry of New Zealand (Photo: Stephan Bergen)

Since its beginning in 2001, Red Bull Rampage has evolved into the ultimate test for downhill racers and free riders. Berrecloth said it started as a competition to see who could just make it all the way down the steep mountain.

ā€œWhoever survived was the guy who came out on top,ā€ Berrecloth said. ā€œAll of a sudden it turned into, ā€˜Wow, what kind of crazy lines can we build? Now weā€™re at this point where everyoneā€™s going really freaking fast and the line choices are getting even gnarlier. Plus, weā€™re all throwing tricks into it. Itā€™s really stepped up in the last couple years, itā€™s pretty crazy. Itā€™s cool to see, but some days itā€™s a little frightening.ā€

McGarry said Red Bull Rampage is probably the most nerve-racking of all his international competitions. To prepare for the competition, McGarry said he tries to spend as much time on his downhill bike as possible.

ā€œThere are big jumps here and you have to feel comfortable on them to do well in the competition,ā€ he said. ā€œYou also need to stay healthy as well. You donā€™t want to hurt yourself training. You want to come here feeling 100 percent.ā€

McGarry took a gnarly spill during his practice round on Thursday, but despite his accident, he was excited to compete in the 2014 Rampage.

ā€œRampage is my favorite competition of the year,ā€ McGarry said. ā€œI mean, itā€™s the craziest competition of the year and itā€™s in the most amazing place to ride a bike. Itā€™s awesome to be a part of it. Itā€™s awesome to be up on the ridge with 360-degree views. When you get to the bottom and youā€™ve had a good run, thereā€™s no other feeling like it. Itā€™s wicked.ā€


Sarah Romero is a journalism and photography student at Utah State University. Contact her at sarahromero524@gmail.com.

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