All Images By: Air to the Throne/London Bike Show
You might have caught our Facebook Live broadcasts from the London Bike Show, where will let out squeaks, squeals and gasps as he watched various riders hurl themselves in improbable positions around and over a series of jumps. We’ve just received the official results, photos and video from the event, so we thought you’d like a look. Even if it is through a few fingers and slightly from behind the sofa.
Over 30 of the world’s best riders took part and the level of riding throughout was mind-blowing. This was the biggest freestyle mountain bike event to ever take place on UK soil and it did not disappoint!
Torquato Testa (ITA), winner of White Style in the first FMB event of the season last month, continued his fine form and qualified for the semi-finals in first place, putting down a big run including a huge double backflip. Nicholi Rogatkin (USA), Matt Jones (GBR), Diego Caverzasi (ITA) and Simon Pages (FRA) all safely progressed. Watch the top qualifying runs below.
Can’t see the video? Click here.
The Top 16 from Saturday’s qualifiers were joined by Tom Cardy (GBR) and Elof Lindh (SWE), who progressed to the semi-finals courtesy of strong runs in the last chance qualifiers on Sunday morning.
The semi-finals then cut the field down from 18 to the final 8.
Going into the final Elof Lindh (SWE), Viktor Douhan (SWE), Torquato Testa (ITA), Diego Caverzasi (ITA), Matt Jones (GBR), Simon Pages (FRA), Adrian Tell (NOR) and Nicholi Rogatkin (USA) all knew only a perfect run would put them in with a chance of winning the title.
In the best of 2-run final, neither Elof, Viktor or Adrian managed to string together their best run – putting them out of the running for the podium, and despite a strong first run, Torquato unfortunately crashed on the penultimate jump of his second run, also knocking him out of contention.
Wil and Andi watched a few runs. Here’s a compilation of their most insightful bits of commentary.
Diego put down two solid runs, whilst, Simon Pages, who was super slick all weekend, nailed his run putting him in with the chance of a place on the podium.
Matt Jones put down one of the runs of his life in his 1st run, pulling out a double backflip on the penultimate jump. Thrilled with the run, Matt chose not to take his 2nd, and it was a waiting game from that point.
World Number 1 Nicholi already had a great first run in the bag, and was last to drop. He executed his second run to perfection.
With adrenaline pumping there was an anxious wait to see who had taken the podium positions and the 2017 Crown. Torquato Testa was confirmed in 5th place, Diego Caverzasi in 4th and Simon Pages in 3rd. The tension stepped up another notch before Matt Jones was confirmed in 2nd place, leaving Nicholi to collect his second Air to the Throne Crown and back-to-back wins in London. Winning the title by just 0.7 points from Matt Jones with a score of 96.00.
Top Ten Results were:
1 Nicholi Rogatkin
2 Matt Jones
3 Simon Pages
4 Diego Caverzasi
5 Torquato Testa
6 Viktor Douhan
7 Adrian Tell
8 Elof Lindh
9 Nicholas Terrier
10 Alex Alenko
Check out the video of the finals here:
Can’t see the video? Click here.
