Red Bull Rampage 2014 The Calm Before The Storm

Over the past week the Utah desert has been invaded by some of the best freeride mountain bikers in the world. The Red Bull Rampage is on everyone’s calender and every year we watch in amazement as they create history. The Rampage has produced some of the most memorable moments in mountain biking and every year the bar is raised, the riders go bigger, faster and take it to a whole new level of radness.

Last year we saw the first ever 2x winner; Kyle Strait was once the youngest competitor and then winner of the Rampage and last year he made it as the first rider to win two Rampage titles. We saw Cam Zink flip the Oakley sender, and Kelly McGarry flip the Canyon Gap.

This year the Rampage has a new base. It’s the same location and venue but using the opposite side of the mountain; this means fresh untouched terrain for all the riders. The build team as usual have built a few wooden features including once again a 70+ foot canyon gap. The Oakley sender is no more, but the GoPro step down is equally as monumental.

Riders arrived early last week and have spent time scoping out their lines, and got digging straight away. To start off with there was a bit of tension  as rider’s lines crossed each others or where they wanted to use the same piece of hillside.  Alliances have been made and in other cases, well, not been made.

As the days go on and the riders dig in their lines they always have to save some time to ride and get used to the terrain. A massive part of Rampage is the whole family atmosphere; every rider wants to win but they also all just want to have fun and see everyone make it down safe. There’s always time for a good whip session, a few of the riders took an evening to get sideways and try out a few of the jumps.

Getting closer and closer to the qualifiers the riders start to practice their lines to see if all the hard work they have put in is worth it. Jumps will need re shaping, berms knocked back and other alterations made before they are truly comfortable on the line and confident it can take them to glory. This is also the time when a few riders need to guinea pig the truly massive features and gaps.

Qualifying time and 25 riders must become 10. The 10 riders who make it through to the finals will join the other pre-qualified 10 riders who will then battle it out for the 2014 Rampage title.

Just like in the finals riders will get two runs to make it down, they use the best score from either run to try and make the top ten. This year’s qualifiers were a little different and after first runs the weather picked up and the second runs were postponed to the next morning.

After second runs Graham Aggasiz has came out on top, followed by Brett Rheeder and Tom Van Steenbergen.

Full qualification list here:
1. Graham Aggasiz
2. Brett Rheeder
3. Tom Van Steenbergen
4. Jeff Hebertson
5. Paul Basagoitia
6. Szymon Godziek
7. Kyle Norbraten
8. Louis Reboul
9. Carson Storch
10. Geoff Gulivech

The top ten pre-qualified riders are as follows:

– Pierre Edouard Ferry (Commencal)
– Brendan Fairclough (Scott)
– Thomas Genon (Canyon)
– Ramon Hunziker (Trek)
– Andreu Lacondeguy (YT)
– Kelly McGarry (Diamondback)
– Mike Montgomery (Mongoose)
– Brandon Semenuk (Trek)
– Kyle Strait (GT)
– Cameron Zink (YT)

Finals day came around and to everyone’s surprise a serious thunder storm had rolled in. Flash floods caused the Rampage site to close and finals have been postponed to this evening.

Who will take 2014 glory?

Can Brit rider Brendan Fairclough make it into the history books? Either way this year’s Rampage has already produced some almighty scenes, and we can’t wait to see what the riders pull out of the bag for finals.

Watch the live show here on Redbull.tv