TFFT, Gee Atherton Isn’t In The 2024 Red Bull Rampage Men’s Lineup 

TFFT, Gee Atherton isn’t on the list. That will be quite the relief to many fans and viewers. But who is on the Red Bull Rampage men’s start line this year?

The automatic pre-qualification includes Brendan Fairclough. After last year’s event, Fairclough seemed to indicate he was done with it – maybe the passage of time has been enough to reignite his interest?

Cam Zink, Carson Storch and Kyle Strait will all be there again (again, again, again – Strait has been at every single Rampage since 2001). Having lost his sponsor in the CRC Wiggle implosion, Strait is now riding for Ari (formerly Fezzari) a Utah based direct-to-consumer brand. Definitely a new kid on the cliffs of Virgin. Cam Zink too will likely be riding a new brand – he’s been working on his own brand prototypes throughout this year.

Bienvenido Aguado Alba is back too – can he possibly beat the run of his life last year, where he front flipped the canyon gap?

The Wildcards is where things get more interesting. These are the riders that have been selected, rather than pre-qualified. Brandon Semenuk is back after taking last year out to race rally cars. Tom Isted will be there from the UK’s Cornwall, proving that you don’t need mountains to be an incredible mountain biker. Joining him as a first timer is Luke Whitlock for Polygon. Everyone else has been before, though after his huge crash at his first year last year, Clemens Kaudela will be looking for a clean run.

In the alternates, Dylan Stark is relegated to 5th – perhaps a reflection of his cheeky BMX rail stunt at his first Rampage, or maybe just down to the fact he’s been recovering from some big injuries and doesn’t have many competition results. Jaxson Riddle and DJ Brandt being in the alternate list is a shame – it would be great to see their style and gymnastics in the competition. If Rocky Mountain’s Hayden Zablotny makes it to the competition, he’ll be the third rookie at this year’s event, while we’ve all seen what Ethan Nell – who doesn’t currently appear to have a bike sponsor – can do before.

Don’t fret if you feel like you’ve seen a lot of this line up before – the women’s event will offer plenty of new perspectives on the terrain. We’ve yet to hear which site the event will be at too – which might also bring with it some new ideas. And of course, if the men’s line up feels a little predictable, the outcome surely isn’t. Which score will have everyone shouting ‘they were robbed!’?

Here’s the official PR:

2024 Red Bull Rampage Men’s Lineup Revealed 

– Top 18 Male Mountain Bikers in the World Are Invited to Premier Big-Mountain Freeride Competition – 

Virgin, Utah (August 21, 2024) – Eighteen of the top male freeride athletes have been invited to the 2024 Red Bull Rampage, the world’s premier big-mountain freeride competition. Part of a brand new, two-day format, the men’s contest will return on Saturday, Oct. 12th following the women’s event two days beforehand. Returning to Virgin, Utah, the athletes will attempt to tame the jagged ridgelines and steep cliffs of the unforgiving Southwestern Utah desert to determine the best in the sport. 

“Red Bull Rampage will always be the ultimate event for me as it pushes beyond what you think you’re capable of both physically and mentally,” said 2023 Red Bull Rampage third place finisher Carson Storch. “This terrain and event will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I’m looking forward to returning to Utah for my tenth Rampage and putting together my dream run.”

The top eight riders from the 2023 competition were automatically pre-qualified for this year’s event, while the other 10 wildcards and 5 alternates were selected by a committee of former Rampage competitors, pro athletes, judges, and industry experts based on competition results, video submissions, and overall ability. Four former winners and two event rookies are among those set to compete, bringing a diverse mix of skills, disciplines and riding styles to this year’s contest. 

The inaugural Red Bull Rampage was held in 2001, and since then, 17 different events and 9 different winners have earmarked their place in the history books. Only time will tell which rider will add their name to the history books.

2024 Red Bull Rampage Men’s Roster

Pre-Qualified Athletes 

1. Cam Zink (USA)
2. Tom Van Steenbergen (CAN) 
3. Carson Storch (USA)
4. Brendan Fairclough (GBR)
5. Talus Turk (USA)
6. Kyle Strait (USA)
7. Emil Johansson (SWE)
8. Bienvenido Aguado Alba (ESP)

Wildcard Athletes 

• Adolf Silva (ESP)
• Brandon Semenuk (CAN)
• Clemens Kaudela (AUT)
• Kurt Sorge (CAN)
• Luke Whitlock (USA)
• Reed Boggs (USA)
• Szymon Godziek (POL)
• Thomas Genon (BEL)
• Tom Isted (GBR)
• Tyler McCaul (USA)

Alternates

1. Ethan Nell (USA)
2. DJ Brandt (USA)
3. Jaxson Riddle (USA)
4. Hayden Zablotny (USA)
5. Dylan Stark (USA)

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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