2014 Red Bull Rampage – First Tracks

Shaping the next famous Red Bull Rampage line takes time, and the first three days of building on site saw a field largely focused on carving berms and lips into the steep upper reaches of the course. One Rampage rookie, however, has spent the first three days lining up an entrance into the lower jumps of the course, and on day three he became the first rider to put tyres to dirt.

Sunday was the first day competitors were allowed to bring their bikes on course and Nicholi Rogatkin was the only one to take advantage…

“I’ve spent minimal time on a downhill bike,” says Rogatkin in the video above, referring to his background as a BMX and slopestyle rider. “I’m just trying to spend as much time as I can on it.”

After taking multiple practice runs at the Polaris RZR Moto Booter, Rogatkin felt comfortable enough to send it. By Monday he was almost linking the entire bottom half of his run together, including a few small backflips and suicide no-handers on his final step-up jump.

“I’m having fun out here,” he says. “That’s the goal.”

While many of the competitors haven’t thrown a leg over the bike yet, most have been working hard on the gnarlier upper mountain sections and are well on their way to finishing the more serious half of their lines.

It’s expected that by Wednesday we’ll see more bikes on course. In the meantime, Rogatkin knows he has work ahead of him.

“I think I’m done for the day,” he says, as he puts his bike away. “I need to get up there and start building my upper line.”

Stay tuned to Dirt for all the latest 2014 Red Bull Rampage news, and come Sunday you’ll be able to watch the main event live on the Red Bull site.

If you’ve missed out on the coverage so far then you can catch up below…

2014 Red Bull Rampage – New course unveiled
2014 Red Bull Rampage – First Impressions
2014 Red Bull Rampage – Line Selection
2014 Red Bull Rampage – Rampage Rookies