Photos: RBCP
Last year, the Red Bull Rampage venue was a totally raw blank canvas. The new venue would be woodwork free to return the event to its big mountain roots but it led to a mad scramble to simply find a way down from the imposing peak.
Practice was a sketchy affair with big name riders getting injured and some pulling out before the event even began. On competition day, there were high winds and further injuries leaving some competitors questioning whether the event should have been run at all.
This year, the two main routes from the top are alreadyestablished and dig teams can start to get creative on the mid and bottom sections. Big booters and trick jumps are popping up on every plateau and landings and take offs have been buffed and widened to make them safer.
The Suicide Squad of Zink, Strait and Pef are using the extra time to put in a route vertically down from the top. It’s utter madness and if they can make it work, it’s going to blow minds.
However, the weather vanes are swinging again and we could be looking at another faltering Rampage if this wind doesn’t blow itself out by Friday. If it does, then we’re almost guaranteed a blockbuster event, here’s how it came together:
