Red Bull Rampage Returns this Friday

The “Super Bowl of mountain biking” returns this week. Red Bull Rampage is back on Friday the 15th after a Covid-induced break for 2020, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of Red Bull Rampage. Rampage returns to the mountain that the event used for 2016 and 2017, as Rampage changes venues every two years. 2016 and 2017 garnered some of the most interesting competition as this mountain in particular was extra steep, gnarly, and raw.

This year, we start with the traditional format: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are the usual three days of building lines and dreaming up a perfect run with the dig crew. Thursday is practice, and Friday is the show.

Singletracks will be on-location for Rampage, so stay tuned for the latest photos and news coming in hot from Virgin, Utah.

Rider list

This year, the rider list is shorter than usual, at only 15 athletes. Recent attendees like DJ Brandt, Brendan Fairclough, Antoine Bizet, Brett Rheeder and others won’t be competing this year. Rheeder and Fairclough, who placed 2nd and 4th and would automatically qualify, were both recently injured.

“I put everything I had into rehabilitating my knee this past week. I was hopeful at the beginning with how fast I was progressing, but after the last few sessions it became clear that I won’t be physically ready for Rampage. At this point I am expecting a relatively quick recovery so I shouldn’t be out for too long,” said Rheeder about his injury. Thomas Genon has taken Fairclough’s spot as an alternate and Reed Boggs has taken Emil Johansson’s spot as Johansson has chosen to focus on Crankworx Rotorua.

This year’s mix of athletes include Rampage vets, sophomores, and freshmen. Brage Vestavik and Jaxson Riddle, both the youngest athletes and 22 and 20, are brand new to Rampage. Riddle has steadily been competing in more slopestyle events like Proving Grounds, with a trajectory pointing at Rampage.

We’d offer our best guesstimate at who to look for on the podium, but honestly, Rampage is anyone’s guess. The newer and younger athletes are often eager to prove themselves and always put on a show, but so are the athletes who have been at Rampage for years, who have or haven’t won before, and are looking to keep their foot in the door. Andreu Lacondeguy, Thomas Genon, Tom van Steenbergen and Carson Storch all come to mind.

While many will look to vets like Semenuk, Strait, and Sorge for another win, anything can happen, including mechanicals, getting off line, and not sticking a methodically planned trick. It’s all part of the excitement of Rampage.