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Six former Rampage winners and two rookies are among the 15 athletes invited to this year鈥檚 Red Bull Rampage event, the premier big-mountain freeride competition in mountain biking. The world鈥檚 best riders will descend on a brand-new venue in southwestern Utah in celebration of the 20-year anniversary of the competition. The event is scheduled for October 15, and tickets will go on sale to public on Friday, August 20 at 9 A.M. PT/12 P.M. ET at.
鈥淎fter a short hiatus, it鈥檚 exciting to see Red Bull Rampage return this year, especially since it鈥檚 the 20-year anniversary,鈥 said defending Red Bull Rampage champion Brandon Semenuk. 鈥淲hile we missed the 2020 event, I know myself and the rest of the riders are looking forward to getting back out to Utah. A new venue means open doors for creativity, but also a big build to have our lines ready for finals. Looking forward to getting the shovels in the dirt.鈥嬧嬧
The top ten riders from the 2019 competition were automatically pre-qualified into this year鈥檚 event, while the other five wildcards and five alternates were selected by a committee of former Rampage competitors, pro athletes, judges, and industry experts based on competition results and video submissions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tremendous honor to be invited to Red Bull Rampage for the first time,鈥 said Jaxson Riddle. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready to compete on the biggest stage in the sport. I grew up just miles down the road watching this contest so to be among my idols and compete alongside them is going to be such a huge accomplishment.鈥
All invited athletes must confirm their attendance by September 27, at which point anyone who drops out or is unable to attend would be replaced by an event alternate and the competition roster will be set.
2021 Red Bull Rampage Invited Athletes
Pre-Qualified Athletes:
- Brendan Fairclough GBR
- Szymon Godziek POL
- Tyler McCaul USA
- Ethan Nell USA
- Brett Rheeder CAN
- Brandon Semenuk CAN
- Carson Storch USA
- Kyle Strait USA
- Vincent Tupin FRA
- Tom Van Steenbergen CAN
Wildcard Invites:
- Andreu Lacondeguy聽 ES-CT
- Jaxson Riddle聽 USA
- Kurt Sorge聽 CAN
- Brage Vestavik聽 NOR
- Cam Zink聽 USA
Alternates:
- Thomas Genon聽 BEL
- Emil Johansson聽 SWE
- Reed Boggs聽 USA
- DJ Brandt聽 USA
- Antoine Bizet聽 FRA
The inaugural Red Bull Rampage was held in 2001, and since then, 14 different events and nine different winners have earmarked their place in the history books. For the 20th anniversary, Rampage will look back at some of the best moments and stories from over the years, as well as highlight the progression, tricks, and technology that have shaped the contest throughout the years.
The competition format will remain the same, with an elite group of riders carving their ultimate lines into the side of near-vertical sandstone ridges with the help of their two-person build crews. In advance of the competition, riders and their support crew will spend four days building their lines, followed by a rest day, and then four practice days. All the preparation will end in an epic showdown in the desert, where only one will ride away as the champion of the 2021 Red Bull Rampage.