Sportsmen from all over the world experienced a rather extraordinary year in 2020. All of a sudden they found themselves with an opportunity to complete creative projects sometime put on the back-burner due to a hectic contest schedule. Tomas Lemoine and JC Pieri produced a three minute video combining the emotional touch of JC together with Tomas’ flawless style. We sat down with them to talk about the process behind “A Perfect Day”.

Hey Tomas, JC,

Before diving into your project, how did you get to know each other? Do you share a biking background?

JC: Yes exactly! I’ve known Tomas since I started riding BMX. It means for at least 15 years. He was a really young kid when we met for the first time at the bowl of Marseille. He’d just started racing with his dad back in the days as well.

Tomas: We’ve met a long time ago when I started riding at home, then we became friends and rode and hung out together a lot. After a while he started to work a lot on his film projects and developed a level of creativity that is now to be seen in all of his projects. All of them have that unique JC Pieri vibe! It is also dope that he can adapt to pretty much any kind of filming situation!

 

How did it all come together? Why did you decide to shoot near your hometown, Marseille?

Tomas: We started shooting after the lockdown was already active, so we weren´t allowed to travel far. But after all we thought there are plenty of good spots to ride around home that would make for a cool video, so why not! The South of France keeps amazing me!

JC: I knew exactly what I wanted before the shoot. We made a list of beautiful and easy to find spots. All it took was a few minutes to collect the spot list since we knew all of them from riding back in the days. Especially the spots in our local city, Marseille.

What motivated you throughout the shoot?  

Tomas: It just felt so good to spend time on all my bikes as I usually stick to my dirt jump bike during the contest season. It was a good way to keep your mind off things by being able to ride whatever you like throughout the year!

JC: For me, personal projects are always the best, because you have full control on your creativity and this one was a big one for me. Last year I´ve developed a master class about photography and videography. I traveled around the world to share all my knowledge in every shooting situation possible. This video was made for a new master class to talk only about professional videography.
The goal was to shoot this video and explain how I created this video from A to Z. The master class comes with a behind the scenes clip and 35 videos, explaining how to prepare this kind of project, how to film, which equipment to use and also how to edit. It’s more than 6 hours of content in total but right now it´s only available in French unfortunately.

 

The video thrives of emotional and moody scenes. A style which seems to be a bit different from the typical Lemoine show we all know and love.

Tomas: The video is different from my own style: it has more of a story and shows me riding more than only one bike. JC’s style of filming is insane to me as well, so I’m always happy to work with him and I can’t wait for the next project!

JC: Exactly that is my personal touch. I always want to spark emotions in my projects and just create something different. I didn’t want to do a regular mountain bike edit. Rather a lifestyle video with mountain bikes in it. It wasn´t the goal to show Tomas doing his best tricks but to tell a story about a perfect day in his life, having fun on his bike, with his girlfriend and his dog.

 

How many days did the filming take for the final result and which equipment was used for the clip?  

JC: It took us 2 days to film everything. I had prepared a script, so I knew exactly what we needed. With riding of course, you always have different tricks and lines by the end of the day. But in my script it was more about the timing and the feature than a certain trick.
I mainly used a Red Gemini 5K for this project. A Canon 1Dx Mark II and a Ronin M for the moving shots on the trail. I also have a few drone clips filmed with a DJI Mavic 2 pro.

Thank you for your time and the insights on “a perfect day” and we hope to see more projects by the two of you in the near future!

Follow Tomas Lemoine on Social Media:

Instagram: tomaslemoine

Facebook:  TomasLemoineFanpage

YouTube:   LIL MOINE

Follow JC Pieri on Social Media:

Instagram: jcpieri

Facebook: @jcpierivisual

YouTube:   JC Pieri

The Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award is all about aiming to reveal the next rising star of the Slopestyle world. With just a few regular competitions being held in 2020, two new categories were added; the People’s Choice Award and the Athlete’s Choice Award, both with its own set of prize packs.  The submission period for the award closes at the end of October. Tim Bringer, the 2019 Rookie of the Year, is stoked to have had the chance to compete in his very firstCrankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship earlier this year during Crankworx Rotorua. We caught up with the Frenchman to talk about his Rookie of the Year season and asked him for advice on how to submit a winning video.

In Innsbruck, the most recent Crankworx stop, Tim Bringer showed just why he deserved the Rookie of the Year title in 2019. Backing up his impressive debut in Rotorua, finishing in 10^th, he showed the world just how much he’s progressed in a short time. With a trick-filled run, including a flawless Cash Roll, a Backflip Tailwhip and a Double Backflip, Tim put himself just outside the Top 3, finishing in fourth with a score of 85.33 and putting himself in a position to compete at the SWC in 2021.

Hey Tim, did you enjoy your stay in Rotorua? Was it your first time in New Zealand?

It was my very first time in Rotorua and I had so much fun! We went to Queenstown with the French crew to ride the infamous “Gorge Road Trails”. I feel blessed that I was able to ride this spot and it got us all hyped for the upcoming competition for sure.

Being in Rotorua to compete at Crankworx must have been pretty special. What was your favorite part?

Totally! My favorite part was to ride the massive Crankworx Slopestyle course. It´s a bit scary at first, but so much fun as soon as you get used to the immense size of the jumps (*laughs*).

What went through your head when you heard you won the Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award?

I was super excited to know that I was going to ride my first Crankworx!

How important do you think an initiative like the Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award is to riders and the dirt jump/slopestyle scene as a whole?

 I think it’s good for the young riders, being able to ride with the top riders is sick and Crankworx tracks are next level compared to gold events. It´s a really great opportunity to develop as a rider.

What do you think it takes to submit a winning video?

Don´t be afraid to take your chance, there is nothing to lose! You might already have a good line on your phone, filmed by your bro. All you need to do is submit it and you might get to ride those huge jumps as well!

Do you have any tips for riders that want to win the contest?

Go out with your friends, push your limit and have fun! Do a few runs and then make sure your buddy is filming! It always helps to have a mulch landing on the final jump, so you can go even bigger!

Looking towards the 2021 season, which events are you most looking forward to?

I’m gonna try to ride every Gold event and maybe also Diamond events if I can ride them aha. Hopefully, I’ll also still be able to ride the SWC events. It would be sick to go back to New Zealand and to ride Red Bull Joyride!

Thanks for the advice, Tim and good luck in 2021!

 

Do you have what it takes to become the 2020 Red Bull Rookie of the Year? Make sure to submit your #ROTYBestline video now to not miss the chance at a Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship Wildcard!

Don’t forget to upload your video to the FMB World Tour Clippero to be in the running for People’s Choice – you could win an additional prize pack.

For all the info on how to submit your video, head over to the ROTY Subpage on www.fmbworldtour.com

Pictures by Kike Abelleira.

Ever since the release of “Home Office”, the name Fabio Wibmer is usually said in the same breath as the word ‘creative’. The young Austrian is known for his ability to see things from a different perspective, as well as approaching new projects in a unique way. But what exactly sparks the creativity of the two-wheeled superstar? Fabio sat down to talk about his creative process, how to overcome mental barriers and gives some valuable insight on how to shape your creative mind.

“Thinking different was probably the most important thing for my career. To be unique, not doing what everyone else is doing. If you’re different – if you’re doing something cool that you’re proud of, if you’re really passionate about something, sooner or later people will like it or take notice. That really motivates me and drives me to keep pushing.” – Fabio Wibmer

Watch the full video “Home Office” here.

Picture by Hannes Berger.

Following five eventful and exciting days, the UCI 2020 Moutain Bike World Championships presented by Mercedes Benz came to a spectacular finish with the Downhill races last Sunday. Across 13 races, the battle for the treasured rainbow jersey was fought in the disciplines of Cross-Country, Downhill and E-MTB. The organizers of the World Championships put together a great event under difficult conditions and received praise from all sides. As host, the region of Saalfelden Leogang is already looking forward to the first double World Cup (Cross-Country and Downhill) in June 2021.

From sunshine to rain to light snowfall – the challenging conditions at the UCI 2020 Mountain Bike World Championships in Saalfelden Leogang led to thrills and excitement in the fight for the coveted medals and demanded the highest concentration and full commitment from the riders. The new track section of the Speedster was met with a positive response from the field of riders and ensured excitement right up to the end: “The track is a lot different to what we raced last year. I think the new sections are really cool. It’s a great addition. They’ve been trying really hard here in Leogang to make a good track. I found this was a really good World Champs track and I am looking forward to the World Cup next year“, said Greg Minnaar – winner of the 2012 World Championships, which were held in Saalfelden Leogang.

About 700 athletes from 48 nations competed in the disciplines of Cross-Country, Downhill and E-MTB. The French team was by far the most successful and returned home with 12 medals (6 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze) while Great Britain came in second in the medal table with a total of five medals (3, 1, 1). Third place in terms of medals went to Switzerland (1, 3, 3).

Due to COVID-19 prevention measures, no spectators were allowed on the World Champs grounds. However, thanks to 37 TV and streaming providers from 20 countries (e.g. host broadcaster Red Bull TV etc.), Mountain Bike fans from around the world had the opportunity to watch the races from the comfort of their own home.

Relive all of the action and excitement on demand on Red Bull TV (Broadcast-list available in Dropbox) as well as the Highlights of DHI and XCO.

The organizers and promoters of the 2020 Mountain Bike World Championships faced a major challenge this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At short notice, Saalfelden Leogang took over the Cross-Country World Championship that was originally scheduled for June in Albstadt, in addition to the Downhill World Championship. This meant that, in only a few short months, a diverse and technical World Championship Cross-Country course had to be built. Well thought out safety requirements as well as Covid-19 prevention concepts ensured that this year’s World Championships ran smoothly. Praise came from all sides, especially from the athletes.

“We are extremely happy that we were able to hold the World Championships in the current situation and that we received so much positive feedback from all sides. Everyone felt comfortable and safe and that was the most important thing for us, especially under the current circumstances. The new tracks were very well received, and the weather conditions made it even more exciting. I would like to thank the teams and athletes for their cooperation and good atmosphere as well as every single member of our organization and our volunteers. That was great,” said World Championship organizer Marco Pointner. Saalfelden Leogang is already looking forward to hosting the first double World Cup in  Cross-Country and Downhill next year, which will take place in Saalfelden Leogang from June 11-13, 2021.

Kornel Grundner (World Championship organizer): “I am glad that both the Cross Country track and the new section of the Speedster were so well received. Especially the Downhill riders wanted a more technical part there. The XC course also met with an extremely positive response and I am happy that we will be holding our first double header World Cup next year“.

Further information about the Epic Bikepark Leogang can be found on: bikepark-leogang.com, instagram.com/BikeparkLeogang and facebook.com/BikeparkLeogang

Upon request, all tours can be accompanied and led by qualified guides of the school Element Outdoorsports as well as an individual training to improve your skills.

To make your biking holiday absolutely perfect, special bike hotels such as Salzburger Hof, Bio Hotel Rupertus, Hotel Bacher, Hotel Riederalm, Hotel Ritzenhof, Mama Thresl, Hotel Krallerhof, Hotel Forsthofalm and Hotel Der Löwe and competent bike shops such as Sport Mitterer or Sport 2000 Simon are at your service: http://www.saalfelden-leogang.com/en/region-experience/bike/bikehotels

Since 2020 Saalfelden Leogang, together with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn, has become Austria’s biggest bike region

The Skicircus, the combined name for the three regions during the winter season, will now also work together during the summer, expanding their collaboration to a year-round effort, and creating Austria’s largest bike region. The Saalbach Hinterglemm trails are only a stone’s throw away from Epic Bikepark Leogang and together, the region offers seven mountains, nine lifts and over 70 kilometres of trails, all ready and waiting to be explored.

News and information about Saalfelden Leogang can be found on saalfelden-leogang.com, instagram.com/Saalfelden_Leogang or facebook.com/SaalfeldenLeogang

Photos by Moritz Ablinger.

Juan Diego “Johny” Salido truly embodies the freeride vibe. He’s equally at home shredding steep terrain, riding downhill or chasing flips on his dirt jump bike. Now the young Mexican has decided to take the next steps in his career with RASOULUTION at his side.

Johny Salido has become a fixture to the freeride scene over the past years. His performance at last year´s Marzocchi Proving Grounds, amongst a stacked field of competitors, showing complex tricks like a Flat Spin Nac Nac, ended with second place. This also meant a longtime dream come true, as he was awarded a wild card for Red Bull Rampage 2019. The dream however would not be fulfilled as a crash in the final training right before the competition started, ended it abruptly. His motivation though, seems to be unbroken: Johny can´t wait to return to the deserts of Utah and prove himself worthy at the world´s most prestigeous freeride competition.

The much-anticipated documentary “Keep on Keeping on – Dreaming of Rampage” which is soon to be released follows Johny´s journey to Red Bull Rampage 2019, giving personal insights with emotional story-telling.

Follow this link for a first teaser of the documentary: https://vimeo.com/416102908

By partnering with RASOULUTION, Johny aims to strengthen his presence in Europe and plans on competing in European events like the “Loosefest” in Belgium, which is known for its immense jumps.

The preparations for Johny´s very own Freeride competition are in full swing as well. Located in Guadalajara – Mexico, most of the course for “Freeride Fiesta” is already built and the event is planned to be held in spring 2021.
Don´t miss out on any updates of the event and some first test runs by following the “Freeride Fiesta” on Instagram!

“Freeride Fiesta is super important to me. I want to give local riders the chance to step into the limelight and become pro riders. With RASOULUTION by my side, I am able to think on a bigger scale when it comes to project planning!” – Johny Salido

RASOULUTION now supports Johny Salido in the areas of management and communication. Managing Director Tarek Rasouli is stoked on the team roster´s new addition: “The first time Johny drew my attention was back at the Marzocchi Proving Grounds event in Oregon. He was really sending it and qualifying for Rampage was the logical result. The first time I met him in person was at Rampage, after his unfortunate crash during the last training prevented him from competing. We had various video calls and I realized, how positive and dedicated his attitude is on everything he does. He is a cool guy with great charisma and has extraordinary riding skills, no matter if he is on his big bike or dirt jump bike. We are happy to welcome Johny to our team and to help him elevate his career to the next level!”

Johny Salido:

Facebook:  @JuanDiegoSalido
Instagram: johnysalido
YouTube:   Johny Salido

Freeride Fiesta:
Instagram: freeridefiesta

Photos by Boris Beyer.

Sunday at World Championships is traditionally reserved for the world’s best Downhill riders and this year was no different. Four hundred days since the last Downhill World Championships, these races also marked the start of the World Cup season, the latest, coldest start of the season in years.

With rain falling overnight, the track conditions were vastly different than during the qualifying round, and the brutal track caught out many medal contenders, including defending champion Loic Bruni (FRA), Greg Minnaar (RSA), Tahnée Seagrave (GBR) and Tracey Hannah (AUS).

Camille Balanche Delays French Party with Unbelievable Performance to snag Gold Medal

Finding the perfect balance between pushing the limit and being smart in order to stay smooth would prove crucial today. The daunting, muddy conditions in Saalfelden Leogang demanded focus, consistency and flawless line choices, especially in the new wooded section. The Skicircus Enchanting Forest, with its mix of steep, rutty corners turned out to be the deciding factor for the podium. Riders that managed to come through this part of the Speedster smooth would hold a significant advantage over riders that struggled in the mud.

The mud and the ruts in the woods wreaked havoc on almost every single rider with the mud getting so deep that riders would almost lose all momentum in this essential part of the race. Defending champion Myriam Nicole (FRA) would be the first rider to make it through the woods relatively unscathed, with only one crash, seemingly struggling only in the very last part of the woods. Putting in a time of 5:11.556, that time was untouched until Camille Balanche (SUI) came down the mountain with an incredible performance.

Showing extremely fast and smart riding all the way down, she would be the only Women Elite rider of the day to make it through the woods without touching the ground. While being forced to put a foot down in a few spots to get through a rut, the 30-year-old Swiss rider rode the race of her life. With a time of 5:08.426, Balanche proved to be the fastest woman of the day, winning the first ever Downhill Gold medal for Switzerland at World Championships.

Bronze medal winner Monika Hrastnik (SLO) struggled in the woods, but thanks to two strong splits just ahead of the Enchanting Forest she moved into medal contention, with a time of 5:25.392, while Tracey Hannah (AUS) narrowly missed out on the podium with a crash in the middle section of the forest section.

Camille Balanche: “This was the toughest race I’ve ever done; it was extreme. I decided to take a safe line and not rush it, and it paid off. It’s going to take some time for me to realize what just happened.”

Vali Höll, Austria’s hope for a medal in the women’s field and fastest qualifier earlier in the week, crashed in her first training run of the day and wasn’t able to race.

Reece Wilson (GBR) Bulldozes his way to Gold Medal, Trummer (AUT) Takes Silver

Morning rain made way for afternoon snow and wind, adding a serious degree of complications for the men’s field.

Reece Wilson (GBR) showed just why he should always be considered a podium threat, with a nearly flawless run that would be over seven seconds faster than Jack Moir’s run (AUS), the first rider to finish with a sub 4-minute time.

Wilson was surgical down the entire track, pushing the pace, but making the right choices all the way down to the finish line, with a spectacular line through the tree stumps ahead of the motorway section. Bulldozing his way through the mud, the Brit built an advantage of over four seconds in the woods which would see him finish in 3:51.243, adding another gold medal for Great Britain.

The last time we saw a winning performance like this, in similar conditions, was when Danny Hart (GBR) took the World Championship title in Champéry in 2011 with a spectacular run that has echoed amongst Downhill riders around the world since then. It’s time to add Wilson’s run to those same history books.

Three years after breaking his back here in Saalfelden Leogang, Remi Thirion (FRA) would score redemption. Thirion struck hard in the woods, diminishing the gap between him and Wilson significantly, but without becoming a threat to the Scotsman. In a flash of brilliance, his rodeo ride through the woods would land him in third place at the end of the day, scoring another medal for France, with a time eof 3:57.196.

Dropping in after Thirion, Austrian David Trummer would manage to close the six second gap to Wilson by another three seconds with an amazing ride, sneaking into second place with a strong performance when it mattered most. Looking smooth through the woods and putting in a sprint across the finish line, his time of 3:54.440 would reward him with a silver medal.

As the last rider on the mountain, Loic Bruni (FRA) would put everything on the line. Pedaling hard where other riders would pump, Bruni left nothing in the tank, but his risky riding would cost him the race, with several crashes late in his run.

Reece Wilson: “I was ready for it to be wet or dry. I came here and I believed that I could be a guy that could win. Now that I’m down here, I can’t believe it. This weekend shows that the British are really great technical riders. The French have had it (the rainbow jersey) for a good time now, but we’re definitely competitive as a nation.”

David Trummer: “It’s so crazy. I still can’t believe it. This was one of the toughest races I’ve ever done. I was struggling in practice, so I was fighting hard all week. I thought about the whole run in my head before the start. I knew that if I got to the wood section with a good run until there, I knew I had to slow down a bit, stay on my bike and not crash at all and it paid off”.

France Scores Two More Medals with Strong Female Juniors, O’Callaghan Takes Men Junior Gold

As one of the last riders down the mountain, Lauryne Chappaz (FRA) was able to keep a clear head despite the tricky track conditions. In the green all the way down, the 18-year old French rider was able to finish in 5:41.502, over 46 seconds faster than Austrian Sophie Gutöhrle, who put in the time to beat mid-way through the race, with an impressive 6:28.311, enough to earn her a silver medal. Closing out the Top 3, and adding another medal for France is Leona Pierrini, with a finish time of 6:35.314.

On the men’s side, the standings were shaken up by a strong performance courtesy of Óisin O’Callaghan (IRL), whose time of 4:02.142 prevented a Top 3 loaded with British riders. His time would be good enough to hold off a strongly advancing British field, which included Daniel Slack (2nd, 4:04.283), James Elliott (3rd, 4:12.847) as well as Dennis Luffman and Luke Mumford, who finished in 4th and 5th place.

Limited visibility, moisture in the air and with the Cross-Country course as challenging as it has been all week, the stage was set for an epic day of World Championship XCO racing in Leogang, Austria, with three races throughout the day; the U23 Women, the Women Elite and Men Elite.

Loana Lecomte Strikes Fast, Tallies up Another Gold Medal for France

In the U23 Women’s race, Loana Lecomte (FRA) sped away to take the lead from the first few pedal strokes, which she never relinquished throughout the race. Surgical on both the climbs and the descents, the young French rider will be excited to add another gold medal to her collection, after winning the Team Relay race as part of Team France earlier this week. Finishing in 1:13:34, over a minute faster than second place, Lecomte will be a rider to watch for years to come.

Kata Blanka Vas (HUN), in her first World Championships as a U23 rider, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (NLD) and Haley Batten (USA) were locked in fighting for a Top 3 finish.

Vas wasn’t able to get close to Lecomte at any point during the race but was able to put distance between her and Batten in the first two laps, securing her silver medal finish in the first half of the race, riding across the finish line in 1:14:45.

Alvarado found her pace heading into the second lap, with the Dutch rider overtaking Batten for third place shortly before the big uphill section and cranking away, building her lead over the American at every split from then on, finishing in an impressive 1:16:16, 56 seconds faster than her American rival, taking a bronze medal back to the Netherlands.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Puts on Clinic to Win Back to Back World Championship Titles

Following the early morning U23 action, 60 of the world’s best Women Elite riders lined up to put their bid in for the rainbow jersey. With defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA), Jolanda Neff (SUI), Kate Courtney (USA), Anne Terpstra (NLD) and Rebecca McConnell (AUS) all lined up at the start, mountain bike fans from around the world witnessed a race of the highest caliber.

Early in the race, Prévot pulled away from the competition quickly, holding an advantage of a minute going into the second lap. From there, the French multi-talent put in an untouchable performance in a race that will be talked about for a long time to come. Crossing the finish line with a time of 1:27:33, over three minutes ahead of second place, Prévot won her third Elite World Championship title (’15, ’19, ’20) and her second one in a row.

Rebecca McConnell battled it out with Yana Belomoina (UKR) during the first few laps and the two would hold off their chasers – Eva Lechner (ITA) and Sina Frei (SUI) – for quite a while, but the Australian would prove to be unable to capitalize on her strong start, while Belomoina would suffer a mechanical that took her out of podium contention.

With Prévot comfortably leading and McConnell in a silver medal position for the majority of the race, the battle between Frei and Lechner would be the one to watch.

Frei would prove unable to keep up with Lechner’s pace, who would even get within striking distance of McConnell late in the race. The podium order would be decided by the second photo finish of the day. McConnell came out of the final 180 turn first but was unable to counter the sprint attack unleashed by Lechner in the final few meters, with the Italian catching McConnell by half a wheel, taking the silver medal back home to Italy.

Medal hopes Kate Courtney and Anne Terpstra were both forced to quit the race in the third lap with the brutal conditions and technical issues.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot: “It was an amazing race. I wanted to have a good start. I knew it would be hectic on the uphill and the downhill if I was with the group. I wanted to go solo, but I didn’t expect to have such a gap, so I tried to manage it and give my best. It was good to have a reasonable gap, in case of a mechanical or a crash. I’m super happy to defend my title and to ride in the rainbow jersey for another year, because I really like the jersey.”

Eva Lechner: “I cannot explain my feelings at the moment. I was struggling a lot over the last few years with even finishing within the Top 10. Finishing in second place today is simply amazing.”

Isla Short (GBR, 5th place): “I am in shock, it’s not sunk in, physically I knew I could do a good race but when I was riding in 5th, I was just somewhere else. I tried to get a really good start because I knew the descents were very techy. I just paced the climbs really sensitive and I knew I was strong on the climbs and people started slowly dying half way through the race and I just kept the pace consistent and was sensible on the descents.”

Missed the UCI 2020 Mountain Bike World Championship action? Replays of the Elite races are available on Red Bull TV*

French Dominance Continues in the Men, Jordan Sarrou Completes Perfect Day for France.

With four gold medals already in the pockets of Team France, the French were also the ones to watch in the Men Elite race. With Jordan Sarrou, Victor Koretzky, Maxime Marotte and Titouan Carod all on the start line, odds for another French medal were extremely high. Milan Vader (NED), Henrique Avancini (BRA), Mathias Flueckiger (SUI) and Nino Schurter (SUI) would give it their all to prevent France from getting another medal.

Sarrou, who was hot on the heels of Vader coming out of the first climb, unleashed a vicious attack early in the race and passed the Dutch young gun on an outside corner at the hairpin climbs. It was exactly this move that would reward him with the gold medal, his first Elite medal and his first Elite World Championship title. Thanks to Sarrou, France would have a perfect day on Cross-Country Saturday, with three gold medals in three races. Just like Prévot, Sarrou would establish his position as the leader early and not letting up the pace for the entire 1:25:37.

Avancini had to work his way from the back after making a mistake right at the start. The Brazilian would showcase his climbing skills over the next two laps, climbing back into the Top 3, fighting it out with Flueckiger, but a costly mistake in the 5th lap would put him out of podium contention, which put the Swiss rider in silver medal position.

Flueckiger would prove unrivaled on the descents, even on a hardtail. Lap by lap, the Swiss rider widened the gap to the chasers, but a late rise by Carod in the 6th lap almost cost the Swiss rider his silver medal. With a strong performance in the final climb, Flueckiger would manage to hold of Carod to take home silver with a time of 1:26:22, 10 seconds faster than his French opponent.

Carod’s multi-lap attack, which would see him catch Avancini, Luca Braidot (ITA) and Maxime Marotte (FRA), would pay off with a bronze medal, as he finished the race in 1:26:32.

Defending Champion Nino Schurter, who holds a record of eight World Championship titles, would struggle from the start, unable to find his pace and even though he would mount a late attack, he was only just able to sneak into the Top 10.

Jordan Sarrou: “The plan was to start fast and to be really smooth. I was really focused on my race and I can’t believe it, I have no words. I’m World Champion. I really don’t know what to say right now, it’s incredible. I want to thank my team, my coach, my Family, the federation for everything they do and for believing in me.”

Mathias Flueckiger: “If I look back to last week and compare it to where I am today, I am very happy. Of course, I wanted to go for the jersey, but it wasn’t possible today. It was really hard today because you have to go hard on the climbs and then you have to go into such a difficult descent that it was really hard to find a balance.”

What’s in Store for Tomorrow

At the culmination of an action-packed week, there are 12 more medals and four more rainbow jerseys up for grabs, with four groups of riders ready to go; Men Junior, Women Junior, Men Elite and Women Elite. The qualification round on Friday showed us just how challenging the new part of the Speedster is and close racing is all but guaranteed on the final day of the 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships presented by Mercedes Benz. With strong performances by Loris Vergier (1st), Loic Bruni (2nd) and defending champion Myriam Nicole (3rd) during the qualifications, can the French continue their week-long dominance? Or will Finn Iles (CAN), Jack Moir (AUS), Vali Höll (AUT) and Tracey Hannah (AUS) put a stop to a French party?

The Elite races will be LIVE on Red Bull TV* with the Women Elite up first at 12:30pm CEST, followed by the Men Elite at 2:30pm CEST.

Results, times and more information can be found here: https://www.bikewm2020.com/en/Races-Qualifiers-Trainings

Swedish Slopestyle rider Emil Johansson stood on the top of the podium once again last weekend in the season ending contest, Crankworx Innsbruck. Followed by videographer Simon Berggren, Emil is seen throughout the event to bring us a behind the scenes perspective of his victory weekend.

In the 9 minute video we get to see his preparation, the unique challenges of the event itself as well as competitor opinions on the current World Number one. Emil brings us some insights into the contest and his winning run including ‘the smell of winning’.

“This hat will never smell good again. Smells like winning though!” – Emil Johansson

 

Missed the action or want to see the highlights? The Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle LIVE replay is now available on-demand on Red Bull TV.

For the full Results please visit: www.fmbworldtour.com

 

Keep up with Emil Johansson’s activities here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johanssoemil/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johanssoemil/

Website: https://www.emilmtb.com

 

Photo by Sebastian Sternemann.

Weather conditions were less than favorable in Innsbruck over the Crankworx weekend, but riders battled through the windswept and rainy conditions and mountain bike fans from all around the world witnessed a spectacular show from the comfort of their own homes, filled with actionpacked riding amongst all disciplines and a clean sweep for the RASOULUTION athletes at the Slopestyle competition!

For the first Crankworx event since Rotorua in March 2020, quite a few challenges had to be overcome. With the event being held fully digital and accessible via livestream only, things were a bit different for riders, spectators and organizers. Yet the motivation was high to kick things off after a long break from competing.

Rock Shox Pump Track Challenge

Crankworx Innsbruck is traditionally opened up by the Rock Shox Pump Track Challenge. In a thrilling head to head format, some of the world’s best mountain bike athletes’ race for the win on a circular track made of berms and rollers. Fast paced racing and happy faces all over made for a successful start of Crankworx Innsbruck 2020.

RASOULUTION athlete Tomas Lemoine, one of the only Slopestyle athletes to also compete in both Pump Track and Speed & Style competitions, was able to move up the ranks heat by heat, wrapping up his day with a 3^rd place podium finish.

Slopestyle

Just a few hours later, at 9:00 in the morning, the big show was about to go down. Originally scheduled one day later, the Slopestyle competition had to be rescheduled due to predicted rainfall on contest day. Even though riders were battling the wind throughout the entire morning, the level of riding was as high as usual. RASOULUTION athletes Emil Johansson and Tomas Lemoine only needed their first runs to prove that they hadn’t missed a beat. With runs scored at 94.00 and 90.00 respectively, both riders put on a clinic and put down runs that would see them finish in first and second place. While Erik Fedko was not able to finish his first run due to strong winds picking up while he was on course, he was also one of the few riders that was able to dramatically improve his score – scoring 3^rd with an 88.00 in his second run to complete the podium. Thomas Genon also saw his score improve after slightly underrotating a Cash Roll in his first run, showing highly technical tricks like a Truck Driver to Tail Whip and a Cash Roll in picture-perfect Tommy G fashion, leading to a score of 80.33 and a 6^th place finish. Swedish rider Max Fredriksson, who joined the Slopestyle competition as an alternate, made his way down the course with a flawless run, showing technical combos on every feature and scoring 79.00 after his first run, finishing in 7^th place.

 

Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle Top 10:

1. Emil Johansson (SWE) | 94.00 | TREK
2. Tomas Lemoine (FRA) | 90.00 | CANYON
3. Erik Fedko (GER) | 88.00 | ROSE
4. Timothé Bringer (FRA) | 85.33 | COMMENCAL
5. Lukas Knopf (GER) | 83.00 | ROSE
6. Thomas Genon (BEL) | 80.33 | CANYON
7. Max Fredriksson (SWE) | 79.00 | NS BIKES
8. Lucas Huppert (SUI) | 77.00 | RUFF CYCLES
9. Alex Alanko (SWE) | 75.33 | CACHET BIKES
10. Torquato Testa (ITA) | 73.00 |ROSE

For the full Results please visit: www.fmbworldtour.com

Speed & Style

This iconic mix between timed racing and tricks is always one of the favorite disciplines for both fans and competitors. Max Fredriksson, who is still relatively new to the Speed & Style format, proved he also has the speed to match his style, finishing in 7^th with a time of 22.964 seconds in front of big names like Szymon Godziek (POL) or Kaos Seagrave (GBR). The rider with the longest week of competitions during Crankworx, Tomas Lemoine, showed no signs of fatigue. Tomas was rocketing down the track without slowing down at all after technical tricks and took the win with a time of 21.376 seconds over Sam Reynolds and Lukas Schäfer.

Downhill Race

The Downhill competition wasn’t spared the pouring rain either, making the wet roots of the course a lot harder to master. Both Fabio and Gabriel Wibmer got caught off guard by the slippery conditions of the track, preventing them to climb to the top ranks. Despite the crash, Gabriel still managed to finish 12^th in the U19 class and he seems hungry for more.

Missed the action or want to see the highlights? The Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle LIVE replay is now available on-demand on Red Bull TV.

Pictures by Sebastian Sternemann.

Weather conditions were less than favorable in Innsbruck during the Crankworx Slopestyle finals, but riders battled through the windswept conditions and slopestyle fans from around the world witnessed multiple Slopestyle masterclasses. When it was all said and done, the podium was a clean sweep for RASOULUTION, which was represented in Innsbruck by Emil Johansson (SWE), Tomas Lemoine (FRA) and Erik Fedko (GER).

At the first Crankworx Slopestyle contest since Rotorua, in March 2020, Emil Johansson and Tomas Lemoine only needed their first runs to prove that they hadn’t missed a beat. With runs scored at 94.00 and 90.00 respectively, both riders put on a clinic despite the windy conditions and put down runs that would see them finish in first and second place. While Erik Fedko was not able to finish his first run due to strong winds picking up while he was on course, he was also one of the only riders that was able to dramatically improve his score – scoring an 88.00 in his second run, in part due to his signature 360 Indian Air Seatgrab.

Thomas Genon and Max Fredriksson scored themselves a 6th and 7th place finish. While Fredriksson was unable to finish his second run due to wind, Thomas Genon scored some redemption for the crash that took him out of the first run and put himself in the Top 10.

With only Lemoine and Johansson still to do their run, both riders decided to do a victory lap together – a Victory Train. With his win in Innsbruck, Johansson has now completed the Crankworx hattrick – winning the last three Crankworx competitions, taking the top spot at Red Bull Joyride in 2019 and at Crankworx Rotorua earlier this year, firmly cementing his spot at the top of the Slopestyle world.

Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle Top 10:

1. Emil Johansson (SWE) | 94.00 | TREK
2. Tomas Lemoine (FRA) | 90.00 | CANYON
3. Erik Fedko (GER) | 88.00 | ROSE
4. Timothé Bringer (FRA) | 85.33 | COMENCAL
5. Lukas Knopf (GER) | 83.00 | ROSE
6. Thomas Genon (BEL) | 80.33 | CANYON
7. Max Fredriksson (SWE) | 79.00 | NS BIKES
8. Lucas Huppert (SUI) | 77.00 | RUFF CYCLES
9. Alex Alanko (SWE) | 75.33 | CACHET BIKES
10. Torquato Testa (ITA) | 73.00 | ROSE

Missed the action or want to see the highlights? The Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle replay is now available on-demand on Red Bull TV.

Full results can be found on the FMB World Tour website.

All photos by © Kike Abelleira / Crankworx