[Gallery] Red Bull Rampage – Tires in the Dirt

After Sunday’s mandatory rest day, Monday was officially day one of practice out at Rampage. Year 2 at this zone meant that a great deal of heavy lifting has already been done. The difficulties lie less in tuning up the pre-existing lines, but more from finding new features, or re-routes. First time riders this year have been tasked with the extraordinarily difficult challenge of building a complete top to bottom line of their own. Here’s what we saw in the parched hills in Utah that haven’t seen rain in 120+ days…

Brendog and crew doing some excavation.

Matt MacDuff and Ben Byerz slapping the landing of Rheeder’s upper drop.

Tommy G chipping away.

Reed Boggs taking a break and having a look at his open loop feature.

Sand bags are out in full force this year. It’s a massive hill and they’re a life saver in some spots.

It’s not summer hot out here, but it’s still the desert.

Carson Storch on the morning commute.

Canadians can be rednecks too…

First timer, Emil Johannson is surprisingly chipper out here. All smiles and very confident, especially considering he’s never ridden in Utah, much less Rampage.

Reminders of Jordie Lunn all around 🙁

Rumor has it that Brendog wants to flip his savage canyon gap this year, hence the extra sandbags and steep lip.

Shotguns for Jord!

Tommy G looking pensive, eyeing up his shark fin.

Brendog has been putting in an insane amount of work on his line.

Those helmets done look like D3’s to me. Lyle and Zink strategizing.

Zink easing into it.

Kyle’s turn.

Lots of straight airs – for now….

Vinny T was throwing down in practice.

Dog pisser from the French steeze lord.

Another angle of Vinny Steeze.