Virgin, Utah (July 12, 2018) – The date has been set for the 2018 edition of the biggest show in freeride mountain biking: Red Bull Rampage returns to the Utah desert on October 26th. This fall, 21 of the world’s greatest freeriders will transform the unforgiving terrain of southern Utah into descending lines of form and function, with the goal of displaying the kind of riding that will place them at the top of the podium at one of the most arduous tests of fortitude on two wheels.
Red Bull Rampage veterans Kurt Sorge and Cam Zink top the list of returning riders this year after taking home gold and silver, respectively, in 2017. Ethan Nell, the hometown hero who took home third in 2017 plans to continue to show his growing skills on the the mountains outside of Virgin, UT. The question everyone wants answered is whether the tenure of athletes like Sorge, Zink and Semenuk can keep pace the new era of rippers, especially those with year-round exposure to the riding conditions of the arid Southwest and the totally new location for 2018.
The elite group of 21 riders will create their own handmade lines down the mountain without the use of power tools. As a result, no two rider’s path down the near-vertical sandstone ridges will be the same. In advance of the competition, the riders, along with their two-person build crews, will spend four days of building and then four additional days to practice in order to build their ultimate line in what is touted as one of the most intense contests in the world.
PRE-QUALIFIED ATHLETES FOR RED BULL RAMPAGE 2018
1. Kurt Sorge (CAN)
2. Cameron Zink (USA)
3. Ethan Nell (USA)
4. Brandon Semenuk (CAN)
5. Brett Rheeder (CAN)
6. Thomas Genon (BEL)
7. Carson Storch (USA)
8. Kyle Strait (USA)
9. Tyler McCaul (USA
10. Tom van Steenbergen (CAN)
Invited Wild Card and Alternate athletes to be announced.
Attendees of the 2018 Red Bull Rampage will have more than just the world class riding to look forward to watching, this year will feature more ways to enjoy your time in the Utah desert than ever. More information about the expanded consumer experience, improved ticketing packages and new location in the months to come. This year’s Red Bull Rampage promises to be the best experience yet.
#RedBullRampage
The event is supported by BFGoodrich, Utah Sports Commission, Go RVing, Camelbak, Polaris, PowerDot and Rocktape.
With a world-class broadcast team including Sal Masekela, Pat Parnell, Tina Dixon and freeride mountain biking legend Cam McCaul you won’t want to miss Red Bull Rampage live and on-demand on Red Bull TV on Friday, October 26th at 9:00am PST/Noon EST. Red Bull TV is distributed digitally as an app across mobile phones, tablets, consoles, OTT devices, Smart TVs and online at www.redbull.tv.
ABOUT RED BULL TV
Red Bull TV features beyond the ordinary live events and videos featuring inspirational stories covering sports, music and lifestyle entertainment. Anytime, anywhere. Red Bull TV is available on the web, connected TVs, gaming consoles, mobile devices, and more. Accessible via the web at www.redbull.tv and its Android, iOS and Windows Phone applications, Red Bull TV is also available as a pre-installed channel on Apple TV and Samsung Smart TVs and as a free, downloadable app on Amazon Fire TV, Kindle Fire, Chromecast, Nexus Player, Roku Players, Roku TV models and Xbox consoles.
ABOUT UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION:
The Utah Sports Commission is a not-for-profit 501c3 charitable organization governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees consisting of statewide sports, business, community, and government leaders. The Sports Commission was created to be a catalyst for Utah in its Olympic legacy efforts and to help enhance Utah’s economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion and development of national and international sports. The Sports Commission works closely with communities, sports entities, and organizations to provide event services ranging from the bid process, on-site logistics, volunteer coordination, sponsorships and promotional opportunities and other related services. For more information, visit www.utahsportscommission.com
