Red Bull announces major changes to Rampage

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After a rough year in the Desert last year, Red Bull is announcing some major format changes and a new venue for Rampage 2016.  The press release below lays out the new details….

The uniquely demanding terrain of Virgin, Utah, once again beckons the best mountain bike riders to the desert to compete for glory in one of the biggest tests of skill and guts in the world — Red Bull Rampage.

An all-new event zone will provide more natural terrain options than recent years — returning Rampage to the roots of big mountain riding, raw and untamed.

Back to roots

For the 11th edition, riders will interact with the mountain in the same way the event’s pioneers did back in 2001 — without power tools.

As the only mountain bike contest where each competitor creates his own path down the hill, Rampage 2016 will provide riders, and their two-member dig teams, with the best opportunity to flourish: All new line possibilities with more time to prepare — four build days and four practice days before finals — as well as less riders on the mountain.

“There will be no qualifier event this year,” confirms 2015 eighth-place finisherDarren Berrecloth. “So it’s going to be a more intimate event — less riders, less controversary about line choice.”

21 riders

The contest will have 21 of the top freeride athletes: The top 12 riders from 2015 receive automatic entries to finals with nine “wild cards” chosen by the Rampage selection committee of past athletes and community leaders.

Athletes will be selected based on the following criteria: Past Rampage results, results from similar contests, current video parts, etc. Final selection will be made on August 1, 2016, at 9 a.m. PST.

Judging & weather window

New for the first time, the judging panel will be comprised of five previous Rampage competitors to ensure accuracy of results, as well as a two-day weather window in place to allow athletes the best and safest conditions possible.

Limited tickets will go on sale later this summer — find updates at redbull.com/rampage.

Watch Rampage live on Red Bull TV on Friday, Oct. 14 and as part of the Red Bull Signature Series on Nov. 12.