The chosen ones are heading to the X Games in Munich on June 30 for the inaugural MTB Slopestyle contest. These talented riders are the cream of the crop from the FMB list. 12 riders were chosen based on their standings after Red Bull Berg Line from the 52 week seeding list. Along with these amazing riders 4 more wildcard riders were chosen based on showing outstanding skills...Duh...check the list? This X Games event will be the only diamond event held in Europe this year on the FMB list. The list contains 5 Canadian's, 3 American's, 6 Euro's, a Brit and a Kiwi, a world mix of riders to represent their countries and the sport. This group contains riders that have won or being on a podium for: FMB Title, Rampage, Crankworx and other FMB events, the depth of this rider pool is deep and talented. I contacted the riders and asked them what they thought about getting an invite to this the very first X Games, this is what they had to say.
Top 12 Invited Riders to X Games Munich:
I think I have a similar opinion on X Games along with many people. It's really good for our sport that Mountain Biking is in X Games now. It's something that I've been watching for so many years and now it's finally our turn to be there!- Thomas Genon
It felt great to receive the invite, even though we are gonna kill it hard and probably be part of X Games for many more years to come, you never know? It could be first and last one, that's why it feels special to me. It's also the perfect timing for Slopestyle to get into X Games, the riding level is very high at the moment and I definitely think we can impress not only the crowd, but also the other sports that are there. For me it means that I am gonna be nervous as shit knowing it could be my only shot at getting an X Games medal.- Martin Soderstrom
When I first heard that Mountain Bike Slopestyle was in the X Games I couldn't believe it. I was hoping that years down the road we would maybe have a slim chance that our sport would make it to X Games from the progression from all the riders. Now it's here in 2013 and I couldn't be more stoked to have an invite. Dreams really come true ...My plans are just to have a solid time and experience X Games to the fullest.- Brett Rheeder
Very excited about heading to X Games at the end of the month. Most of all, I just feel proud of our little sport. After 10 years, I think it's the perfect time for Slopestyle to be put on the big stage and shown to the world. Contests are crazy these days and I think the viewers will love it.- Cam McCaul
Stoked to be invited to the X Games. It will be the biggest event I've ever been to and to have slopestyle making its debut makes it even radder! I plan to just shred with everyone and send it large!- Kurt Sorge
Can't even explain how stoked and proud I am to be part of the X Games. Not only is it huge for us as athletes, but it's huge for the sport of mountain biking as well. Can't wait to show the general audience out there what we can do on these big bikes and I hope that we can make the MTB community proud!- Tyler McCaul
To be invited to ride in X Games has been a dream of mine forever and now with a mountain bike event makes me more excited than anything. I think it will be great for MTB to be produced for a mainstream audience. I am confident people will be stoked with what we do and hopefully this gets the ball rolling for more mainstream events.- Anthony Messere
I'm so stoked to be going to the X Games, I mean this is the most known extreme sports event in the world and now MTB is gonna be in there so it's amazing! Hopefully we can put on a sick show and be involved for years to come!- Sam Pilgrim
Being invited to compete at the X Games is like a dream come true! When I was a kid I was always watching these on my TV, but now I'm going to take part in it as a rider! X Games are like the Olympic games for the freestyle world! I really can't wait to be there and as always trying to do my best to get to the top!- Yannick Granieri
Been waiting 10 years for that invite... It means the world to me personally and to our sport. The sport we have all helped pioneer and build with more than blood, sweat and tears has finally been accepted into the prestigious X Games. Ever since the first Slopestyle contests in 2002, we knew we had something special. It was original, genuine and worked by utilizing the Mountain Bike's assets on a course built to show its strengths. It is a perfect time in Mountain Biking for Slopestyle to be the discipline that is showcased in the limelight of the X Games.- Cam Zink
What can I say, I got my invite and I'm really stoked about it! I feel good and I am riding every day actually with the Frenchies to get a few new tricks for my runs at the X Games contest! I really want to send it and do something good there. Lots of riders know me because of my 2nd place at Rampage last year, so it would be good to show that I can send it with a DJ Bike too! So let's do something good for the first MTB Slopestyle X Games contest ever! This is sick because our sport is gonna be in the biggest extreme sports contest! We'll see you there! Make some noiseeeeeee!- Antoine Bizet
I'm heaps stoked to get an invite to X Games, I grew up watching the event and always hoped they would put MTB Slopestyle in there. I think the event will be nuts and I'm stoked to be riding in it.- Kelly McGarry
Wildcard Riders:
Image by Ali DeLullo
I still can't believe that I will compete at X Games. Since I was a kid, X Games was always the craziest competition with the biggest stars in extreme sports for me! So it's like a wish come true to compete there! It's a big step for the sport and I think also for every athlete who is competing! We will see the next level of Mountain Biking.- Peter Henke
I have an invite to X Games and I will attend. This is awesome and It's a very big opportunity for our sport. I hope they can build a real MTB Slopestyle course that portrays what we do in the most exciting way!- Brandon Semenuk
Yes man stoked to be part of X Games and I really hope that I can ride it. I got hurt warming up for the first practice at Red Bull Berg Line ... as soon as I hit the dirt I knew that it was a different crash... no walking away from that one and straight to hospital time... in all the injuries I had before it's always the same... you got hurt , you go to hospital, they fix you and give you drugs and you should be good to go in a few weeks... this time is different... all the injuries are muscular injuries and I need to be at Physio 24/7 if I really wanna make it to X... so I hope I'm back 100% there...Even though I'm riding X Games... I've never been part of FMB and I'm not in the rankings, but I still got the invite... don't know how this works? I dirt jump bikes for a living and don't really know how to deal with rankings and numbers...I just hope that I'm back 100% for X Games so I can ride and put on a show! Munich here we come!- Andreu Lacondeguy
Pretty pumped on getting the wild card to the X Games considering I had a low ranking on the FMB Tour last year due to injuries. The addition of MTB Slopestyle in X Games shows our sport has grown at a healthy pace due to the hard working folks creating events, the FMB and all the athletes. It's not a surprise that the X Games wants to be part of our sport because it's one of the raddest spectator sports out there and I've been privileged enough to be here from the beginning.
Markus Hampl designed the course and a good many people reviewed it and refined it so it will be a killer setup. My involvement pertains to overseeing the course build, making sure things line up and the speed is dialed in for every feature. The course itself will be a classic slopestyle course with drops, hips, big booters and a cannon log. Markus and his crew are some of the sickest builders around so I have a ton of confidence that they will do a killer job. Wish us luck!- Darren Berrecloth
The Judges will be following the standard FMB judging criteria - mostly focused on style and execution. Paul Rak is head judge and he's dialed. I know they're keeping the course under wraps, but I did see a sneak preview and it's looking sweet. It's all big moves. I know Claw is consulting on the course build so you know that guy will make sure everything is dialed in 100%. The event is in Olympic Park in Munich which is a super sick spot!
As a board member of the FMB World Tour I feel confident in the future of our sport and the addition of X Games makes me excited for the future. It's our turn to put mountain bike slopestyle on the worldwide map. It's an exciting time for sure!- Aaron Chase- Judge at the X Games
That's the skinny on what the riders are thinking and in less than 3 weeks we'll know who the medal winners are. Who do you think should have been included and who's your money on for medals at the inaugural MTB Slopestyle X Games?
Soon we'll be able to add Slopestyle to this promo vid for the X Games:
This is what Sam had to say: No I didn't get an invite because they are taking it from the 52 weeks thing, so because my broken back made me miss most the contests in the last 52 weeks I'm not in! Pretty disappointed about it but nothing I can do eh!
Hate me but I think Reynolds is just not that good... Same old tricks over and over, just like Pilgrim, with the diference he leads the FMB world tour.
fucking bullshit.... you dont make up a rider list from the previous year these mother fuckers are crazy, you take all the people that are signed up to the fmb world tour end of fking story... fuming
stfu u cheeky cunt. You said it is because of standings well i just had a look and reynolds is 8th..also thats been updated from this weekend just gone so he could have been higher... back to my previous comment you dont make up a rider list from the previous years standing this is plain dumb and unfair not just for reynolds but for everybody who signed up to take part in the 2013 competition. otherwise its just a big mess have the xgames as a separate competition from the world tour or take everybody its that simple. same goes for rampage
surprised to see only one person had commented on the grammatical error yet, whereas when I noticed that someone was running a Fox shock with RockShox stickers in a video it had already been pointed out by about 10 people by the time I got to the comments.
Everyone was saying how glad they were that mountain biking is going to be part of the 'prestigious' X-games. But i like how the Claw said it, "It's not a surprise that the X-Games wants to be part of our sport".
I think thats a perfect selection of riders! This could be the start of something huge and these riders are sure to do the MTB community proud and get the rest of the world stoked for our sport!
This is what Norbs had to say: Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
Fresh news! #redbullphenom contenders announced: 1. Anton Thelander 2. Antti Rissanen 3. Louis Reboul 4. Matt Jones 5. Ray George 6. Tom van Steenbergen Full report on: www.fmbworldtour.com
Bearclaw is the reason we have this style of riding. No one else was 3ing off of drops on these bikes until him. He should of been the first invited not a wildcard. I'm just happy to see him on the list though.
i think, the point of the question is: why are riders like Claw, Semenuk and Lacon invited on a "wildcard", as if they were up and coming youngsters, who need some recognition? wtf, they could have just invited them without the "wildcard" term
That was my point, @3whip Bearclaw is an absolute legend which is why I was wondering why he was a wildcard, I would have thought he would have been pre-qualified or something.
Using "wildcard" to describe his invite is, I agree, a little weird. This man deserves his own category of invite. "Founder" or some such. I think it is simply amazing that slopestyle is in the X-Games at a time when Darren can still contend, how cool is that for him. His statement about the invite is also very humble. Gooo Bearclaw!!!
I must not have paid attention well enough to the Photo Epics from Rampage 2012, but Rheeder's picture and the Claws picture from this article are gnarly!!
After Kyle Norbraten finished out of the running at Rampage this has been posted over and over again " Norbs got robbed". Now that the names of riders chosen for X-games has been posted people are asking where is Norbs? So i contacted Kyle about these 3 words and X Games. This is what Norbs had to say: Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
Kinda curious if the course will be more big mountain style or more tight and technical. No matter what is turns out to be in still stoked as a mothertrucker.
I'm sure the course will be mostly big "television friendly lines". But you never know, I'm hoping the world has come to appreciate the technical stuff as well. Gonna be awesome no matter what!
They should let us choose who rides at X games- many deserve, many didn't make it. Each year we should all get to vote on riders, narrow it down to a few and then send them...or just do a hunger games thing and pull names from the hats...Then, each country will send it's people to represent! That would make X games gnarly! haha, or really dangerous?
No reynolds! Wtf!!! Not his fault he broke his back and didnt get the points for the rest of the season, if anything it shows whos got most balls, trying a double backflip!
Way more deserving than McGarry...seems like a cool dude, and has fantastically luscious locks, but always seems to just have mediocre runs with nothing really crazy happening.
Peter Henke received his invitation because he finished 6th at Bergline but Thelander finished 3rd and his ranked higher in the FMB and then you say it's based on standings?
henke is also a german rider, its unfortunate to say but politics also plays a big factor in a global event like this. the way I see it, every rider is deserving to be there and there are many riders who didn't get an invite but still deserve to be there.
MalcoLm- I don't know what the Canadian equivalent of GCSE English is- but by the look of your comments neither do you! If you're gonna reply to a comment about the use of apostrophes then at least get the apostrophes in your reply correct!!! 'Your a Brit??'- think you'll find that should be 'YOU'RE', as in YOU ARE. Contact me for further tuition if you wish.
Because he hasnt been in any events this year he doesnt have any points of the FMB world rankings. The Top 12 in the FMB world rankings so far are the main 12 riders
ya but they should know he is gonna bring in hella views and gonna be a huge crowd pleaser no matter what. They also should have made it 14 guys (invataion, non wildcard) not just 12 cause him and Berrecloth, two of the most popular guys in fmb got in by some super thin odds....i am aware that Berrecloths' situation was different, but i mean....common its Berrecloth.
Oh ok, that's a solid reason for him not to riding comps and such, but the licenses just don't make sense to me but I'm young and nothing really makes sense to me so idk.
he's such a miserable prick. theres so many sick riders that would love to be at x-games.... 'i'm usually not having fun by the end of the season' YOU HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD YOU UNGRATEFUL CUNT
such a douchy thing to say about a guy you have never met. if you got the chance to meet him id doubt youd have the attitude or the balls for that matter to say that
I won't don't worry he is my idol, but that doesn't mean that I idolize his attitude I would rather keep my current attitude, here is my average convo is exactly like this (Me) "let's ride like.....right now"
(My friend) "dude it's freaking raining and it's midnight"
I have a huge amount of respect for sorge as my local hero but umm biggest event you have ever been apart of??? Wtf didnt you just win the BIGGEST EVENT IN MOUNTAIN BIKING called RAMPAGE???
This is what Norbs had to say: Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
Riders were picked based on their FMB ranking, Semenuk has not competed in any events so he did not rank high enough to make it in, thats why he was given a wildcard spot.
This is what Norbs had to say: Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
I was feeling the same way, but after reading this at the link JoCr posted. I'm excited about it:
"The Slopestyle course will feature dirt jumps, road gaps, hips, step ups, wallrides and log rides, all culminating in a supersized 60-foot gap jump. "
Plural of everything but the 60 footer. Who knows what it will be though. I just hope it turns out to be something like Crankworx Whistler. I'd hate to see people not into it because the tricks don't look as crazy as bmx tricks. I'm not saying the tricks aren't hard, just that the BMX stuff is super crazy.
Semanuk - "I got the invite, and I will attend"
No I didn't get an invite because they are taking it from the 52 weeks thing, so because my broken back made me miss most the contests in the last 52 weeks I'm not in! Pretty disappointed about it but nothing I can do eh!
Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
1. Anton Thelander
2. Antti Rissanen
3. Louis Reboul
4. Matt Jones
5. Ray George
6. Tom van Steenbergen
Full report on: www.fmbworldtour.com
This is what Norbs had to say:
Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
Semenuk - "I have an invite to X-Games and I will attend."
(Me) "let's ride like.....right now"
(My friend) "dude it's freaking raining and it's midnight"
(Me) "And???!!"
(My friend) "stfu"
Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
Semenuk = buzz kill.
Haha shit! I don't think anyone's gonna let that go haha but clearly I'm not an x games level rider, so if I did for some completely wrong reason get an invite then I'd be robbing someone actually worthy of that spot haha
espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2013/06/77423
"The Slopestyle course will feature dirt jumps, road gaps, hips, step ups, wallrides and log rides, all culminating in a supersized 60-foot gap jump. "
Plural of everything but the 60 footer.