Feel de riddum, feel de rhyme, get on up… it’s White Style time.
Not too many big names heard the call this time. There are many theories, but maybe it’s because slopestyle mountain biking isn’t in the Olympics. If it was, it would probably be the best mountain bike event in the world… and sponsored by Carlsberg instead of Monster. I mean Red Bull… It’s that now. Nevermind, cycling on snow? What’s next, skiing on mud? Swimming in lava!? Base-jumping in space!?? Jesus. Well actually just to explode the non-secret, White Style is in fact conducted entirely on carpet. Why not ‘Carpet Style’?! Why do you think. Anyway the mere fact that sports were publicly taking place in the cold only two countries away from Russia would mean one very important thing: Gays would not be permitted. Anywhere. For safety reasons.
Leogang’s White Style slope contest is now an unbelievable 9 years old, beginning in the days when you could dirt jump without being so shy about your seatpost and consecutive tight-hamstringed, no-footers were guaranteed podium. Exaggerating, but still much has changed. Back when Miley was a more mature and dignified human being, any one of these riders would have been riding at final run competition standard just on their warm up laps for this event. Here in 2014 those riders who made the effort to come back from their dusty foreign training havens to kick off the FMB season impressed by modern standards nonetheless.
The ante was undoubtedly upped, despite a more modestly proportioned course design than previous years. Flatspins and flips wet the rotation whistle from the first 5 minutes of training and there was no easing off until the last mistimed flash triggered for the final (wasn't mine). Pictures are boring so here's how the course looked in words: Start ramp, spine, medium double, giant roller-hump, moderate step-down, inflatable marketing arch, ph-fat finish double, fist pumping.
 | I have had a few sessions on the airbag for the double flip but I am going to do something else big. Everyone knows me for my flips... I have errr... other things to show! Antoine Bizet - Kona |
| I was supposed to sign with Bergamont and I tested those bikes in California for two weeks. They were pretty good bikes, good stuff and good people. Everything was in a good direction. After that I understood I did a shitty thing really. Dartmoor are my friends, I live close, they have been supporting me for 5 years... without them I wouldn't be here I don't think. So I decided to fix it. I am pretty stoked to be back with them and still able to hold my bars, looking forward to the next contest. I will be riding all the American contests this year and looking forward to doing my signature tricks... Szymon Godziek - Dartmoor |
| Couldn't ask for any better weather, it was a sick course, so much fun and flows well! We Swedes are pretty used to snow... I ski a lot so I know how the snow works, which probably helps, even though it is mostly carpet! Last year was a little bigger and scarier but this time we could be a bit more technical. It's been a great weekend for sure! Anton Thelander - Canyon |
| The White Style was insane! First contest of the year, the craziest experience first time riding on snow and the guys were stoked how big and fast you could go on the course, so a great way to start the year - Nicholi Rogatkin - Specialized |
| I tried to go first run my best. I usually don't do that, but I guess it went pretty well. It was a little bit scary because of the flat kicker... I never double flipped something so flat and it worked so good so stoked man! Antoine Bizet - Kona |
For the really anal fans out there (not another gay reference) here's the maneuverings of the top 3: Thelander busted a truckdriver, 360 whip, truckdriver and flipwhip. Rogatkin thrusted a flipwhip, double tailwhip, tailwhip and cashroll, before Bizet stomped a flatspin x-up, frontflip no-hander, backflip no-hander and the mighty dub. How they coped with both the adrenaline and cold induced genital shrinkage is hard to imagine.
| I am a freerider you know I really don't care about snow or anything... I'm used to riding sketchy mountain bike places. Snow is no big deal! The only difference is really the braking is hard. I really like the Whitestyle, I think biking is for every kind of terrain. I don't know why this year is less riders, I suppose smaller jumps, smaller prize money maybe but I think it's a shame cos it's a cool event and the only one like it. Biking we can have the only sport in summer and winter olympics haha! Bizet |
| Next for me- I am going to California and Utah for a 5 week trip for my new series 'From Bizet With Love'. We shot the first episode already which will be out soon! I am also in a European movie for all action sports and I am the mountain biker but I will keep the surprise on that you will see! Also then I hope in the summer I will go to Kamloops and ride with Aggy it will be sick!! Antoin Bizet - Kona |
Bulls Bikes new boy, Daryl Brown, from the UKon, dumping. It's fashionable.
video :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMVgITc00sQ&feature=youtu.be
Yeah Bizet is awesome. Perfect attitude. You can do anything on a bike. Especially a "mountain bike". I'd almost be tempted to give that Rogatkid the win after seeing the runs in words. Everyone thinks backflips are such a big deal. Cashroll tumps a dub, seriously think about it. Flipwhip trumps a 3 X. I don't know that kid's run sounded pretty mighty to me, but maybe Bizet had better execution.
In my opinion, depending on the judges, all of the TOP 3 runs could have been the winning one, but I'm stocked for Bizzy, he's the type of rider I admire the most.
Pretty sure that Rogatkin and Thelander will win a lot of contests in the future...
Obviously, someone at PB does not know the Soviet Union dissolved more than twenty years ago. "Russia" is about 2000 km away from Austria, with at the very least two countrys between the two of them.
Jesus, they're goin' to rip the Kamloops apart, just get the Semenuk in there and I can die happy...