Slopestyle Added to X Games 2013

Dec 10, 2012 at 11:14
by Karl Burkat  
ESPN announced today that Mountain Bike Slopestyle has been added as an event for the Munich stop of the six city X Games world tour. From June 27-30, 2013, spectators will be able to watch competitors flip and spin on the slopestyle course to be constructed next to the Munich Olympic Park.

According to Tim Reed, X Games senior director of content strategy, slopestyle “was an event that the locals felt very strongly about and felt it was relevant. The hill has a great elevation change, so we figured it out."

bigquotesSeven months after announcing the X Games would grow to six cities in 2013, ESPN on Monday revealed a diverse list of sports and disciplines that will take place at each of the six stops -- including the three new sites in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, Barcelona and Munich. It will be a mix of old and new, with local input weighing heavily, as event organizers crafted a docket reflective of regional cultures but also intended to present a global and comprehensive action-sports showcase throughout the series. Eight sports -- including Mountain Bike Slopestyle (in Munich) for the first time -- and 26 disciplines will be part of the show in the coming year. Other notable additions include BMX Freestyle Dirt (in Foz do Iguacu), a back-to-roots discipline that features natural-surface jumps, and Women's Skateboard Park (in Barcelona), which puts women in the concrete bowl for the first time since 2003.


Read on for the complete story on ESPN

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Photo courtesy ESPN


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Author Info:
karl-burkat avatar

Member since Jan 1, 2000
600 articles

145 Comments
  • 200 16
 WHAT?!!! no way! that's sick! but at the same time I sort of like being part of a culture that isn't so mainstream.
  • 237 5
 i did mountain bike before it was cool
  • 56 4
 About fucking time
  • 65 2
 I know that hipster feel
  • 52 1
 if you want mountain biking to have more monney and more facilities around the globe, this is a great start to expose it
  • 65 5
 "I sort of like being part of a culture that isn't so mainstream."

And people call fixie riders hipster...
  • 13 1
 I totally agree with diebel7 but it's really awesome to see that X-Games is expanding and trying something new. Props!
  • 23 2
 Hurray!!!!!!!!!! Its not about being mainstream in terms of coolness. Its about not having a boatload of people in the woods trying to ride the same trail.
  • 14 4
 I wouldn't doubt if the other BMXers at X Games grab a bike (or use their own) and take the top spots.
  • 16 1
 @VTwintips More people into the sport = money into the sport = more trails. (Atleast in an ideal world anyway...)
  • 9 2
 yep, cyrix. I ride 20cm wide bars, have a dirt stache and not one logo on my clothes. Caught me...damn it
  • 3 14
flag ChocolateRider (Dec 10, 2012 at 13:19) (Below Threshold)
 Sounds like a hipster to me Smile Thought the most of you don't like em Smile I don't know whats not cool about fixies, super slim jeans and the other things a "hipster" is about.
  • 5 0
 ignore post, don't know how to delete
  • 10 2
 I guess I'm like a backcountry skier then. They will ride the trails designed by the mountain owners with the chair lift, but they would prefer to ride where there is almost no trail and no people, and just enough money for equipment. Is backcountry a genre of biking?
  • 4 12
flag VTwintips (Dec 10, 2012 at 14:11) (Below Threshold)
 Let's give that above guy like 600+ props!
  • 3 7
flag scott-townes (Dec 10, 2012 at 16:31) (Below Threshold)
 So not riding resort owned trails, where there's no chair, usually the trail is overgrown and there's hardly any people... that's called XC biking, bud.
  • 6 0
 I see people complaining about this, and all I can think is how stoked I am to watch this when it comes on!! Big Grin
  • 4 0
 I wasn't talking about me!
  • 3 1
 I agree, mountain biking has so many types of riders(hipsters too), its not really a good x-game sport. I raced Dual, ride dirt jumps, get lost on 30 mile xc rides, and race DH. Slop style's a small part of mountain biking thats getting all the attention. I'm a biker who has done all of them and keep going back to riding trails. X-games can't capture the true nature of such a diverse sport but I look forward to seeing how scared the riders faces get on a course they had no say in building. Rock this X-games! PS a BMX rider will probably win.
  • 2 0
 Anyone else see that huge berm near the top
  • 1 4
 ohhh ratshit that sucks to hear Frown f*ck exposure and "more money"..this sport is perfect and amazing just the way it is!
  • 5 0
 Yes it's in the X games but lets not forget it takes a certain kind of person to be mountain biker it's not a hobby it's a life style and not that many people are committed enough to actually take up the sport.
  • 1 0
 mac1999, mate......good call Smile
  • 5 0
 X-Games is big, but definitely not mainstream. They don't even show X-Games on the TV here or will you hear ever about it unless you go on the world wide web. Soccer and other anal sports like that are mainstream.
  • 1 1
 YES I AM HIPSTER NOW
  • 1 0
 Yes, this is great news! With RedBull and now the x-games exposing our great sport tot he general public is great, no matter what style it is. Slope style is getting the exposure because it only needs a short attention span to watch and is super exciting! Either way as an advocate for the sport and trail builder this is great the less I have to educate land managers about the sport the more time I can spend gaining access and building sweet trails and bike parks! I'm excited I don't see how it could be a negative for our sport!
  • 1 0
 More mainstream, more parks! More parks, more trails! More trails, more fun!
  • 2 0
 okay, and just to clear up what i have read. any terrain that is sister to and beside a resort with a chairlift is called, SIDE country. back country would be hiking to where you plan on skiing/boarding down. not on the same land that a resort owns... but.. in other news. stoked for 2013 xgames!! why not include MTB's. should have been in that shit since the early 2000's
  • 61 8
 Mountain biking back on the small screen.. who remembers when MTB was in the X-Games many years ago? With the cheesy dual races and, even worse, that embarrassing snow racing, it make our sport look foolish to any outsider. I understand that more exposure equals more sponsorship and therefore more money, but it seems like like we as a sport have always been looking to TV for acceptance. Why can't we just be our own sport? Be careful what you wish for, though. It will be interesting to see how the sport is portrayed.
  • 31 4
 I couldn't agree more. And no offence to NBC, but some of that Ranpage coverage was hard to listen to. I don't like it when I know more than the interviewer. Or they are reporting with 'public' friendly terminology. 'they go off these large ramps at speeds exceeding 50km/h in an attempt to make it [cut to different clip of the reporter standing on the landing] all the way over here to the transition.'
  • 54 5
 Chase your buddies on the trail, not dollar bills and exposure.
  • 6 17
flag diebel7 (Dec 10, 2012 at 12:01) (Below Threshold)
 Plus the fact that (I could be COMPLETELY wrong about this) I heard semenuk made close to a mill this year? I don't know why everyone is so pumped about exposure. it's not even like we need it.
  • 2 0
 Couldn't have said it any better Mike!
  • 5 1
 I think that numbers off by a lot but it just amazes me that many riders names are known around the planet for representing certain brands which bring those companies in alot of dollars but they make next to nothing....
  • 9 0
 ...and us average guys on pb can take brand whoring to a whole new level sometimes
  • 7 3
 you guys might not need it because you are just having fun on your bike... there is other people who are still having fun on their bikes, but trying to make a living out of it too. just saying
  • 9 3
 I couldn't agree more Mike. I do remember that joke, and I can't help but think this will be bad for the image if mountain biking on the whole. Of course, nothing will change what I ride or how I ride - but being painted with the same brush that slope will become under the xgames is not what I want people to think of when I talk about mountain biking.
The popularity of current mountain biking has already spawned a whole generation of racer wannabes and cafe posers who bought a $9K full susp sled as their first bike but barely know how to turn a pedal and think trail riding has nothing to teach them. I can hardly wait to see what the "sick gnarly radical" tricks that xgames will pump through whatever cheeseball announcer will do to benefit mountain biking on the whole.
That said, I also feel that FMB is not mountain biking but more like oversized BMX on dirt. Take the MB out of FMB and call it Slopestyle Dirt Jumping instead, SDJ.
Whatever you call it, it's undoubtedly a popular spectator sport, I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.
  • 6 0
 Have you never seen Life Behind Bars? Semenuk doesn't look to be struggling. Just saying
  • 1 0
 So what if it's 'oversized BMX'? What matters is the size of the wheels.

I ride street on my 26 inch NS Suburban. I know 24 inch or 20 inch wheels can make certain street moves much easier.

But I just stick with 26 inch because that's what I like.
  • 3 2
 As long as riders dont sell out like Shaun White im kinda cool with it.
  • 10 2
 mountainbikers are the biggest in-the-closet hipsters i swear
  • 7 1
 i'm old and old school(haha)so backwoods not boardrooms to me. shovels make mtbers not shows. mlevy is right..be careful what ya wish for.


the flip side..sell out like White? like the Claw and deodorant or Zink and Strait and watches? these guys are just taking oppurtunities that come with the relatively short lifespan of an action-sports career.
  • 9 0
 How does this negatively affect any of us? Who cares how the pros make their money, who cares if the kid down the streets parents spent $9000 on his first bike. Hopefully this opens up more avenues for people to make money doing something they love. Some of you are too concerned about how this changes peoples perception of themselves. Go out and ride your bike with your friends, do what you love to do on a bike whether it be DH (on a 6" or 8" bike), trials, slopestyle, or DJ.
  • 1 0
 ^that's why i put the flip side of the equation. there are always preferences as well as a positive and negative / short-term & long-term to it all. RedBull Signature Series compared to XGames exposure.. we can all agree on the passion for our sport and that'll always progress the riding regardless of media exposure or not.
  • 6 0
 I feel like only the people that either suck or have no ambition to push themselves or the sport bag on sponsored riders or riders that have made a career out of riding a bike... I say the ones actually risking their lives to show the rest of us whimps that chase buddies and not dollars deserve way more than what they're getting paid now. At the end of the day if you're too busy having fun on a bike, how in anyway does it bother you how mtbing is portrayed or done by people you will never know or meet? Complaining that you want this sport to be "your own" goes completely against riding your bike purely for the personal love and joy of it... Sometimes you people make absolutely no sense, haha.
  • 1 0
 hey xgames mountain biking back then was better than the down hill shovel racing
  • 3 2
 ^ Die... just die... there was nothing better than the shovel racing... it was easily the most entertaining and dangerous thing the X-Games has ever endorsed. Exhibit A: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT9nyBrI2o8

Again, go die!
  • 4 0
 Gonna have to disagree. TV is sweet and our pro athletes are under paid for what they do. This will undoubtably help.
  • 2 1
 X games snow racing was fun to watch, especially the year Palmer won when he went for the doubles. Forgot who won the other year....Shandro or Voreis?

Almost always good to see mtb on tv, even in the stupid commercials. "that's not pure enough, keep my sport off tv!" Listen to you.
  • 1 0
 Hey i was just giving my opinion and all im saying is id hate to see rich doosh-bags wearing full leather outfits in mtb. Ya this is good for the sport money wise (more bike parks possibly?) but at the same time i think its gonna get alot more serious and i like mtb beacause its fun and relaxed and not as serious as most sports. I think where doin fine not beeing televised but most of you disagree and i respect your guys opinions so respect the opinions of those who think its not a good idea istead of calling us hipsters or saying we make no sense.
  • 1 0
 ^ You don't make sense... you say that mtbing to you is fun and relaxed and yet you're worrying about who may potentially want to ride a bike in the future, what they wear riding and how others may perceive what you do.

If mtbing is really about you just having fun then you wouldn't give a shit. All you would do is be stoked that there is more exposure for the sport that you love and that it will open up the possibility for others to experience the same joy that you do.

Really though... why do you care so much? It won't affect how YOU ride a bike because you will love the sport regardless of what other people think, right? Riiiight?? Haha, man...
  • 1 0
 yes fair enough and ill always ride my bike everyday and have fun with it and this isnt making me not stoked or anything, but as the sport grows i jus think its gonna get more competitive and kinda ruin it for those who wanna have fun but then again im jus giving my opinion and 2 cents. And i dont care, im jus simply trying to express myself but but you guys just dont seem to understand. like im not but hurt or anything its just you guys dont wanna except my opinion it seems. but anyways im done, lets go ride our bikes now or even better, build build trails.
  • 1 0
 @kyle-white how do you know what the pro athletes are being paid?
  • 1 0
 I'll take back what I said, anyone who is going to be affected by X-games money probably makes more than what I'll make going through engineering school. There's alot of really hard working guys that are getting pushed around for multiple reasons that shold be earning more is all I meant. X games like crankworx can hopefully bring up some rising stars.
  • 1 0
 kyle, how do you know how much they make or how hard they work? they're that good because of hard work, not because they woke up one day and were that good... and how does it make sense that riders that aren't the best deserve more money? might as well give 1st place to the dude doing lesser tricks because he's a good guy and works just as hard...
  • 33 1
 This is a good step in the right direction for FMB to be on the X Games stage that allows so many other action sports the ability to showcase the progression of the sport, have enough TV time to justify sponsorship that allows riders to be full time athletes. It's a good opportunity to present Slopestyle the way it should be seen by the public and gain an even bigger fan base. I personally think this is a great thing to happen, it just needs the right designers and builders to make sure the course is done right. It also needs the proper person in charge of how it is presented on TV to make sure it's authentic and doesn't get away from what the sport truly is. Find out who is in charge and make sure it's the right group, this is a really good opportunity.
  • 15 0
 Everyone should listen to this guy, he actually can form a respectable opinion because he has been on the X-games scene for a insanely long time. Get claw on the course and it will be epic.
  • 4 0
 This^^ It can allow not only the top few in the sport to have a chance at making a decent living at something that requires just as much specialized skill as any other sport.
  • 2 1
 Finally somebody talking sense. Non of this "oh now it's mainstream and crappy" garbage. You tell 'em Mr. Kagy.
  • 5 0
 If my favorite character from Dave Mirra BMX says so, it is so.
  • 1 0
 Nothing else to be said, Kagy nailed it.. Such a great opportunity!!
  • 1 0
 The addition of slopestyle to X Games has potential to be amazing if it's done right. The organizing body for the mtb side of things has a lot of say on how things get done. I've been working with X Games for a lot of years and they listen to the sport organizers to make sure things are done as authentic as it can be in an X Games TV setting. Hopefully the right people are communicating with ESPN and the sport gets portrayed the right way. With the wrong people in charge it can make a real mess of things so I hope the right people are in charge. Fingers crossed it's done right. Claw would be a good person to have on the organization side of things, he would know who to talk to and how to present slopestyle so that it is done right the first time it's added to X Games.
  • 1 0
 True that. We definitely need to take advantage of the opportunity and make sure of that
  • 20 0
 Soo glad to hear they bring the Mountain Bike Scene to xgames! can't wait!!
  • 24 3
 About mothertruckin time! Don't stop here, onwards to the Olympics!
  • 24 0
 The XGames are the Olympics of action sports!
  • 11 2
 olympic rules would be awful! "jumps are not to exceed 2 feet in height" would probably be one of them
  • 2 0
 I would cry
  • 11 0
 true, because olympic bmx racing isn't hardcore as fuck at all..
  • 1 0
 @finnrambo You'd be doing good to get as high on a bike as Olympic trampolinists do Razz
  • 2 0
 oh I know the olympics have some extreme sports, look at skeleton but figured I'd make fun of their ignorance in many sports (example: cycling road race only sent one canadian who had no chance of winning the TT or the race and the road race is a team sport)
  • 1 0
 Ski and snowboarding slopestyle will be intresting to see how the olympics handle this type of event. why not have dh and ss in the olympics as well as xc
  • 1 0
 Do not want to see Downhill in the olympics, imagine the shitty camera set ups, in experienced camera men and poor choice of course. It would make a mockery of DH racing... Keep it to the WC circuit
  • 1 2
 dh on snow!
  • 1 0
 +1 stryke.. if I could ride half as well as any of the olympic BMX'ers I would be ecstatic. And I think that the biggest problem for olympic DH would be finding venues close to the rest of the events. It was hard enough for the Olympic committee to put together an impressively unremarkable XC course this year. They would have a really, REALLY hard time finding a place with lift access and a manicured DH line.. That's my two cents at least.
  • 9 1
 So many butthurt riders complaining mountain biking isn't a 'boutique' sport anymore. What can I say, get with the times bro. This sport is growing.
  • 5 2
 P.S. EPSN will have no fucking clue what they are talking about. Imagine Sal whatever his name is trying to commentate slopestyle. ER ME GERD THESE BYKZ ARE SPECILALLY DESIGND 4 THE HARSH JUMPZ N DROPZ DEY HAVE MASSIF DISK BREAKS AND HUGE SHOCKZ
  • 1 0
 Wouldn't surprise me if they get Bestwick to commentate... And he knows his shit, but most likely will be asked to dumb it down still. But he'll still call all the tricks right and all that..
  • 7 5
 X-Games has gotten so lame over the years... All they show is BMX, Skate & Moto. I love all those, but X games used to be about ALL the action sports.... Rock climbing, wakeboarding, in-line skating.... not just what's the current mainstream hype. Same with winter X too!
  • 1 0
 It's awesome news with the excepton that it is in Munich, but besides that I remember mountain biking as a five-year-old and now look where it has gone within ten years. Great to see our world wide community is growing quickly and strongly.
  • 3 0
 Rampage on NBC was awesome since mtn biking was getting a lot more exposer. Now slopestyle on x games... Even more people will get to see our sport.. Stoked!
  • 2 0
 I'm actually probably much more stoked about BMX DIRT being bought back!! Thats about bloody fucking time! The push for that to get back in has been so big and FINALLY they have added it back in! YEOW!!!!!
  • 1 0
 It had to happen! I tried a lot of sports and none of them makes me unable to sleep because i can't wait until i'll ride the next day. The sport is growing, maybe not as fast as other sports, but it's growing. Would grow a lot faster if MTB was cheaper, but having a good time with your best buddies is priceless.
  • 1 0
 This can't be bad for mountain biking as a sport. Watching SS X-games style is going to be far far more entertaining for non mountain bikers than the rather dreadful Olympics XC course and how that convinced so many people I know that riding through fields with a few pebbles constitutes downhill.
  • 1 0
 X games, z games, red bull, blue bull. Who the hell cares? None of what happens in the future changes how I ride my bike today. Go with the flow. Would you ride a bike from 2000 today. ? Nope. Because the sport has progressed and 12 yrs of innovation made our bikes the shiznit today. Every time people on pb complain about something new, they end up using it in the future. Now the sport has a chance to grow and be better in so many aspects. But go ahead people... Run your mouths and then go benefit off the new parks and new innovation and safety equipment and all the other things good that come out of it. But just remember, all you haters are going to be talking shit on the next cool thing to come out after or before xgames too. None of us invented mountain biking. It's safe to say if you're a hater on something good, you're probably scared to see the new wave of talent come show you how to ride
  • 2 2
 I agree with mike, this is all about Disney trying to make more $$$ and not pay the guys who actually risk their lives to give us entertainment. I remember reading years ago when Jay Miron stopped doing the X Games because the prize money was garbage. As well, ESPN had their own little click of riders that they promoted the hell out of like Mira (now saying that Mira was amazing).

I would prefer it did not get picked up by Disney.

dave
  • 1 0
 Isn't ESPN owned by Disney? So there for it is already picked up by Disney...
  • 3 0
 Yes! now finally Mtb. Dew will sponsor mountain bikers. so stoked!
  • 1 0
 Like they used to with Palmer and Specialized?

bmxmuseum.com/forsale/palmer_1_blowup.jpg
  • 1 0
 Yes exactly! That's a rad jersey
  • 3 0
 I just hope the dont get rid of women's enduroX.... : \
  • 3 1
 I just shit myself with excitement!!!!
  • 10 0
 it's spelled 'excrement' ;-)
  • 1 0
 hehehehhehe, icwutudidthur
  • 2 0
 guy's gotta get his kicks somehow when he cant be riding (broken thumb/cast). Lurking gets boring so I post my phenomenal insight. Weather's been rreealy nice here for 'winter' riding too (Sonoma, NorCal).


This will be... 1. good for mtb industry 2. good for Xgames 3. good for me watching xgames on tv.
  • 1 0
 cant wait!!! So there is just the one slopestyle in munich then or at each venue?
  • 3 0
 It's about time!!
  • 2 0
 this.... is... osomness at its finest !
  • 2 0
 ooooooooooooohhhhhh yesssssssssssssssssssssss
  • 1 1
 Greatest news iv seen in awhile!! Wish it was in the states but ill take it just bein in at all, hopefully itll make it here by 2014!
  • 1 0
 Definitely cool!! But I wish it wish was part of the US X games! That's where we need to see it at!
  • 2 0
 hopefully its a good course with big stuff not just a dirt jumps course
  • 2 0
 I feel like they'll make it more big stuff, cause if it's just dirt jumps it'll look like clumsy and not as good BMXers. They'll make it distinguishable enough for sure.
  • 1 0
 My jaw actually dropped when I read this. I've been waiting so long for this to happen!
  • 1 0
 Hopefully this leads to more MTB shows on TV. I liked watching the Atherton Project.
  • 1 0
 I am sure X-Games will hold a great event like always. Kinda out of subject but the video was wayyyy to over edited.
  • 1 0
 now when I tell people I am a mountain biker, they won't be imagining me in spandex anymore!
  • 1 0
 Loving this. Just hope they don't put scooters in if they're looking for new events
  • 2 0
 thats fuking nice to FR riders and all mtbikers
  • 1 0
 Im kinda like oh cool, but kinda likeoh no lol. Kinda bitter sweet I guess.
  • 1 0
 thats so sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 2 0
 boom baby
  • 1 2
 SOOOOOOOOOOOOO STOOOOOOOCKED!!!!!

THAT is what we finally needed! Dyou imagine how the sport is gonna grow even faster thanks to the XGames?
  • 1 0
 About freaking time this happened.
  • 1 0
 sickkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
  • 6 9
 Xgames suck. I can't stand another minute of the xgames and their bad commentary from old people that have no experience in the sports they talk about. At least MLB and NFL and the like, have former players commentating their sports. The people on the x-games just sound retarded vomiting jargon up like "amplitude" every 5 seconds. "lets take it back to the X-center and the X-desk." The sports needs more root events like crankworks. So our sport doesn't get ruined. Next thing will be dj frames in walmart, and molded plastic "slopestyle features" sold in JC Penny catalogs. Good job X-games, thanks for another f*ck up from old farts that don't even ride bikes.
  • 1 0
 sal isn't old.... although rather clueless(is it really his fault?)
  • 1 0
 Sal quit!
  • 1 0
 Just got the txt from Espinoza on my phone. It's a good Monday
  • 1 0
 whats the name of the song?
  • 2 0
 This is freekin awesome!
  • 1 0
 Sick, Warner better be commentating!
  • 2 0
 Why on earth would you want that drunken foul mouth idiot Rob Warner commentating?
  • 1 0
 Lol, well played, but we all know how classic ol' rob is. If phil liggett does it.... god help us all.
  • 1 0
 All we need now is the Olympics
  • 1 0
 Mountain biking is blowing up!
  • 1 1
 ...and so it begins. Next, Wal-Mart rolls out a $6K DH bike to rake in the cash from mainstream exposure.
  • 1 0
 Yeeeeeeees !!!! Slopestyle´s in Munich :-)))))
  • 2 0
 YES!
  • 1 1
 sooo sooo stoked on this!!!!!! freaking x games!!!
  • 1 0
 Yeah
  • 1 0
 Espn*
  • 1 0
 Shut the front door!
  • 1 0
 Ah fuck yeah!!!
  • 1 2
 This is not good at all. Xgames has a rep of killing the image of our sport in the past. Not good at all.
  • 1 1
 Woah... is that jumpship?
  • 1 0
 So stoked!
  • 1 0
 about time
  • 1 2
 This gets our sport out there! More money, more spots, more support!
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