Video: Makken Guineas the GoPro Step-Down
The GoPro Step-down feature measures 50 feet from lip to landing, with a 25-foot drop. When Mads “Makken” Haugen decided to be the first Red Bull Rampage competitor to hit it, people took notice that someone had finally stepped up to the step-down. When he flew 15 feet further than needed on the impressive gap jump, the crowd of riders and diggers got the show they were hoping for.
“It’s not the smartest thing, contest wise, to start with the biggest objects on the line,” says Haugen in the video above, “but I just wanted to get it over with.”
After a few practice run-ups Haugen went for it and ended up coming in a little hot. The panicked “Whoa!” that came out of his mouth shortly after he left the lip let us all know he wasn’t feeling it. Still, the tenacious Norwegian held on and landed the jump heavy, blowing apart his rear wheel with a deafening clap. The assembled crowd — and Makken himself — went wild.
“Actually, I think I got a bit scared because I put a panic pedal in,” he recalls. “I obviously went pretty deep.”
Maaken knows mistakes are part of the game when you’re breaking new ground though, and he expects his brave first jump will make things simpler the next time around.
“I jumped it. I rode out of it. I taco’d my wheel,” he says. “But now I know how it’s going to be. Next time it’s going to be easier.”
Learn more at www.redbull.com/bike
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just gota love makken ...funny ass dude and spuer cool and a total shredder to boot , what more could you ask for.
This really doesn't matter but I find it funny clicking onto a profile of someone who bitches about having wood on the course and finding out they were 9-years-old when the last "all-natural" Rampage happened... interdasting.
freddie- it was a bit harsh, as long as you're stoked, that's all that matters. Its going to be very sick but I just see way too much bandwagon negativity towards it just because a few riders were opposed to the amount of wood used in previous years. A lot of different types of riders are competing in this event so naturally, not everyone is going to want the same thing but that doesn't necessarily mean it cannot be done in a way to improve the event overall.
Some of the top lines are just bonkers, so wood or not, it's going to be unreal.
as for the wood and "coverage" .. again are you all retarded this event has had plenty of coverage for well over a decade without mass of sponsors just because you all jump on the bandwagon doesnt mean it wasnt always the most widely know event since forever... the sponsors are simply here now to cash in on the riders hard work ...without again giving them any of the safety they request, like more time build crews and NO WOOD... but we all know this how you can defend it is beyond me... maybe you enjoy slopestyle ... this is a freeride event though... and thats what id like to see not features youl never see when you actually freeride...
RAMPAGE IS A SHAM TV SHOW NOW , enjoy your "freeride" event kids ...sigh this is why we cant have nice things ... this is like nascar of biking where people are basically cheering to see people break themselves its a joke ... itl become all to real when someone gets even more seriously hurt then the myriad of broken femurs , ankles , etc etc etc get your heads out of your own asses off the sponsors dicks they dont do shit for the sport but leach money while forcing our best to risk life and limb for NONE of that sponsor doh... the prize money doesnt come off those named jumps and never has it comes from whatever redbull deems it ok to pay them for 1 2 3 the rest can drop off and break a leg for all they care and many do.... with no reward despite them being the ones who put on this little show for you to enjoy ....
This is bringing massive exposure to big mountain riding and freeriding in general. If you weren't busy acting like an idiot, you'd remember that freeriding dropped off the scope of sponsors in favor for racing. Riders like Bourdo couldn't make anything close to a living after that happened. This will only bring in more opportunities for people with a freeriding focus- just like what FEST is doing. With increased exposure also comes a better chance that smaller, more raw big mountain/ freeride events will come about because sponsors realize its reaching a big enough market that they deserve to be paid more and have more events to expose their brand.
Riders know the risks, no one is forcing them to enter this comp. They're not clueless children, they know exactly what the deal is and they're doing it not for the money but because they love it. Now please, shut the f*ck up and enjoy the show.
Oh yeah, still got the 2nd Rampage DVD along with the first Rampage included as a bonus... ahh the days of watching highlights online on tiny vid players with shitty quality and dial up. So stoked when I got that DVD and gotta say after watching it for the 14th billion time, I'm still very happy the event is continuing on and is helping in a big way to expose MTBing to a wider audience than ever before.
Also instead of speaking for the riders, how about you wait until the event is over and then get their impressions on the new site? That may sound too rational of a thing for you to accomplish but just try it. It's much better than using their impressions on LAST YEARS COURSE WHICH WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CAPS LOCK!!
But really though, its a sad day when people who claim to be into freeriding are complaining about Rampage being around... but I guess that's what gapers do. Have fun responding and caring about "props". bye bye birdie
your typical and remedial .... and i knew i had read stuff from you before ... pretty much every rampage vid you spout the same crap ... you know what you should grab your single crown hit the rampage this year and break off it will do us all a favor on these forums lol ... u mad bro ?
il be out riding while your watching your classic dvd's with ....no wood no sponsors and blaw bla blawbla... ah forget it its clear your ignoring reality here. like i said im done.