Photo Epic: Dirt & First Hits - Red Bull Rampage 2022
The most anticipated freeride event of the year is upon us and the dust is far from settling here in Virgin, Utah. The athletes and their builders are revisiting the 2013 Rampage site this year with a few notable modifications already in play. The wooden structure that was the Oakley Icon Sender has been removed and now most of the pre-made features are supported with sandbags. Also, more single crown forks are showing up at the venue, proof that last year's winner, Brandon Semenuk, had a point with his approach. Otherwise, it's status quo up there. New creative ideas are being put to the test with every section built and the riding will definitely be on another level once tires hit the dirt.
The old venue is no joke. So much history has gone down here already and now with the new lines being put in, the stage is set for a behemoth of a final. The uppermost sections are impossibly steep while the bigger trickable sends are arguably somewhere near the middle of each run and towards the bottom. Basically everything is huge and everyone will be pushing hard to make it down in one piece. Is this new school vs old school? No, it's a crash course on go big or go home.
Rampage o'clock.
Utah's rugged landscape for as far as the eye can see.
It's art. Terrifying art.
Jaxson Riddle's line is a thing of beauty but he is yet to put tryes to dirt as there's still too much to do.
Brett Rheeder knows what it takes to win here and there will be no shortage of talent from him this week.
Cam Zink knows how to put on a show and you'd be damned if you counted him out for finals.
Kyle Strait knows hydration is key in the wild west.
After a very successful four wheeled season, Brandon Semenuk is back on just two wheels this week and is ready to go big.
Tommy G has been hard at work near the bottom with Andreu Lacondeguy as they'll be sharing a couple features to finish off their lines.
Ants on an anthill but the anthill is gigantic.
Dylan Stark's first hits did not go as planned.
Only pick and shovel action from Rampage winner 2014, Andreu Lacondeguy.
Burlap sandbags are literally holding half the hillside together in most cases.
All smiles for Kurt Sorge making his way up for first hits.
Better believe Kurt Sorge is still hungry for his 4th Rampage win.
Pick your own adventure - extreme mode.
It's the sheer size of this place that is astonishing.
Tyre tread spoils another immaculate lip.
Carson Storch testing the hip transfer between two large drops he shares with TVS.
Carson Storch T-Bog into the morning shadows.
Ethan Nell ready to try his sniper spine line.
Flatspins are so casual for Ethan Nell.
Storch soldiering up the hill with his Propain.
Dylan Stark's quarter pipe nearing completion.
Precision needed.
Brandon Semenuk almost went for his step-down canyon-gap creation from 2013, but the sun in his eyes on the jump after had him postpone until the morning.
Tom van Steenbergen sizing up the massive step down.
Builder eye-candy.
TVS with some serious hang time.
Tom Van Steenbergen stoked after guinea-pigging his huge elevator drop.
Szymon Godziek's pre-canyon gap lilly pad.
Caleb Holonko on the tools.
Godziek spent the afternoon modifying the lip of his canyon gap. Why could that be?
Photographer-roost is created when bangers are made.
Tools of the trade, worn and overworked.
A Rampage builder veteran, Alex Volokov finally gets his taste of riding his own lines for the first time as a competitor.
William Robert is looking right at home at his first Rampage.
Big style for what was considered a test run.
Wiwi up for another. He's got most of his lower line figured out.
First hit, last light for Rheeder.
Digging and sculpting went well into the sunset with the clock ticking down on practice time.
All toil in the last of the Utah light.
2021 third place rider, Mr Reed Boggs.
Semenek fired off a couple of flat spins at the end of the day, but then bailed twice on a 360-tail whip.
Ethan Nell prepping a gargantuan step-down sender.
Big bikes, bigger trucks, biggest jumps; the entire story of Rampage.
The sun sets on this bike park from hell.
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my money is on him. i wouldn't be suprised if you are right
I would be absolutely ecstatic if he built an entire quarter pipe just to do a quick footjam on top of it...
"HE RIBBITED THAT LILLY PAD FEATURE!"
Strait and Zink go off to rider's right of it and then into another crazy steep section, but I believe it's just BS straight off the middle