Brendog and Gaetan Vigé Shred Across Europe – Video
Velosolutions Trail Tour – SCOTT-Velosolutions on the road in Europe
Photos by Simon Ricklin
 | What an experience to ride such a diverse mix of trails, I have always been a fan of the Velosolutions pump tracks and their trails are on the same level |
| After a wild season of DH it was awesome to get out on the trail bike, I had so much fun riding with Brendog but riding with the locals was equally as fun. It was awesome to see how strong the scene is and that they have such a high quality of trails to ride! |
Following a roller coaster of a World Cup season in 2017, Brendan Fairclough and Gaetan Vigé packed their bags and hit the road ready to put some of the Velosolutions trail centres and bike parks through their paces.
More commonly known for their asphalt pump tracks, Velosolutions have been building trails and bike parks all over the world since they formed in 2004. Claudio Caluori has been at the forefront of their design and construction and although he couldn’t join the team this time, he lined up some of his favourite trails for the boys to let loose on.
Kicking off their tour in Schoeneck, Germany, Brendog and Vigé were excited to see what the hillside resort had to offer. With a flow trail, jump line and skills park all on offer, Schoeneck has everything you could want from a bike park.
The Jump line with its 24 jumps over 1.2km of trail brings the fun and with A-Line like flow, Brendan and Vigé were in their element lapping all day. With incredible accommodation and generous hospitality, Pension Rosenhof offers the perfect bike friendly place to stay for anyone wanting to visit.
From Germany the team headed south and into Switzerland where the weather would take a turn for the worse but this was not going to stop the boys from riding. Zugerberg is home to a 2.1km downhill trail with optional expert lines for more advanced riders. The top of the track is accessible by a short train ride from the bottom station allowing you to lap all day long.
Continuing their journey through Switzerland to the resort of Leukerbad, Brendan and Gaetan were invited to spend the night in the top gondola station and enjoy the trail in all its glory at sunrise. With views across the valley to Mont Blanc in France, the location is stunning. The 3.2km flow trail is accessible to all levels but the design of the track allows you to attack hard and ride aggressively in the turns.
Brendan and Gaetan’s tour made its final stop in LAAX and the epic Never End trail. LAAX is known worldwide for being one of the best Snow Parks in the world and it was the home of the Burton European Open and now hosts the LAAX Open, Europe’s leading Snowboard slopestyle and pipe event. LAAX is also the new home of the Velosolutions HQ and base camp for the SCOTT-Velosolutions world cup team. Nestled in the heart of the LAAX Rock Resort is also the innovative ‘Urban Wave’ designed and built by Velosolutions as a unique hybrid between a pump track and skate bowl.
The 7km Never End trail starts from the top of the Crap Sogn Gion lift and works its way down through open and exposed rock gardens, technical woodland and jump lines, finishing at the rock resort in the new Urban Wave.
For more information on Velosolutions check out velosolutions.com where you can find out more about their trails, bike parks and pump tracks all over the world.
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Is there more to the rumour than just the pictures on brendan`s insta?
Best solution I can think of based on what I've seen and read would be what Olly Wilkins was wearing on that iconic cover shot for Dirt Magazine, riding a DMR 898, shot by Grant Robinson.
cdn.coresites.factorymedia.com/dirt_new/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/001-DT101-UK.jpg
Sure it may not be fashionable (though of course Olly doesn't have to as he is the epitome of cool and I'm a fanboy) but it seems like he's wearing a sleek DJ helmet that doesn't catch anywhere. The nose-mouth piece merely distributes the impact over your face but doesn't transfer it to the helmet shell. And that distribution may be just enough to prevent a broken jaw or lost tooth so it still gives the advantages of a more traditional full face.
I ride the Zugerberg trail weekly, and pretty much everyone wears full face and armor there, I know I do. It's a pretty steep gnarly trail in places... when you add in some attack, for mere mortals a full face is pretty essential. For perspective, I broke a wrist where they come through at 1:18 in the video... I clipped a pedal in a place they take in mid air!!
The lines the Pros take, and how easy they make it look is just mind blowing. I have no clue how they got into the positions they are in for some of the pics, and also where they'd land :o - I have ridden the trail hundreds of times and I can't conceive of the lines...
Huge respect to them, and it makes me look forward to the Spring on Zugerberg even more!!
/off to clean the Scott Voltage FR (again)
How the hell do so many pros ride without eye protection? I've always got on glasses or goggles, and it seems like they get pebbles, dirt, and branches across them all the time.
For some perspective, I clipped a pedal on landing at the part they boost at 1:18, and managed to break my wrist and ribs 2 season ago. The difference between amateurs and Pros from the pics is really mind blowing - I am wondering how they get that much air on the top 'flow' section!
I often head to Zugerberg after work for a few laps in the summer, and with the train up you can session it all day - a great trail if you are ever in the area.