Video: Yet Another Mountain Biker Jumps Over the Tour de France Peloton

Jul 16, 2019
by James Smurthwaite  

In what is rapidly becoming an annual tradition, a mountain biker has jumped over the Tour de France peloton. 19-year-old Valentin Anouilh claimed this year's honor as he gapped the yellow jersey on yesterday's stage 10 between Saint-Flour and Albi. The video above has multiple angles of his huck that is pretty sizable at 16 meters.

The first rider recorded doing the peloton huck was Dave Watson, who crashed on the landing in 2002. Since then, Alexis Bosson and Roman Marandet have both given it a go, while Szymon Godziek backflipped over the Tour de Pologne on a road bike in 2017.

Valentin Anouilh isn't the only mountain biker who got some air time at this Tour de France though. Lucas Bruder made it on to the live broadcast as he "led" the race doing a wheelie on Stage 7. Check out that video below:



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247 Comments
  • 417 34
 My favorite part of the tour de france every year. Also the only part of tour de france i watch.
  • 122 42
 That's unfortunate, it's been nuts.
  • 87 4
 The huck gets bigger every year it seems, please keep this tradition going.
  • 94 31
 @sampolicky I started doing a bit of road racing lately and it's completely changed my perspective of the sport.

Road racing is actually f*cking hardcore!
  • 24 306
flag youknowitsus (Jul 16, 2019 at 7:10) (Below Threshold)
 @jclnv: Nothing like a Canadian to ruin the stoke. Seems to be a recurring theme in the comments. Not a fan.
  • 70 130
flag WestwardHo (Jul 16, 2019 at 7:26) (Below Threshold)
 @excavator666: I don't road race anymore but I totally agree. In my opinion it's more difficult AND more dangerous than mountain biking. Probably why I don't do it anymore Smile
  • 100 3
 @WestwardHo: retired amateur road racers myself. Brutal I'm different ways, my crashes hurt more on road bikes but I was comparatively better at that.

At the end of the day: bicycles are rad.
  • 42 3
 On an Orange no less... The least pedal-friendly bike sailing over the most grueling pedaling race in the world.
  • 17 0
 @excavator666: it is very, nothing like a vicious “town line” sprint with the boys!! Sad thing here in the states and most likely everywhere are the idiots on cells while driving....
  • 40 53
flag EnduroriderPL (Jul 16, 2019 at 8:17) (Below Threshold)
 @excavator666: true. it is hardcore to start and end every day with a needle sticking from your arm connected to external blood enriching pump.
  • 70 9
 @EnduroriderPL: Isn't that EWS?
  • 67 0
 Stuck the landing but barely survived his friends throwing him up in the air after.
  • 1 0
 @excavator666:
  • 14 45
flag radrider (Jul 16, 2019 at 8:48) (Below Threshold)
 @WestwardHo: lol guys saying road biking is more difficult than mountain biking. Im guessing your the ones getting shuttles to the "top" of your xc trails. Try racing sometime and get back to me.
  • 9 2
 I want to watch Le Tour, but between DH and XCO I have no time!!! Job! Kids!
  • 18 1
 @jordanaustino: at the end of the day ....it gets dark
  • 28 5
 @radrider: Riding a Bicycle >>>>>>>>>> Not riding a bicycle. Period.
  • 14 30
flag radrider (Jul 16, 2019 at 9:47) (Below Threshold)
 @steflund: today we learn road biking is more difficult than mountain biking. you heard it first on pinkbike.com
  • 1 0
 @excavator666: not yet... but they'll get there ;(
  • 21 5
 @excavator666: Totally agree with you. I've raced BMX, XC, DH and Road. I've also done some boxing. As a roadie I had the point to race Cat 2. I completely agree with you. I've never done anything so hardcore that required so much discipline and competitiveness. Boxing is really close (if you get gassed the other guy beats the crap out of you). Racing road and riding road are two very different things and the guys that race are very different from the guys that just ride. They are seriously tough mentally and physically, but they also know how to have fun. I can't compete on the road anymore with work and kids but I can still be one of the fastest gravity guys in my neck of the woods with around 8-10 hours a week on the bike.
  • 10 2
 @steflund: solid argument. Although it is only harder if you're doing serious hills over a long day. And it is harder purely because of the tedium of being on a black strip of God damn tarmac listening to cars shaving by you and thinking about heart rate to pass the time. To each their own, some of my best friends own road bikes. Not much respect lost.
  • 14 2
 @BenPea: Try bridging a gap at 40mph in a near flat crit with an average speed over 30mph. Riding road is as hard as you make it, racing road (at least doing it well) is brutal.
  • 4 2
 @humanpowered: I get it, but I'm a pussy ok?
  • 4 1
 @humanpowered: I've ridden up the Ventoux on a not particularly efficient full suss at least a couple of times. Road is hell.
  • 12 0
 @excavator666: For sure it is! But to quote the great Kenny Powers " I play real sports, not tryn' to be the best at exercise"...@ any rate - 2 wheels one love Smile ....
  • 12 2
 MERICA f*ck YEAHHH! MERICA f*ck YEAHHHH! Tool!@youknowitsus:
  • 8 10
 @excavator666:

Yep, road racing is definitely hardcore. But in the end, at top level, it’s all a bunch of f*ckin’ dope head robots...
  • 1 1
 @I hear ya dude.
  • 6 8
 @radrider: I’m actually lost for words that you’ve been downvoted on pinkbike for saying that. I’m off to see if nsmb.com is still a thing because this page is totally out of control.
  • 2 1
 @excavator666: how much for your mountain bike?
  • 1 0
 Must of done that on the Yeti 2020 SB 165 @excavator666:
  • 4 1
 @thenotoriousmic: better to be in the tent pissing out than outside pissing in
  • 9 1
 At the end of the day, in competition all sports operate at the limit of human ability... They are just gnarly in different ways.
  • 17 7
 @radrider: let's see...higher speeds...longer races...more racing days in a row (a lot more)...higher consequence crashes...higher likelihood of getting crashed out by someone else...

Like it or not, it's pretty easy to argue that world tour road racing is harder and more dangerous than any world cup MTB racing.

*We're not talking recreational enduro laps vs grandpa's casual road ride here btw.
  • 1 1
 @PIPEMANLCS: Zerode
  • 2 1
 @BenPea: MTB up Ventoux??? That's just masochistic!
  • 5 3
 @dontcoast: would love to see one of those tour guys chasing Kilian Bron down Les Deux Alpes...
  • 2 0
 @DutchmanPhotos: I mean yes, and no. It's a sport with such small margins that things like that are more prevelant, however it's really similar to other racing events (is track/cross country) where it's heavily policed.
  • 7 0
 @radrider: ...no one ever said it took the same skillset, either.

That's like saying "I'd love to see Kilian Bron finish a one day classic within the time cut" - not gonna happen.
  • 5 4
 @dontcoast: I'm comparing difficulty, which skill is a part of. You can have the opinion that exhibiting trained and medicated endurance on a flat piece of tarmac is more difficult to achieve than the ability to fly down a mountain side like the top enduro atheletes can. But my opinion is different.
  • 6 0
 @BenPea: that makes no sense at all.

Definitely better to be outside the tent pissing in. Whoever is in it has no way of getting out and is definitely going to get pissed on.
  • 6 0
 @radrider: id consider it more dangerous when you account for the amount of people hit by cars
  • 6 5
 @dontcoast: I wonder how many roadies could ever come close to making that gap at 19 even with all the practice they could handle. The reality is very very very few because a lot of that stuff isn't about pain endurance and grit...but it's about pure unadulterated guts day in and day out to get to that level...and that is a part of mtb that roadies dont deal with.
  • 8 1
 @Svinyard: riders in the tdf have been clocked going above 75 mph (120kph). At that speed hitting a pothole could really f*ck you up.

Riders in these racers regularly go 40-50 while in a tight bunch on winding descents. That shit takes guts. You need to trust everyone around you has the skills to not kill you, and you have to trust that the guy in front of you won’t slam on his brakes, and that the whole bunch will stick to their line. It’s scary
  • 5 8
 @radrider: @Svinyard: Exactly... Ok @dontcoast , show me a roadie who'll ride Rampage. Or Fest. Or... You know what, that's enough. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to prove that road biking is harder than riding Rampage. Go.
  • 4 4
 Mtb has far higher consequences. Roads are wide and have very few trees and rocks to smack into. UCI DH riders hit 40+ mph. My twin bro is a cat 2 Roadie. Huge respect for his discipline, but the level of fear you have to conquer to go fast on an mtb is way more intense than doing 60mph on a road bike. @dontcoast:
  • 8 2
 @moroj82: No thanks, 100kph in a aero tuck on a tiny road bike takes way more balls than bombing a hill on a mtb.
  • 4 3
 @moroj82: This. @sdurant12 ... On a relatively recent road trip, my amateur group on our hand-me-down bikes broke 40mph on a steep twisting descent. Coasting a good deal of the way. We regularly went around 30 on smaller hills, and could pedal 20. I've been mountain biking for years, but the mtb equivalent of that is a scary thought. In seriousness, I'd be really interested to see a little survey... For elite athletes, how hard do they think it is, and would they want to try the equivalent other pinnacle? For newcomers, would you rather (without PED's) attempt to ride like Lance Armstrong or Sam Hill, Jared Graves, Greg Minnaar, Aaron Gwin...? Which seems harder/scarier/more or less achievable? Rampage/DH WC or TDF etc? Not trying to slight anybody here. I'm by no means super knowledgeable/experienced/elite, but I think I represent a fairly experienced more "typical"/non-racer/pro rider: I've ridden both mtb and road extensively both recreationally and racing buddies, and been in one formal road race. Not to mention triathlon... I have full respect for serious road riding; that's also physically demanding. All disciplines are hard, but in their own way... I think we're trending a little towards apples and oranges here. In my humble opinion, the "hard" in road is more the physical endurance aspect... Breathing, hill climbing, time, speed, grueling... But not so much technically. A bit like in some racing where it's to the point of find the perfect line and hold/regain it lap after lap. Whereas mtb has a lot of technical challenge, but you also need strength and endurance. Sort of like NASCAR, Formula 1, etc, vs Rally, rock crawling, baja/trophy truck stuff, except the speed discrepancy is way less. Yes, you could still get messed up if you hit a pothole/curb at high speed road... Extreme road rash isn't pretty, but that's also mostly due to the high speed. The thing is the chances are way less. Contrast that to slamming into a boulder, getting launched into a tree, falling off a cliff, crashing on wet rock/root/clay... Or even simply slipping a pedal. Notice the inundation of badly injured elite mtb'rs lately, compared with ... ?
  • 9 1
 @radrider: I think a few people need to go and watch Pierron’s run again.
  • 2 0
 Oh goodness! Sorry everyone! Didn't realize how long that got 'til I posted, then when I tried to edit it to break it into chunks and make it more concise, it crashed and by the time I logged back in I couldn't edit. Facepalm guess I get the long post award. Redface My apologies to all, and respect to those who read the whole thing. Salute Smile
  • 1 1
 @thenotoriousmic: YES!
  • 11 0
 @radrider: I used to piss on road before I did it. I thought it was for no talent, no skill pussies, but trust me it's not.

The roads where I live are terrible, so that definitely contributes to the danger factor, but when you're sitting 20cm of some guys back wheel pushing hard at 20mph, on a skittish, super stiff road bike, packed into tight bunch of riders who can't see past the guy in front of them, you've gotta be ON IT!

99% of roadies wouldn't be able to ride Rampage, but the same goes for 99% of MTB'ers.

99% of MTB'ers wouldn't be able to ride TDF, but the same goes for 99% of roadies too.
  • 4 1
 @excavator666: since I got me a new gravel/road bike my old stumpjumper has been mostly hanging on the wall. Road is addictive, especially the feeling of weightlessness it gives. Another factor is that finally I can have a break from constant scare I had before pushing myself to try new jumps etc. Now I can just go and ride Smile
  • 3 0
 @excavator666: One word: mountain unicycling. RIP this debate.
@dj100procentenduro: more latent roadies are finally accepting their God-given tendencies. It's 2019, it's totally fine.
  • 5 0
 Shit, that's two words.
  • 2 0
 @mtbikeaddict: Will you ride Rampage or Fest?
  • 8 0
 @moroj82 are you sure mtb has higher consequences?? Fromme shattered his femur by just taking a second to blow his nose. 35mph to a dead stop into a wall. Last time I checked, I’m probably not at risk for getting crushed by a car on an mtb ride either, but have come close many times on a road bike. in all my years riding (road and mtb for practically my whole life) never once has wrecking on dirt scared me quite as much as taking a high speed spill on asphalt, and I’ve had some pretty bad wrecks on the trail. Broken eye socket, two broken clavicles, impalement by command post lever, broken foot, broken fingers, concussions, and the list goes on, would gladly take all of those injuries again over what could happen any time I descend on a road bike.
  • 5 0
 @Svinyard: GUTS? LOL. Road racing means elbowing yourself out of being boxed in at 30mph and then still accelerate into a turn on tiny tires. Or going downhill over 60mph - every day, always on the limit.

Different application of having guts. Doesn't mean I like it better but give respect where it's due.
  • 4 0
 @excavator666: THIS GUY GETS IT.

Stop comparing and give top level athletes respect where due.
  • 3 4
 @dontcoast: sure that's scary risky stuff. But here's the deal. I guarantee Cam Zink could gut that out and send it on the DH speed side etc, aside from the exercise element...but NO WAY IN HELL are any of those roadie guys ever even considering doing what Cam does. Not even close. That's the difference. It's an entire different level.
  • 4 1
 @Svinyard: its pretty simple, roadies spend their time training endurance, mountain-bikers spend their time training skill. If you think endurance is more impressive than skill thats cool. Endurance without skill can get you a podium on a road bike.. You need skill and endurance to be a pro mountainbiker.
  • 1 0
 @Spark24: Not sure what relevance that has, but between the two I'd like to think i'd pick Fest... Smooth jumps over falling off rocky cliffs and still massive jumps and tricks thank you... But afaik they're invitation only so... But I'd much rather take a road race over either.
  • 1 0
 @radrider: THANK YOU.
  • 1 0
 @timkoerber: You sure you weren't impaled by the command post alone? Those things return quick
  • 3 4
 @excavator666: I absolutely could ride the Tour de France... in my own time. Haha

I couldn’t ride rampage though and let’s not ignore the fact that road racing is only dangerous due to the lack of skill and decent equipment. They could have had disk brakes and dropper posts years ago but they turned their noses up at them. They insist on using long stems with poorly designed handlebars. How many times have you seen the whole peloton go down because one lad couldn’t hop a curb? If you can’t hop a curb you shouldn’t be on a bike.
  • 7 2
 @thenotoriousmic: You could ride the route, not the competition.

Road bikes are designed to be efficient at high speed on flat surfaces for extended periods of time, which is why they're shit at jumping kerbs.

Your knowledge of bicycles makes you sound like you work for Ellsworth. Do you work for Ellsworth?
  • 4 7
 @excavator666: they’re designed poorly because road cyclist are stubborn and stuck in their ways that being said I can still hop a curb on one easily.

To be fair from grass roots upwards road cycling is a joke. They’re ether out on public roads in packs of 50 having unofficial races while your trying to get to hospital appointment not giving a f*ck at grass roots level or doing roadside blood transfusions and sticking motors in their seat tubes at the highest level. Terrible people looking ridiculous doing a shit sport.
  • 4 2
 @thenotoriousmic: Sounds like you're not that good at hopping kerbs since you're always on the way to the hospital...
  • 3 5
 @excavator666: mate I’m trying my best. Last thing I need is you knocking myself confidence.
  • 5 3
 @thenotoriousmic: If you're as good at riding as you are at talking out of your arse, then you don't need to try any harder.
  • 7 0
 @excavator666: if the road bike's nature makes it virtually impossible to do anything else, then why do the road bike party vids exist? Why did Szymon Godziek backflip-huck one?
  • 3 3
 @excavator666: froome has a fractured leg and the whole roadie world is in tears wondering if he will survive or ever again be able to walk.. yet really hes fine and will be back on the bike in a few weeks.
Adolf silva breaks his femur in 3 places and it looks likes just another day at the office for him, pinkbik cracking jokes already and no one bats an eye as this is just normal life for extreme athelete(roadies are not extreme athletes)
but road cycling is more difficult and far far more dangerous, of course.
  • 2 2
 @radrider: the question may as well be "what's bigger: a cucumber or a squirrel?" It's all about the type of suffering you're prepared to accept.
  • 1 0
 @BenPea: only a roadie would compare cucumbers and squirrels to try and make a point.
  • 4 0
 @radrider: did you just call me a roadie?
  • 2 2
 @mtbikeaddict: I never said it makes it impossible to do anything else on a road bike.
@radrider: I never said roadies were more extreme.

Try to keep up with what's actually been said instead of firing off your half baked opinions half cocked.

I race both MTB and Road. Have you?
  • 1 2
 @excavator666: I bet you do.
  • 2 1
 @excavator666: He works for Ellsworth for sure!

Damn that was funny.
  • 1 0
 @excavator666: discussion about road/vs mountainbiking from someone who has raced pro in both(mainly road)...you'll hear things such as "no doubt a mountain bike race is much more difficult than a road race" "There is no way you could do a 21 stage mountain bike race at the normal pace of xc racers" "many riders on the tour are paid specifically to aid the better team members by letting them draft and blocking others"
etc, etc.. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuHptqEhE_U
  • 1 0
 Ive done both, @zyoungson: and bombing the trail on a mountain bike is much less forgiving and much more intimidating. No question
  • 1 0
 @radrider: you wouldn't want to do 20 days of time trials or cyclocross back to back to back either. Its partially just a difference of intensity.
  • 100 27
 The boring old man in me wonders what would happen if he binned it into the group. How many riders would he take out, what would the financial cost be to the teams and organiser?
Hugely unlikely, im not even sure how he could (tyre gives up on the take off ramp?), but still.
Thats how the great MTB/Roadie wars of the 41st millenium are started.
  • 14 1
 The worst (and most effective) way to take out the group would be to miss the take off, not be able to brake and roll down onto that road. Unless the ditch next to the road stops you dead. That would be bad form. This one appeared well executed though.
  • 90 8
 Listen, you take that boring 'ol man to Bruges or somewhere and leave them there and then go about enjoying your life.
  • 25 17
 Agree, if there was some strange turn of events (small possibility, but possible) and he crashed into the peleton, or maybe launched his bike into one of the riders and injured them or worse, not only could it be terrible for all involved but horrendous for the wider MTB community.

Is it worth it? Its certainly getting much, much less interesting and cool every year someone does this kind of thing thats for sure.
  • 24 15
 @justanotherusername: yeh it's definitely worth it. Stuff like this brings exposure to mtb on a level thats hard to match.
  • 25 5
 They *have* to wear helmets in the tour now so they will be fine if someone boops them on the head.
  • 18 2
 @bigtim: just like gently bopping your shins with your flats
  • 19 4
 @hgardner: Yea fair point about the exposure, so long as some squid doesn't copy him next year and completely botch it.

Some could argue it isn't the kind of exposure the MTB world needs either.
  • 38 1
 I'd say in three years MTB will become the largest supplier of idiots. All stealth nice guys are upgraded with internet trends, becoming fully obnoxious. Afterwards, they fly with a perfect tecnhique. The Jump Over Your Bill is passed. Don't know when the system goes online, though. Human decisions are removed from equation. MTB begins to grow at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.
  • 7 19
flag youknowitsus (Jul 16, 2019 at 7:10) (Below Threshold)
 @justanotherusername: Definitely worth it. Go ride ur road bike.
  • 4 6
 @hgardner: Amen!
  • 3 0
 @Luis-Sc: No fate but what we make. Wink
  • 8 5
 @hgardner: big exposure? I'd say it's the point against doing it. Wink IMO exposure, popularity, growing is evil. I mean i know it's good for the pro's because it impacts their income. But for me it is just more crowd in the mountains, so I'm against. As to the jump i guess it's a new cool tradition and hope that will be done only by the guys that know exactly what they are doing Wink
  • 5 0
 @hgardner: Does it really? Who else sees this footage that isn't on sites like Pinkbike already anyways? Unless you were watching the *entire* live broadcast, this footage didn't even make any of the highlight reels anyways.
  • 6 2
 @youknowitsus: Riding is riding man, would rather an hour or two on the road bike than nothing at all.
  • 2 15
flag radrider (Jul 16, 2019 at 8:53) (Below Threshold)
 well I guess riding a road bike could be better than nothing at all. but is it really?
  • 9 1
 As some have already said, its near impossible for THIS setup to actually take out anyone in the Peleton. However, some Chad is eventually going to have to show everyone how hardcore he is and try it with a janky built wood take-off that collapses when he hits it, or he won't calculate the distance right and won't have enough clearance and will clip a few riders in the head with his rear wheel, etc. We've all ridden with Chad at some point in our lives.
  • 5 2
 It’d be pretty easy to dislodge a fair size rock onto the head of a rider or spectator. Regular people don’t do this shit. But then again we don’t spend our time watching regular people.....
  • 8 5
 Agreed that it is extremely unlikely that he could have crashed into the racers, but still there is always a risk of it. Sure, there were spotters there to make sure the landing was clear and it was done safely. But the issue I have with this stunt is that the racers did not have any consent to being jumped over. It's not like gapping a train or a highway where the only person at risk of being injured is the rider.
  • 11 1
 Maybe someone should start the opposite in the World Cup Downhills race runs and run underneath the finish line jump as the last man down goes off it. I suspect the response would be different.
  • 7 8
 @Supermoo: But MTB is ‘rad’ and Road bikes are for losers so that would be silly, apparently riding a road bike isn’t really worth bothering with.
  • 8 1
 @justanotherusername: Hey now, road bikers aren’t losers. They’re sadist’s that don’t like to have fun.
  • 5 3
 If we're do this dinky, poorly filmed and late times crap where he goes over a few random dudes trailing the pack cause his timing sucked...can we can it. Either make this thing legitimately gnarly by longing 8 monster jumps up side by side and have the Fest Series genuinely boost 24 riders in trains of 3 across all of the peloton or do this dinky crap. I wanna see monsters of the take off all 24 airborne in all their majesty pulling every trick known to man with the most viscous speed metal blaring above a sweaty, sprinting sea of road cycling elite...or nothing
  • 1 2
 If he missed the takeoff?
  • 3 0
 @Rucker10: A sadist that doesn't like to have fun wouldn't hurt himself, would he?
  • 3 0
 @hgardner: certainly none of the racers or spectators in the video seemed to notice lol
  • 2 0
 @justanotherusername: Live a little.
  • 1 0
 @nozes: ...You are not wrong.
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: Ha. Chad’s and Joey’s. Sound like fun guys.
  • 74 26
 This is pretty lame. The OG road gap has a huge crowd and was unexpected. If they bang these things out every year it just makes downhillers look petty.
  • 43 12
 I was thinking the same. I get it, road biking sucks. But just leave it alone and let those people do their thing, just like we want to be left alone to do our thing. Doing stuff like this over and over again just makes mountain bikers look like assholes.
  • 7 0
 The rocks, exposure, and location of the original made it the best.
  • 37 6
 I agree, this is sad and just reeks of "look at me! Look how cool we are".

It's seeking validation by comparing yourself to another sport. It's the antithesis of cool.
  • 19 4
 @humoroususername: Truth! We dress up to look like motorcrossers and need 200mm of travel in order to drop something a BMX'er does in his sleep on 20" wheels and a rigid steel frame. Yeah, we're a cool bunch allright...
  • 7 2
 @NinetySixBikes: difference is having cartilage in your knees past 30 on mountain bikes, but yeaa
  • 4 0
 @cyrways: I dont get it. We built some big dirt jumps in college and were hitting this step up on our freeride bikes. The bmx guys all show up, and of course have to ride high, drunk, helmet-less, shirtless, and sometimes even chainless. They would try to throw these tricks that they couldn't come close to landing, and just eat dirt time and time again. Slamming head, body, arms, legs, etc into the hard-packed landing, and get up and do it again.
  • 1 0
 @cyrways: Ankles and wrists. But usually the wrists are from enduro riders jacking off
  • 34 8
 I'm so glad this is a thing.
  • 24 1
 backflip on a road bike over Tour de Pologne www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8TLp2t8bJI
  • 9 0
 Now that's what I call impressive!
  • 2 0
 Ok, that's just mental!
  • 37 15
 Will you guys think its cool if the roadies start riding across DH courses in front of oncoming riders?
  • 16 29
flag m33pm33p (Jul 16, 2019 at 9:02) (Below Threshold)
 You're dumb
  • 6 4
 They would have to jump across the course for paybacks, not just simply riding across????
  • 8 2
 @Dylanpatterson: No, mountainbikers jump, Roadies just ride fast. So, it would be riding across the DH course between riders.

Guys like Sagan could probably jump over an oncoming rider, though.
  • 3 9
flag Iam106racing (Jul 16, 2019 at 18:18) (Below Threshold)
 Just pull up and run his ass over problem solved! I got 8.5 inches of travel to suck up bumps Big Grin
  • 22 7
 getting a bit repetative now. The wheelie thing is a copy too. Think up somthing original like fairy on the road surface lol
  • 8 0
 What hasn't been done to death during the TDF?
  • 48 2
 @mtb-jon: A winning rider that hasn't been linked to doping?
  • 2 2
 @mtb-jon: doping?
  • 10 0
 @justanotherusername: pew pew pew *shots were fired
  • 11 1
 @mtb-jon: To arrive face to the peloton with another peloton
  • 2 0
 @fitjoani: do you have venmo? I would like to pay you for this.
  • 2 0
 @fitjoani: f*ck that was hillarious!! I can't stop laughing! loolll
  • 1 0
 One peloton rider says to the other “that mtb guy must be on drugs “” Guy says “hold my brown paper bag “ @justanotherusername:
  • 15 2
 Ballsy and all but so tired now. When Watson did the huck it was fresh and mtb was in a different place. Now it just seems a bit stale and not becoming of a well established sport. We're no longer the redheaded step child that has to beg for attention.
  • 19 3
 downvote me all you want...not in favor of endangering other people for a stunt.
  • 22 6
 Imagine you're in the tour and some knuckle head takes you out from above
  • 15 27
flag Rucker10 (Jul 16, 2019 at 7:53) (Below Threshold)
 Ok dad.

Imagine you’re on the tour and some badass mountain biker jumps over you.
  • 37 25
 Congrats on being so rad and gnarly that you have to copy many other people, doing something to gain a smidge of publicity by piggy-backing on a sport that (sadly) has a much much larger popularity. All it does is show how far behind mountain biking really is.

You can down-vote and say whatever you want, but not a word of what I said is false. And that's the sad part of it all.
  • 13 1
 Others may have pointed this out, but it seems like the biggest issue might not be potentially crashing into the peloton, but causing a crash by startling someone in the peloton. Two hundred pounds of object flying over your head could cause a reflex that knocks out 7 figures worth of riders.

I thought it (jumping over the peloton) was cool the first time I saw it a year or so back, but now it's derivative at best. But hey, I'm old now and not much fun at parties any more either.
  • 50 40
 It's one thing to be irresponsible with your own body but it's pretty unacceptable with others', and their careers and their livelyhoods. I find nothing cool about this. If this is now sanctioned, planned, and practiced for, than I rescind my statement.
  • 35 14
 I kind of agree with this, I do think its pretty cool, makes for nice pictures etc but I am with you on point that he has put the competitors here at risk (though this may be small)

The consequences of getting this wrong could be huge, not just for those involved in the accident but the image of the wider MTB community.
  • 27 26
 You must be fun at parties
  • 20 2
 @hgardner: parties are overrated!!!!
  • 23 3
 @hgardner: You must go to some mental parties if they include jumping over the tour de france on a dh bike, all of the ones I used to go to just involve alcohol and shame ;-)
  • 2 4
 HELLO MOUNTAIN BIKER
  • 6 4
 As long as he doesn't crash before the jump, laws of physics prevent him from huting anyone else.
  • 8 2
 @ondrejaugustin: so he is going too slow off the road gap, which law of physics applies to him clearing the gap?
  • 15 2
 Agreed SunsPSD, maybe if a free runner jumps over Loic at the next world cup, or Danny Mac hops out of a tree missing a racer by a few feet we can all have a giggle. How about one of those wing men suited boys going past a rider flat out and missing the rider by a couple of feet... Nah, WRC wannabe takes his car down a fire road that the race crosses and just misses a rider, but its cool right....
  • 6 14
flag m33pm33p (Jul 16, 2019 at 9:41) (Below Threshold)
 Honestly stfu. Have you never seen the accidents from camera bikes, support cars, fans, etc. Get over it, road biking is hella lame and full of doped up cheaters.
  • 7 2
 Agreed. Unless every rider in that peloton consented to this stunt being pulled this is bullshit. There is no way someone should be putting others lives—and livelihoods, as everyone they're jumping lives off their ability to be exceedingly fit and healthy—at risk like this without their explicit and informed prior consent.
  • 1 1
 @hgardner: parties that are based ensuring full and explicit consent from all parties are generally the ones where the most fun happens.
  • 5 1
 @betsie: Or if he has a bike failure, or if some kid is standing watching the race where the landing ramp is, or...
  • 2 0
 I agree, I mean shit happens, I know I've had crazy stuff happen that I would have never guessed would result in a crash. One that comes to mind is when a rock the size and shape of my hand flipped into my front spokes and mouse trapped me.
  • 1 1
 @m33pm33p: isn't that enduro?
  • 1 0
 Saw this video and remembered this thread. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti_8QENkxgo
  • 2 0
 @Bkdjr2000: Tom only endangered his own life doing this though - it’s a good example of how easily it could go wrong, imagine dropping onto the top of a peleton doing 20mph.....
  • 1 0
 Yep, if that would have happened to someone jumping a Peloton could have easily broken a neck.
  • 12 0
 With sponsors and all, is it officially sanctioned and "legal"? Without the outlaw angle it loses a lot.
  • 13 5
 Unfortunatly, nothing will ever be as cool than this rider thinks he is. Stop doing this please, it's been done, it was awesome. Still wished up to this day that he rode away. This is getting repetitive and it's a numbers game, sooner or later, some Randy is going to bin it into the peleton and give us mountainbikers the exposure we don't need.
  • 10 1
 The higher-ups in the UCI are wringing their hands trying to figure out how to sanction the annual TdF huck.
  • 10 1
 UCI sniff my liner shorts after an all-day summer ride
  • 2 0
 They're gonna paint wings on the jump and have Red Bull TV broadcast it.
  • 7 0
 Thats rad, made the jump easy but his friends nearly droped him on his head at the end.
  • 9 4
 It's not that I don't care, it's just that I don't care. I'm just living my best life #yolo #bestlife #lookatme #doitforthelikes
  • 7 1
 It was pretty cool the first time, now not really very creative. What else ya got? Imitation is the death of creativity
  • 5 0
 Look at it the other way... imitation is the highest form of flattery. Watson will always be a legend and inspiration to those of us that were groomed by the freeride era. This is just proof that it's alive and I'm thankful for it. Bloody nice huck. That takes some serious cajones and pretty surgical precision. Everyone hates on this kid now for doing it, but Watson was an idol for it. Interesting...
  • 1 0
 @krashDH85: welcome to 2019, nothing makes sense. just sit back and laugh at the numpties
  • 1 0
 @krashDH85: Are you wanting to flatter the innovator or be creative? Think about it
  • 1 0
 @Bkdjr2000: it's all about personal goals bud. Who cares if it's been done before. Come back and comment when you've hit something that big.
Unless you want to opt out because "it's been done before".

Show some respect to the kid. It was huge.
  • 1 2
 @krashDH85: Its performance art, if it was just about hitting something that big he could have done it anywhere or anytime.
  • 2 0
 @Bkdjr2000: Which I'm sure he has. Quit downplaying the achievement. Just cause you can't do it doesn't mean everyone shouldn't be able to.
  • 1 2
 @krashDH85: I freely admit I can't do anything near that, I don't have a problem with that, but I am a professional photographer, I freely admit that I have taken pictures that were not original, made a buck off them, but I wasn't being creative. Push the boundaries of art and creativity.
  • 8 1
 Next year, dirt jump train over the peloton 5 rider minimum
  • 2 1
 Hell ya boys
  • 3 0
 I don’t own a road bike. Partly because my brain goes numb just thinking about all that endless pedaling on smooth surface. My ADHD addled brain says “NO!” Single track both high speed flow and technical gnar is the only thing I’ve found that totally focuses my brain. That being said riding on asphalt on a 12lb carbon spindle, in what amounts to fancy underwear with minimal head protection, on a bike with skinny bald tires, and rim brakes, doing 60mph downhill, whilst holding a body position that is already half way over the handlebars is just completely mental. Mad props to those crazy roadies. I’d honestly feel safer trying a rampage style step down.
  • 7 1
 I guess they wear Hollister in France still?
  • 8 2
 Dave Watson would be proud. cheers buddy well done.
  • 1 1
 Can't upvote this enough
  • 5 3
 Valentin is a really cool,mature young man.My friend and I met him looking a bit lost at the top of Vic Park here in Christchurch and we pointed him in the right direction and have spent a few days shuttling with him.The fact that he's more than happy to ride and hang out with a pair of middle aged women speaks volumes for his character.He's by far the most talented rider that I've ever had the privilege to ride with but more than that he's pretty unassuming and modest.
  • 3 3
 Get a room
  • 5 2
 I have raced road, XC. marathons and DH over the years. I would far rather hang out with a bunch of downhill than the elitist judgemental wimps that call themselves road cyclists.
  • 5 0
 Still wish Watson had road away.
  • 2 0
 Pun intended?
  • 3 0
 @Mattin: nope just bad grammar...lol
  • 5 0
 the celebration looked more dangerous than the jump.
  • 5 0
 looks like he was a little late to me.
  • 2 0
 Yeah, he missed the yellow jersey.
  • 4 0
 TdF rolls along a lot faster than most people that aren't fans would ever consider.
  • 9 8
 Wow amazing how many folks have strong opinions on this... you no-talent computer nerds couldn't jump that gap OR survive an hour on the tour so you have no right to weigh in at all. Just enjoy the video, or don't, and move along.

Would love to hear what the tour riders think of the "tradition" though.
  • 3 2
 Eff that, I've ridden on the road wit my friends. I find nothing fun about it. People honking and yelling at you, almost getting hit because people in their phones and you MF weaving in and out of traffic on bikes are the first ones to get clipped
  • 4 0
 Once the dude back-flipped a road bike over the peleton, everyone else just needed to sit down and be quiet
  • 1 0
 That was Simon Godziek I believe who accomplished that road bike back flip. Slopestyle pro.
  • 2 0
 Spectacular! Next year, someone could drop right in front of the peloton and lead the way! I will happily crowdfund for the commercial mafia fee.
  • 4 1
 Well done! Not quite as OG as Watson, but at least he managed to keep his pants on.

youtu.be/V1YlFQVTBuI
  • 4 0
 Mind-blowing in 2003. Nowadays I’m impressed by the wheelie.
  • 2 1
 Great illustration of the hardcore commitment, athleticism, and inbred talent needed to achieve at the highest levels of the respective disciplines. Oh, and that mountain biking is a lot of fun.
  • 3 0
 Remember when Godziek flipped tour de pologne peloton on a road bike as well lol
  • 5 0
 wannabe dave watson.
  • 1 1
 As funny & cool as this was back in the day, these things shouldn't feature on PB or seen to be endorsed by sponsors, this will only give it credibility & serve as an incentive to the young & impressionable out there thinking they can get some kudos, recognition or sponsorship from similar stunts.

It's been done, leave it there in the history books & go do something else to get your exposure that doesn't risk anybody but yourself, there are plenty of really cool examples of riding on PB & I'm a big fan of your varied content.

I know I sound boring & grown up, but I am! I'm also a cyclist that does road, mountain & downhill with my son, cycling is a great sport & doesn't need any excuse for the haters out there to feed on.

Leave it there please PB.
  • 1 0
 f*ck yes. Wtf happened to bikers everyones too concerned about shit. Who cares about mtb’s “image” theres enough smiling white people peddling in circles on the local xc network to balence things out
  • 1 1
 Do it on a bmx going fakie and half cab over them.

Otherwise it’s a repeat. Gotta make it a lil interesting. Plus someone did it on a road bike a few years ago.

Catwalk was kinda funny though.
  • 2 0
 Was expecting: "PUTAIIIIIIIIN", not disappointed! Big Grin
  • 3 1
 Yeah buddy, send that shit!!
  • 5 6
 I freakin love the mountain biking community, we need to come up with a catchy name for gapping the peloton. I’m not ever gonna be that guy, but could someone do it in a cape and call yourself Captain Lycra??? ????
  • 1 1
 This is genius. It needs a trophy and a small cape
  • 1 0
 And then that someone do a superman backflip in it..epic..
  • 3 2
 Call me when a someone can hang with them on one of these stages on their DH bike.
  • 2 1
 Wanted one of the roadies to yell SENNNDDD IIIIT! Or Steezy.... Was disappointing.
  • 2 2
 They wont lol too uptight!
  • 1 0
 Really awesome! I got chills at the POV part, I could just feel the adrenaline he must have felt at that moment. Wow..
  • 2 1
 love this! what a dude! love the fact that people get so pissed of about too:-)
  • 2 3
 That's what makes it so great. I had a local roadie race go through my town they got so bent when I passed them on my dh bike even had a few guys try to put sprint me lmao!
  • 5 4
 I think this was a dumb trick that disrespects road riders and makes us look stupid.
  • 2 2
 Must be a road biker!
  • 2 0
 He absolutely stuffed that landing
  • 1 2
 I was so hoping we were over this shit by now - done so many times its kinda embarrassing, ... its like someone telling the same joke over and over again, ... after a while everyone just wants to slap ya!!!
  • 1 0
 Dave Watson 4ever. he did it in 2003 and it is still the best fight over the TDF
  • 2 0
 ive seen my nan do a bigger jump
  • 2 1
 The French need to be stopped.
  • 2 1
 Waiting for someone do it on a trials bike...
  • 2 1
 awesome! bloody roadies ha
  • 3 2
 You can't call someone a cunt for their choice of socks but...
  • 1 0
 What a way to get in a peleton lol
  • 2 1
 That’s just freakin cool ! don’t care who you are. ...
  • 2 1
 No gloves..... I'll just never understand it
  • 1 1
 The conspiracy theorist in me reckons ASO set these up for maximum publicity. Kudos regardless.
  • 1 0
 Dave Watson's gap was in 2003 though
  • 1 0
 BIG DEAL!!Smile
  • 1 1
 The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog?
  • 2 1
 Sick f*cuck! Hero!
  • 3 2
 You are my IDOL!
  • 2 1
 this is the best
  • 2 1
 the kids are alright.
  • 1 2
 Ok how’s about turning the tables and having a guy on a road bike top to bottom Val di Sole? Hmm?
  • 1 0
 Watta savage
  • 1 1
 Oh you can ride a 50 mile stage, that's cute Big Grin
  • 1 1
 I am so happy you did not kill anyone, Dah
  • 1 0
 meh
  • 8 9
 What a douche. I hate myself a little for clicking on that.
  • 3 3
 SICK! bloody roadies
  • 3 5
 All I want to do is throw water bottles
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