2023 Red Bull Rampage Riders List Announced
With one month to go until this year's Rampage event in the Utah desert, Red Bull has finally unveiled the rider list for the 2023 competition. There's a great mix of old and new names in there, which should make for a wild and diverse time out there on the mesa.
With 18 riders competing in the event's 22nd year, there won't be any shortage of unique lines cut down the slopes.
Godziek, Van Steenbergen, Strait, *Brendan* Fairclough, Atherton, and Storch.
Volokhov, Riddle, Genon, Zink, Johansson, and Brandt.
Silva, Kaudela, Boggs, Turk, Alba, and Sorge.
Line planning and digging will be kicking off fairly soon out there, so get stoked.
Check out the 2022 Finals Highlights here:
The competition will return on Friday, October 13.
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Must Read This Week
1. Nice to see some new faces overall. In general a good mix of veterans and new blood.
2. Bummed to have Brandon and Brage skip it. That's kind of huge actually.
3. I would have chosen Dylan Stark over a bunch of these riders—I will never understand how tucking Moreno Valley doesn't get you an automatic in. Makes me want to find a tinfoil hat. Also I would have invited Kade, Hayden, and a few other folks over some of the existing list.
4. It's overdue for the ladies to get the call; there are enough women who have proven that they can hang in Rampage terrain. Even if it's 4 riders in 2023 and grows over the years, there's no reason not to have a ladies field. And yes, I'd be okay cutting down the men's list to make room.
1: Rad to see so many new faces. Agreed.
2: Bummed to see 6 of the top 10 pull out. Gonna miss Brandon and Brett for sure. But I figured both of those guys were no's a long time ago. Did not know Brage was a skip... figured he was an oversight on the invite...
3: Choices... not terrible. Stark is a tough leave off but I have a hard time pushing him out of the way for any of those that were chosen. He did do the Marzo leap but the rest of his submission video was meh. Turk definitely earned that spot. Interesting to see Emil come back only after Brett and Brandon step away. I'd love to see Kade do it but I highly doubt he asked for a spot. I mean if we're throwing names out there then let's hope and dream that Goldstone does it.
4: Could not disagree more. You can NOT put the women in the same field... quote possibly ever... at this event. They have their own event out there. I would not try to shoe horn them into this event as we have already proven that they have a hard time getting all 18 riders 2 runs. And no way in hell can you justify pulling 4 dudes off this list for 4 lades. No hit at the ladies. Any of the women out there riding that stuff are a million times better than I have ever been. But they are leaps and bounds behind the men still. They're not ready yet. Keep them in a stand alone event.
5: How are we not talking about Gee Atherton. This dude's crash literally looked like a snuff film. Gnarliest thing I've ever witnessed. And not only is he back running World Cup tracks but he back at Rampage. He has a feature there. I can not not wait to see what this man does.
6: Gutted to not see T-Mac out there again. It will not feel like Rampage for me without him.
7: If this is out last go with Kyle and Cam... please let's appreciate it and celebrate it.
You are aware that Formation was cancelled, yes?
There are plenty of women that shred and could lay it down at Rampage. Where are they?
Honestly?
Who do you pull off?
I know it's an un popular opinion but facts are facts. There are not.
Formation isn't happening but that doesn't mean there's not opportunity for it to be revived or something similar.
These woman are going huge. I take nothing away from them. The group of women out there doing this stuff are amazing. They're changing and progressing the game. They're miles better than I've ever been. But I've watched them ride this stuff first hand. I watched Casey getting towed into hits at proving grounds and STILL not being able to clear some of them just due to physics. And she's 100x's gnarlier than me. She amazing. One of my favorite individuals. I'd love to see her ride it.
Watch any crankworx events where they're doing speed and style. They are adding tricks but they're also getting destroyed on straight backflips. Downhill times are behind. Tricks are behind. Amplitude is behind. Trick selection is behind. It's all very very far behind... at the moment.
Can they make it down the course. Absolutely. These woman are gangsters.
Can they do what the men are doing on this same course. Absolutely not.
Would I love to see them compete? Absolutely. Against other women. In a different event.
I knew I'd be downvoted for that opinion. Because it's not social acceptable to say there's a gap. But truth is truth. I don't mind getting the downvotes.
Will they get there... I hope so. But they're not there yet and I'd be willing to bet that every one of them would admit that. I'd 100% support and watch formation or another event around women competing against each other.
Its folks like you that like to talk about how women just aren't at the same caliber as the men so they should just go off and do their own thing that slows that progression.
I agree with you - likelihood of any woman winning Rampage would be slim if any were to be included this year, but I don't agree with your reasoning.
How do they improve without inclusion? Let them compete.
You could apply the same logic to the DH WC finals - Why even bother having a women's field when every qualifying male is likely putting down a faster time than the female winner. Why not just axe the women's field and let more men have a finals run?
Fairness is why. Equity is why. Let them compete.
Just a little salt to add on top : the reason we all loved Redbull running the DH race coverage (aside from the horrific commentary...)... is that they were very transparent with the organisation of things and hence, the reason why most of us are fuming at Discovery / Warner at the moment... just some transparency from their end would be good in this regard
Seeing how rad red bull Formation was in 2022, I think it would be awesome to see a few women raise the stakes and compete against each other (instead of the non-comp version of formation).
Back in 2015, which I think was the last time they did qualifying, it seemed like a mess with so many riders on the hill and lots of contention over lines, etc.
I do think some sort of qualifying event at rampage would be good. Maybe it's held earlier in the year. Could be more pre-built dirt takeoffs and landings to minimize build time to accommodate more riders? Similar to proving grounds, but in virgin Utah and no wood. Or maybe it is more of a non-competitive formation-style format where riders are collaborating and not competing for scores, but are showcasing their skills for nomination to finals later in the year.
What Rampage can do, and what I think Brian is suggesting, is a small women's field that competes against each other at Rampage. Same day, same event, same "course". Separate category. Just like with dowhnhill. It takes away nothing from the men and adds visibility for the women. More so than the "Formation" event IMO.
Look at last year... they didn't even get 2 runs in for the men. How do you squeeze in 4-5 more people in the mix and expect to finish.
IF they do that it needs to be a 2 day comp. Day 1 everyone goes. In the late afternoon/evening teams can clean up lines. NO adjustments. Just clean up. Then Day 2 is run 2.
Can't add a women's field in the current format.
Personally I love formation.
It's overdue for the ladies to get the call; there are enough women who have proven that they can hang in Rampage terrain. Even if it's 4 riders in 2023 and grows over the years, there's no reason not to have a ladies field. And yes, I'd be okay cutting down the men's list to make room.
He says add 4 riders and bump men to make room. That to me means he wants them competing together.
I think he's wrong. I explained my stance.
If you want them to have their own sub event to rampage... add a day. There is not enough time in the day to add to the event.
Giving women the opportunity to compete in Rampage but in their own category, same as WCDH (or a similar but distinctive competition), with physiologically comparable competitors is, in my opinion, far more equitable than having the women compete against the men.
Like if they are willing to ditch all the media junk, get through the 2 runs for the men.... then next year adding a women's class of 4-5 women. I'd love to see that. Way easier to get them that exposure than trying to do a stand alone event. Love it.
Just don't love them competing against the men and don't love bumping men to make space for the women.
But love were your heads at.
So add another day then. Simple.
Nobody said the women have to compete against the men. Just include them in the event.
Put the riders at the start, let ‘em do their runs, film all the runs, and have a slightly delayed live show where you can sneak in the talking, visuals and story telling in between. Keep scores for the live show. But making the riders do the waiting at the top of that mountain, in the mid-day rising wind, is painful to watch for both viewers and riders that dedicate their career to this moment.
I think they should have something like a Rampage week. Live streaming is the problem there, but I mean, I wouldn't care about trying to watch something live from another time zone if it meant a bigger, better, and safer event for everyone.
But so far they haven't proven a willingness to do that or an ability to get through the event as it stands. So changing it and/or adding people to it seems like a bad idea.
I 100% am on board with that idea or some variation of it that aids in getting the runs completed safely before the winds it. They can fill in all the foofoo for the delayed feeds and rebroadcasts.
And I'm 100% on board with women competing in their own field at the same event... once they prove they can get the current load of riders through... which I already stated. I think you ladies 100% deserve some shine.
Unfortunately, the current format doesn't support that. They did not get through 2 runs for the 18 riders as it is.
So for me it's not an issue of would it be great to see them or do women deserve to compete. That's a no brainer... the answer is yes. Hell yes. For me the issue is does the current format support it and/or are they willing to make the necessary adjustments.... my feeling is no.
Women's DH.... look how much time they have for that broadcast and how quickly they're firing people off. The format supports it. The current leadership wanted some changes so they added scoring and qualifying and made the events longer. And if it gets windy or wet.... so what. Run it. usually. The format supports women's, mens, and juniors all giving it a go.
Format. Support. Reality.
Currently, none of that is what I personally see.
Again... 100% support women being included. 100% do not support the current format/media circus.
Make sense?
Add a day... Cut out the media mumbo jumbo... whatever it takes to create more efficiency. Prove you can get 18 riders through 2 runs. Then add women.
I honestly think it's as simple as running 2 days.
Same format as now. Got your build days. Test days. Then they have the event.
Day 1: Run 1 for 18 men and 4-6 women.
Day 2: Run 2 for 18 men and 4-6 women.
Afternoon of Day 1 you let the crews out there to clean up their lines. No major adjustments. Just maintenance.
You get a guaranteed 2 runs. Full scores. And there's time for the judges to digest and have more fair and balanced scoring.
Live broadcast is streamlined. Just like a DH broadcast. Great commentating. Minimal BS. Minimal down time.
They compile it all. Add their BS. Create a nice piece for rebroadcast, ESPN, Etc.
Keep saying the same thing really. LOL! Good thing I'm bored and waiting for some things to process over here.
But yeah... If they have issues getting the riders through again I think hopefully they'll understand the need for a format adjustment. And hopefully they make it. Because getting women in there would be rad. Just like getting 2 full runs from the current list of riders would.
So let's boycott Rampage until they cut the bullshit and do what they need to do to make it a properly inclusive field.
Does the format actually make sense as is? Do we need a bunch of ads and bullshit? I'm going with no.
But the future is looking amazing, even by next year I could see some women stepping up to that level, and I hope they do.
The structure has changed now. Discovery provides coverage and an organisation they own (ESO) runs the races on behalf of the UCI
The year Paul Bass got hurt, Nico? (I think) took that huge slam an Rogatkin fell off a cliff................
That year was actually harsh to watch
pas de Lacondeguy cette année ?
I can't wait to see what everyone does. I'm sure I'll be irritated with judging. Think someone got more and someone got less. But come the end of it... as long as everyone is healthy and gets 2 runs I'll be happy.
But I see a lot of balance in this rider list. Killer mix of young and older. Gnar/Speed. Tricks. Mix. Etc.
I think if the wind stays down and they cut the BS and get us 2 runs we could see an amazing event.
Interesting time to see a couple guys have a shot at cementing their status as Rampage athletes and a few athletes possibly saying farewell to Rampage.
I for one can't wait. All bitching aside.
They helped to blow Rampage up and still compete at a high level and could even win. I love these know-it-alls, always providing their thoughts when they know nothing about the sport. I feel like your commentary is on par with the UFC shit-talking lol.
When the riders have genuine complaints about Rampage it's always because the production and event teams prioritize the 'show' over rider safety, rider concerns or just what makes for the best riding. YOU are this problem.
So happy to see Gee is back! So insane.
I also feel that maybe actual concept of Rampage, isn't ready for his style and abilities and they wouldn' be properly judged...
RB Content Intern #1: Wanna have some PB comments fun?
RB Content Intern #2: Do bears sh#t in the woods! What you thinking?
RB#1 shows RB#2 the spelling.....
RB#2: Cool dude, hey and add D-A-W-G as an auto-correct while you're at it!!
Has it been every year? It sure feels like it!!
I highly doubt a few people on pb and a few instagram comments changed their minds. They are well aware of his popularity and his abilities. That's why he competed last year. They make their decisions over the course of months and the list doesn't change because pink bike says so.
@Joyrode : See above
Brage got robbed.
would have loved to have seen dylan back.
even Hayden Zablotny
Here: www.bikeperfect.com/news/red-bull-rampage-2023-lineup-and-venue-announced
It's around the same time as the ARA Rally race in Marquette MI.
Last year he somehow pulled off both events. Heavily criticized here on PB for not doing enough digging on his Rampage lines, but won the rally (battling every stage with the late and great Ken Block) and locked up the ARA championship, then returned and stomped that ridiculous caveman drop.
Dude, they've always invited the top slope rider.
Along with the way they ran the event. All the media BS. Time outs. Etc. Created a 1 run event. Which in my opinion makes it an exhibition.
I'm actually really looking forward to Genon.
He was 5th place 2019 and 2021.
Hope he makes it back next year.
He came in last place because they organizers suck and didn't get people a second run. He was up top for 45 minutes.
He's not riding because he got surgery a week ago.
2023 Red Bull Rampage Invited Athletes
Pre-Qualified Athletes:
Szymon Godziek (POL)
Reed Boggs (USA)
Thomas Genon (BEL)
Carson Storch (USA)
Wildcard Invites:
Adolf Silva (SPA)
Alex Volokhov (CAN)
Bienvenido Aguado Alba (SPA)
Brendan Fairclough (GBR)
Cam Zink (USA)
Clemens Kaudela (AUT)
DJ Brandt (USA)
Emil Johansson (SWE)
Jaxson Riddle (USA)
Kurt Sorge (CAN)
Kyle Strait (USA)
Talus Turk (USA)
Tom Van Steenbergen (USA)
Gee Atherton (UK)
Absent from the list this year is former four-time champion Brandon Semenuk, who cited scheduling conflicts. In his place, first alternate Gee Atherton will get the opportunity to come back to the venue he last rode in the 2012 Rampage.
Source: singletrackworld.com/2023/09/red-bull-rampage-semenuk-out-atherton-in
Pick a political territory...
T Mac should be in there as well unless he is taking some time off now that he's a father. understandable.
It would be nice to see Brage in the mix as well.
They should drop that ridiculous judging, it might be good for a laugh, but adds nothing useful to the event and just prolongs everything unnecessarily. None of these judges would be able to score a run to within 5 points of each other if in separate rooms, so just don‘t do it anymore, it won‘t be any loss at all.
Names that could have been there:
@casey__brown__
@hannahbergemann
@kaia.jensen
@patricia_druwen
@handsblakesen
@robin_riding_hood
@vaea
@veroniquesandler
@brookebikes
@samanthasorian0
@chelseasendsit
@caminogueiraa
@georgiaastle
@haznationbikes
@gemmacorbera
@natalia_niedzwiedz_
@cbuchanan68
the list goes on...
The names listed (and I assure you many are out there whom I did not) are capable of competing on the Rampage Stage in any capacity. Women’s category or WITH the men. The women I listed participate and compete in numerous free ride events - right alongside the men: Vanta Jam, Dark Fest, Tour de Gnar, Freeride MTB World Tour (Silver and Bronze only - boo) etc. and many of the women execute BETTER than the men. ESPECIALLY on the technical lines (just watch Hannah Bergemann).
Red Bull 1) Cancelled Formation with no public explanation for why, and then 2) Ignores women once again on their highest stages. The men's event has evolved. Imagine if they had made space for @katrina or Stephanie Nychka? The women or women's event would show equal caliber athleticism and skill. I’m saying that patriarchal exclusivity doesn’t look good on anyone anymore. The riders are there.
If it is regarding ROI, Red Bull didn't broadcast the event, and it was poorly covered so it was difficult to follow.
In October 2022, Sports Business Journal published a report stating that:
- The average fan only spends 15.4% of viewing time watching women’s sports
- This is because in overall airtime, womens sports only get 5.4% of available airtime vs. 94.6% going to mens sports.
- 74% of fans cannot name a single corporate sponsor of any major women’s league.
- This is related to the above issue.
- 76% of fans cannot name a leading female athlete.
- Again, this is because there is limited media coverage.
- 60% of fans believe sponsors should invest more money into women’s sports and raise viewership
- 42% of fans say they would never consider buying a piece of women’s sports merch, regardless of price
- U.S. broadcast networks spend just 0.2% of media-rights budgets on women’s-only sporting events (figure excludes broadcast packages that feature both men’s and women’s competition, such as the Olympics).
Do you notice anything that stands out about those statistics?
- They do not publish survey demographics; I'm willing to bet the pool was male dominant.
- Women’s sports get less broadcast time, which accounts for less female viewership.
- (Why would we as women want to always just watch the bro-fest?).
The potential for viewership is THERE. But the people making the decisions are MEN.
The National Research Group published a study showing that 39% more Gen Z and 29% more millennials are watching and engaging with women’s sports.
The profits could be there. The potential viewership is there. The caliber of athlete is THERE. Just look at other sports.
- 2023 FIFA Womens WC: more than 2 billion viewers watched this years women's world cup garnering a prize pool of $110mil.
- 2018 Womens Tennis US Open: 3.1 million viewers watched Serena Williams beat Naomi Osaka. Men's was only 2 million (aww).
- Gymnastics: Women's Gymnastics has 5x more competitors than the men's events and 5x the viewers. A great analog for Freeride because it demonstrates 2 things:
- Womens and mens competitions do not need to be judged in the same way.
- Womens and mens competitions sometimes are NOT the same, and not for lack of skill - but for natural strengths and weaknesses. I'd like to see a male gymnast pull off Simone Biles' signature, world famous move - the BILES. Name a freeride trick that is named after a rider?
- 2021 Tokyo Olympics: 55% of male viewers stated that they preferred watching the women's Gymnastics and Soccer events because "the athletes were better."
Formation catapulted women's freeride skill 300% from 2019 to 2022. From 2019-2023, the womens field has grown from only a handful of women ever landing backflips, to numerous women hitting double back flips, tuck no handers, nak-naks, can-cans, bar spins, supermans... they have proven they can do your tricks. Now give them the venue to compete in.
Rampage created the stage for male riders in 2001 with stakes high enough for the athletes to WANT to grow. Female progression has been much faster (sure, partially because they had supportive male athletes to watch and be mentored by), but also because female athleticism is undeniable. So, with respect to the amount of time the riders have been practicing, I say without a doubt that, YES, they are just as good, if not better in some instances, than the male riders. I dare Red Bull to open the gate and see what happens.
Build the stage, broadcast it, watch what happens.
Broaden your mind. Maybe the women's runs would be so undeniably different, core to female athleticism, beyond what the men can do, that it would be considered a completely different event but JUST as exciting to watch. No one said we wanted to compete and do the same tricks the men do. They've been doing the same tricks for years.
So stop the bull excuses and open the event.
If one of those lady's went and built a 75 foot road gap themselves and flipped it I guarantee they would get an invite. Hayden did just that and gets ignored.
The men have been doing the same tricks for years? what are you talking about? Have you even watched rampage before?
The three best mens slopestyle tricks would likely be the top three from last years District Ride which were Nicholi Rogatkin doing a 1440, Dawid Godziek doing a twister tuck no hander to barspin and Emil Johansson doing a 360 tailwhip to barspin to downside tailwhip - or it could be argued that Brett Rheeder's flatdrop flipwhip displaces one of those. Then below those you've got Paul Couderc doing a double backflip cancan, Tim Bringer doing a flip double tailwhip to bar, Emil Johansson and Erik Fedko doing a 360 windshield wiper, Emil doing an opposite 360 windshield wiper, Emil doing a 360 triple whip, Brett doing a flip opposite double tailwhip, Mike Ross doing a flatdrop cashroll, Nicholi, Dawid and Alejandro Bonafe doing a cashroll tailwhip, Alejandro doing a cashroll tailwhip to barspin, Lucas Huppert doing a flatdrop 360 tailwhip, Emil doing all the 360 barspin double tailwhip variations, Travis Pastrana doing a 360 double backflip, Adolf Silva doing a body varial, Gavin Godfrey and Richard Fert doing a triple backflip, Bienvenido Aguado Alba doing a double front flip, Dawid doing a quad tailwhip, Diego Caversazi and Miguel Guerrero doing a backflip barspin to double tailwhip and Diego doing a backflip cliffhanger to tailwhip.
That's over twenty top level tricks that at the moment the collection of women freeriders are a long way off being able to do. Then you've got the more standard tricks like corked 720 to barspin, opposite corked 720, cashroll barspin, opposite cashroll, flip double tailwhip, half cab barspin, triple tailwhip, 360 double tailwhip, twister, backflip barspin to tailwhip, flatdrop backflip barspin, flatdrop fastplant 360 etc. There's probably forty to fifty slopestyle tricks that the women can't do yet.
Also, a caribou-shirt for Marine Cabirou... :-P
There's 2 options and the first 1 they will not do based purely on expense.
1- Make it a 2 day event. They won't do it because staff and helicopters are expensive.
2- Get rid of the media BS. No graphs. No stories. No filler. No media time outs. None of that. Do run 1. Reset. Do run 2. Live viewers watch that. Get through 2 runs. Then you add in the filler crap for your rebroadcast on Sat and what not. People can then CHOOSE to sit through that stuff or fast forward it.
Long and the short of it is... you can not count on having a ton of time in the afternoon to get this done. It's possible but odds are in favor of wind.
Just like why should there be a women's slopestyle at this point? Let them earn it
Actual lol at the people who downvoted my comment. Yall can't accept facts and want a big ol hugbox
Do you understand the amount of time, training, potential set back from injury, coaching, travel, gear, MONEY it takes to compete in a sport? If there is not event for them to practice for, how are they supposed to get there?
From 2001-2023, the caliber of athleticism has progressed at Rampage - because there was a Rampage. in 2001, there were female riders who could have hit the same lines as the guys - they just weren't invited to the event. Imagine where the sport would be if women had been invited to ride those lines in 2001?
to invite riders who are doing suicides off 20 foot drops max and just starting to flip is kinda an insult to the riders going and building illegal shit and throwing down 75 foot road gap flips in their own time for an invite. The world is full of opportunities to go do that, but I haven't seen it being done by women. If some woman was to go out and build some next level hucks, without hiring dudes to do build it like all their jump comps, and throw down some next level shit on it, guarantee they would get an invite. To fill the spot only because of identity quota would be an insult.
Is it too much to ask to let a few women ride?
Or maybe Rampage only had room for two guys who's name starts with B.
Super stoked to see Gee on the list.
Why Jackson Riddle get another chance is beyond me. His "tricks" last year was not up to pro standard.
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