Red Bull Rampage Releases 2018 Wild Card Athlete Roster for Rampage

Aug 11, 2018 at 15:28
by Red Bull Bike  
Photo by Ale Di Lullo

PRESS RELEASE: Red Bull

Red Bull Rampage is mountain biking’s truest test of skill and mental toughness. Featuring the sport’s best athletes and set in one of the most demanding locations on the planet, the event has evolved over 17 years to become freeride mountain biking’s most coveted title. The 13th edition of Red Bull Rampage will take place at a new location in Virgin, UT, giving Red Bull Rampage athletes fresh terrain to create their ultimate line.

The 2018 edition promises to be the best spectator and athlete experience in the event’s history. Today, the complete lineup of those world-class athletes has been set, comprised of 10 pre-qualified and 11 invited Wild Card riders. Rampage rookies Adolf Silva and DJ Brandt will line up with the heavyweights of freeride - Kurt Sorge, Cam Zink and the return of Graham Agassiz.

The pre-qualified riders earned their right to compete in 2018 by finishing in the top 10 in last year’s Red Bull Rampage. The remaining eleven riders who make up the Wild Card athletes were chosen by a Rampage Committee — consisting of pro riders Cam McCaul, Aaron Chase, Randy Spangler, and Nico Vink along with event organizer Todd Barber — and invited based on the following criteria: past results from similar big bike contests including Rampage, proven skill on a big mountain bike, and current video segments.

2018 PRE-QUALIFIED ATHLETES (2017 Top 10)
Kurt Sorge (CAN)
Cameron Zink (USA)
Ethan Nell (USA)
Brandon Semenuk (CAN)
Brett Rheeder (CAN)
Thomas Genon (BEL)
Carson Storch (USA)
Kyle Strait (USA)
Tyler McCaul (USA
Tom van Steenbergen (CAN)

RED BULL RAMPAGE 2018 WILD CARD ENTRIES
Adolf Silva (SPN)
Andreu Lacondeguy (SPN)
Brendan Fairclough (GBR)
DJ Brandt (USA)
Graham Agassiz (CAN)
Jordie Lunn (CAN)
Pierre Edouard Ferry (FRA)
Reed Boggs (USA)
Rémy Métailler (FRA)
Szymon Godziek (POL)
Vincent Tupin (FRA)

Featuring a world-class broadcast team including Sal Masekela, Pat Parnell, Tina Dixon and freeride mountain biking legend Cam McCaul, Red Bull Rampage coverage begins Friday, October 26th at 9:00am PST/Noon EST, live and on-demand on Red Bull TV. Red Bull TV is distributed digitally as an app across mobile phones, tablets, consoles, OTT devices, Smart TVs and online at www.redbull.tv.

Limited tickets will go on sale later this summer — find updates at redbull.com/rampage.

The event is supported by BFGoodrich, Utah Sports Commission, Go RVing, Camelbak, Polaris, PowerDot and Rocktape.


MENTIONS: @redbullbike


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140 Comments

  • 162 9
 no reece wallace???? come on...
  • 78 6
 Reece got robbed
  • 5 8
 +1
  • 17 3
 Ridiculous how they didn't add him... Must be such a bummer for him! I noticed he has been trying hard to get into it this year.
  • 25 6
 Yeahhhh but Adolf Silva and Jordie Lunn. You can't have all the brownies or else you get fat. No one wants to be fat.
  • 9 4
 I'm genuinely pissed off. He pushes the sport so much with his excellent riding and videos.
  • 20 6
 I can't wait to hear the biggest douche in the history of posers Sal Masekela.
  • 1 1
 @scott-townes:
  • 7 6
 Red Bull must be the mafia because every time they even mention Rampage somone is getting robbed. And lets not forget all the great DH tracks that have been replaced by bike park tracks. So yes, even DH has been robbed.
  • 8 4
 Where would MTB, bmx, skateboarding, skiing, Moto X, surfing, etc, etc without Redbull and Monster.
  • 1 2
 #letaggy.... hang on a minute....#letreecein
  • 5 0
 @fecalmaster: yea really. Sports like mountain biking are sponsor driven sports. Unlike major pro sports where players draw salaries from teams who make money from tickets sales and TV rights, all the money in sports like mountain biking comes from sponsors. These sports literally would not exist without sponsor money and red bull has been one of the biggest if not the biggest sponsor of action sports over the last decade.
  • 2 1
 @sino428: Ya I was thinking back to the US open days when they really started backing DH and wondered how laim MTB would have turned out without their massive support, Monster also.
  • 3 1
 @fecalmaster: Where it should be... In the crevices of society.
  • 15 1
 @fecalmaster: And where would all those sports be without Sal?! Along with Redbull/Monster he has also been instrumental in bringing those sports to the masses for decades! He rips on skate a surf boards which is why he started with announcing surfing contests and the X-games in the 90's. I've also met the guy and spent time with him when I was a kid, he was family friends with a childhood friend of mine, and he is just about the nicest guy you will ever meet. You truly are a piece of troll shit! I'd love to see your pathetic attempt at any sport, people who talk shit like you can never hold their own!
  • 4 0
 @millsr4: I think some people are just against anything mainstream. They see people like Sal Masekela and Pat Parnell on these broadcasts and get all rocked of because they aren’t real mountain bikers or whatever. Not realizing that broadcasts need professional broadcasters like these guys (and Tina Dixon) on it to make the show run smooth. You can just throw a few ex-bikers on there and expect them to carry a broadcast. There is a lot of skill and training in what they do. It’s why when redbull took over broadcasting world cups they sent Rob Warner for real training in how to be a broadcaster. He worked with other professionals in many other sports including things like soccer to learn how to be a real professional broadcaster and it shows in his performance now.
  • 1 0
 @sino428: love Robs coverage, just wish he could do math better though!! He can never round up a number correctly at a split lol
  • 1 14
flag fecalmaster (Aug 12, 2018 at 11:41) (Below Threshold)
 @millsr4: Are you serious, we have been laughing histerically at him for years. They could higher a chimp to replace his useless comments.
  • 4 0
 @fecalmaster: Would you prefer someone whose main qualification for broadcasting is shouting „shut the front door!“?
  • 1 3
 @Gamsjaga: Wondering who is more annoying, put those two together and watch my TV explode.
  • 2 2
 @Boardlife69: oh stop with that 'bike park' track nonsense.
  • 1 0
 @fecalmaster: There's no way Cam can make up for all weakness in that broadcast team...
  • 1 1
 @sino428: You hit the nail on the head. Sometimes you just need a professional to do the job right!
  • 2 1
 @sino428:

Yeah but they are diabolical broadcasters who do next to no research and constantly talk over one another and mispronoune words, hardly professional. Someone needs to have the talk.
  • 1 1
 @JoeWPD: Mute button is an announcers worst nightmare. I always mute the terrible sound tracks, commentators get the same play.
  • 1 0
 @JoeWPD: I know , when they mispronoune words it really drives me nuts
  • 1 0
 @JoeWPD: you don’t think people like Pat Parnell and Tina Dixon are prepared or informed? These two have been broadcasting all types of action sports for years and do a frat job. They are never going to be as knowledgeable about the sports as people who have participated butbtheta why they are paired with someone like Cam McCaul as an analyst. The is a standard sports broadcast setup. Pro play by play guy, who runs the broadcast, and an analyst, usually an ex player to provide analysis and insight.
  • 1 0
 @sino428: I think Cam, Rob, and Claudio do a great job. Using actual athletes seems to be catching on in many sports.
  • 2 0
 @fecalmaster: Rob does a great job all around but he has had training specifically for broadcasting, though I do miss his cursing. Smile Cam and Claudio do great at times but still need some help...
  • 2 0
 @millsr4: Ya Rob has def stepped up his game, Claudio is comic relief and all around positive energy as is Cam. Non sport specific commentators should be worried. Even BMX events now have Scotty Kranmer who I think is doing an awesome job and has insight lightyears beyond your average "trained" speaker.
  • 65 4
 No Antoine Bizet too ????
  • 45 9
 I wouldn't want to come back either if I got a shit score like he got for putting down a killer run.He was way under scored.
  • 23 1
 No idea how he wasn't invited. He's finished second twice!
  • 20 30
flag scott-townes (Aug 11, 2018 at 17:30) (Below Threshold)
 @nug12182: LOL I wonder when people will realize this isn't a slope contest....
  • 25 2
 @scott-townes: everyone knows its not a slopestyle contest - but putting down huge tricks does matter
  • 7 6
 @scott-townes: I agree flips are boring, I mean c’mon
  • 33 0
 @mkotowski1: holy shit your name is close to mine
  • 13 0
 Ankle injury for Antoine Frown
  • 9 1
 @Hyrumtasso: Yeah man a double backflip on a perfect double jump at the bottom of the course shoulda totally placed him higher even though he took the most basic line down the course...... I really don't think you people do understand how this is judged.
  • 58 5
 Really lame to see Reece not in there. But for the love god let Remy into the us
  • 52 2
 Remy, if you are reading this, you came to attend a RELIGIOUS FUNCTION and there is absolutely no money or bike trickery involved
  • 12 2
 @me2menow:
Be careful not to mention Islam.
  • 4 2
 @me2menow: or, I don't know, get a visa.....call me crazy.
  • 3 0
 @robaussie99: I had a visa.
  • 1 1
 He had a visa....... didn't you read the interview with him? @robaussie99:
  • 2 1
 @remymetailler: You didn't have a WORK visa, thats why you got turned away, you had a travel authorization....TRAVEL...not work.

Try it again this year with an ESTA and see how far it gets you, I'd like to think you've got a visa this year, as opposed to last year.

Good luck!
  • 2 1
 @robaussie99: "Professional athletes are allowed to compete international events and win prize money under a visitor visa B1/B2 or ESTA" That's the law.
  • 1 1
 @remymetailler: actually no, it's not.

travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html

The only visa that relates to business is the B1, and that is explicitly NOT for "employment"

"Travel Purposes Not Permitted on Visa Waiver Program – Examples:

study, for credit
EMPLOYMENT
work as foreign press, radio, film, journalists, or other information media
permanent residence in the United States"

As far as I'm aware you're going down there to make money, thats EMPLYOYMENT.

I guess thats why they rejected you last time.....



What you're looking for is a P1 visa;

"Individual Athletes Eligibility Criteria
You must be coming to the United States to participate in individual event, competition or performance in which you are internationally recognized with a high level of achievement; evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above that ordinarily encountered so that the achievement is renowned, leading or well known in more than one country."

All the information for you regarding the application process is below, good luck!

www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/p-1a-internationally-recognized-athlete
  • 2 1
 @remymetailler:

Serious question, are you planning on just showing up again and pulling the B1 card, like last year? Or do you actually have the appropriate visa already?
  • 49 0
 Good to see Jordie back in the thick of things!
  • 49 4
 We want Reece!
  • 52 7
 Why not Casey Brown?
  • 7 8
 ^^^ THIS ^^^
  • 3 5
 This times a thousand!
  • 36 3
 I’m mixed on this. I’ve seen a lot of people suggest it, and it would be cool to see her ride, but her skill level is clearly not to the level of these riders. I’d love to hear her actual thoughts on it or even that of other female riders. Would she want to be invited simply because she is a woman and feel comfortable taking s spot?
  • 1 2
 @sino428: maybe doing a female Rampage? I have heard Rachel wouldn't ride tho, so I don't know how would you get enough participants
  • 2 0
 @JoseBravo: yea that’s the issue. When there are badass women riders, but not enough to form their own class, what’s the answer?
  • 16 0
 @JoseBravo: my guess is that you couldn’t field enough women even with Rachel.

Women generally have too much common sense and intelligence to ride a course like this.
  • 1 0
 She rode in the Fest series with all the guys and was hitting the the same jumps and lines as all the dudes. But I agree with you, it would be cool to hear her thoughts and actually competing, and not just making it some gimmicky shit that the sponsores are putting on. @sino428:
  • 42 2
 No Reece, no Rdog and no Claw?
  • 39 2
 no Olsen Twins...!!??..come on Red Bull...wtf!????
  • 37 0
 Where's Doerfling?
  • 48 0
 Red Bull pissed he pulled out last year ti fight forest fires in Billy's puddle instead of earning them $$$$

f*ck red Bull
  • 9 0
 %×$&×€×# where tf is doerfling
  • 26 0
 Rooting for jordie lunn! That will be a hell of a show
  • 11 0
 Im scared
  • 7 0
 Y'all know he's building a sketchy monster starter
  • 2 0
 his run will be rough af
  • 23 0
 I am pumped to see DJ Brandt get the invite.......he's been doing some amazing riding over the past year and stoked to see it get rewarded
  • 11 0
 Let’s make a rule. If you make a comment bitching that someone was left out, you have to include which rider(s) you think should have been left out instead. It’s a limited field and there are more deserving riders than there are available spots. Some good riders are always going to be left off the list but it’s been proven over the years that a smaller field works better in this event. That’s why they cut it down a few years ago.
  • 1 0
 Fine. G dog. F dog. C dog. E dog. M dog. P dog. Q dog. And B dog.

Now nobody has to name riders. ????????
  • 13 0
 I still didn't make it. Maybe next year.
  • 13 1
 Jordie Effin' Lunn! Hell yeah! Though I agree Bizet belongs on this list.
  • 8 0
 Tricks are boring true gnarly freeride is legit
  • 8 0
 Fingers X'ed this is Aggy's year!!!
  • 8 2
 No r-dog. After giving him like 2 days notice last year to compete you think you would invite him.
  • 8 0
 Aggy for the win!!!!
  • 7 0
 Stoked for Godziek! Come on buddy!!
  • 4 0
 James D is a true hero for staying in Williams lake last year during rampage to help fight the never ending forest fires.. Shame he isnt invited back this year, often undercredited for how exposed his line choice is.
  • 7 1
 Suck for Reece but stoked for lund
  • 3 0
 Faircloth at rampage I am stoked to see that. I am also curious what Nell with bring to the event due to his extensive amount of time he spends doing that kind of riding and good result last year.
  • 2 0
 Late to the pitchfork party, but I really don't understand all the hate on the rider list. Someone's always going to complain about Rider X not getting an invite but I honestly can't pick a single rider to exclude from the current list. This is going to be an amazing year. We get to watch salty dogs like Zink, Sorge, Lyle, Jordie, PEF, Andreu, Semenuk, Rheeder, and TMAC at the same big mountain freeride comp as young guns such as Storch, Ethan Nell, DJ, Adolf, Aggy, Vinny T, and Remy? What more could you want? Only rider I'm genuinely surprised by is BrenDog, as rumor has it he "didn't really fancy doing [Rampage] again".

Personally, I would have loved to see the Claw, R-Dog, or James Doerfling get an invite but @scott-townes put it best: "You can't have all the brownies or else you get fat. No one wants to be fat."

New venue, a refreshing return to grassroots Rampage judging, DJ is going to half-cab off something for sure and you can count on Adolf to front flip something stupid massive (also he's been working on a moto-style seat-grab flip barrel roll thing on the gram that's real progressive). It's gonna be fantastic. Sure, a lot of haters will say Reece and Bizet got robbed but I think we've already beat Bizet's scoring from 2017 to death (honestly I'm in the camp that his score was exactly what it should have been for riding the chillest line down the mountain despite double backflipping a *perfectly manicured* jump at the very bottom).

Crucify me, y'all.
  • 1 0
 Has Red Bull limited the coverage around this? I am sure most people are like me and enjoyed all of the "Road to rampage" stuff in the past. Seems like ya'll are slacking on coverage, or Red Bull has put a halt on all things rampage until the event.

@pinkbike @redbull Let's hear what you have to say...
  • 5 2
 2 VeeTireCo. Riders yeah yeah

Go Go Vinny T and Jordi Lunn !!
#takeyourselffurther
  • 11 18
flag mollow (Aug 11, 2018 at 20:50) (Below Threshold)
 Can you imagine if the Maxxis rep would brag about all of their riders being invited to events? Get a f*cking life
  • 3 1
 tf... where's my name on that list Red Bull?! *angrily grabs his electric scooter and rides off with the throttle pinned wide open*
  • 1 1
 Now what is going on?

While I checked the riders list, I was thinking OK is this a slopestyle event or an event of old riders invited because of their names...

I do not want to offend Zink, Strait, Lacondy and all the others, but come on there are some riders who need to be in...

What about JAWS, Wil White, Reece Wallace, Hunziker, Kaudela etc ....

Why is Vink in the jury? He is good he is crazy, but just competed I think two times and he's still young enough to compete...

IT'S TIME FOR A NEW FORMAT RAMPAGE, TIME HAS COME AND OLEASE DO NOT JOIN WITH THE FMB AGAIN
  • 7 3
 Brendog hoorah...!!
  • 4 0
 Jordi Lunn yes
  • 8 7
 Brendog to try to draw some attention from DHers and GBR. He's a great rider, but no way is he in the top 20 for world wide freeriders/slopestylers.
  • 17 2
 He's producing his own movies though, that's a big deal for the sport. They should have put the 50to01 boys in there, Craig Evans won hardline and Bryceland is on another level in terms of style, they are comfortible on the fest series stuff. The way they are riding and digging creatively at the moment would add an awesome dynamic to Rampage.
  • 8 0
 @TobiasHandcock: I agreed, I'd love to see those boys at this event, but I don't think they have the aerial tricks needed to score well at Rampage. They could ride the features and terrain with their shut though...Maybe they could jib their way down Wink
  • 2 0
 @nicklesterrides: Yeah true, but line choice and the way they use terrain, they make average trails in the local woods look like playgrounds, imagine what they could do with big terrain like rampage.
  • 3 0
 Brendog got 8th place at Rampage 2-3 yrs ago, so, check your stats bro...you are wrong.
  • 3 0
 James D and Makken our? Good to see Jordin Lunn tho but still..
  • 3 1
 Invite list is like judging last year. I would not change a thing. Rampage is on a good direction.
  • 2 0
 I'm glad to see jordie but thought I would see Reece and I wonder why nicholi
  • 4 0
 HELL YEAH DJ!!
  • 3 0
 Get Wyn and Rob in a booth together.
  • 2 0
 Bummed on no Claw, but stoked to see Lunn will be riding.
  • 3 0
 James Doerfling?!
  • 3 0
 I see you DJ
  • 2 0
 The return of Aggy! So happy to see him on that list.
  • 3 1
 Fairclough but no r-dog?
  • 5 3
 FAIRCLAW!!!
  • 3 6
 I really do not understand what they are doing... I mean check out the wildcard list... Do these riders need to qualify?

Why is semenuk in or rheeder and lacondy out? Semenuk is also not competing like lacondeguy...

Wallace come on guys.... Doerfling come on guys.... And so on....

The Industrie started a mcdonalisation of Mountainbiking.... And this here is the result of it.....
  • 7 0
 Semenuk and Rheeder prequalied from last year by finishing within the Top 10 - Lacondeguy finished outside of it in 2017, but has so much Rampage cred that he pretty much gets an automatic invite.
  • 3 2
 @RichardJBos: don't get why, all I've seen is bitching and moaning from him..
  • 3 2
 I didn't think Brendog wanted to do Rampage again
  • 2 0
 Not Bas V ??
  • 4 2
 No Nicholi Rogatkin???
  • 2 1
 Prognarcore
  • 1 0
 FUCK YEAH JORDIE!!!!
  • 1 0
 Aggy need first)))
  • 2 1
 #reece4rampage
  • 2 1
 #fabiowibmer4rampage
  • 2 1
 Red Bull Mafia!
  • 1 0
 Wheres Randy???
  • 1 3
 Antoine Bizet deserves pre-qualified spot!... Shame to see how if you don't move with the giant the giant will move you....
  • 1 0
 Antoine was invited. But he won't ride due to an ankle injury so he declined.
  • 1 0
 @Rideuse67: I wouldn't eather after being ribbed not for the first time....
  • 2 3
 Nico Vink ?
  • 3 0
 Probably judging again, like last year.
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