The Rampage starting order will have fans scampering back and forth across the venue all day, to catch runs scattered across the mountain.
Seventeen riders will start competing in Red Bull Rampage 2022 after Kyle Strait tapped out yesterday due to an injury that hospitalized him. It’s the first time the veteran rider will not compete in a Rampage in the event’s history.
Strait’s medevac exit accented an eventful final practice day Thursday. Brandon Semenuk executed his wildly vertical drop-in, Cam Zink suffered a crash late in the day, and Andreu Lancondeguey and Alex Volokhov finished practice on pronounced high notes.
Zink spent 40 minutes before twilight psyching himself up for an aggressive double several times, stopping at the lip in front of a 50+ foot gap. Then with his wife and young daughters standing by, he dropped in for the send.
But the 36-year-old shorted the jump, dumped his bike, landed feet-first, and crumpled. The onlookers drew in a collective breath, but Zink popped up like a cork, saying he was fine.
Soon after, he and his crew resolved to change the segment to a double pump. It’s located right above a huge drop that will deposit him on the wide road in the middle of the mountain below.
Elsewhere, Andreu Lanconguey put the final touches on his line. Finishing a backflip that will lead him into that same big drop, the exuberant Spaniard pulled up at the lip, took off his helmet, pumped his fists, and said he could “drop in right now.”
Minutes later on looker’s right of the cliff, Alex Volokhov, Kurt Sorge, and Ethan Nell dialed in their crowd-pleasers. Big drops with delicate braking techniques lead to lily pads below. Speed to huck a big following gap was a concern at first, but each rider eventually found they had plenty.
William Robert of France will lead the pack today at 10:30 a.m. MDT. Carson Storch, making an injury comeback, follows Robert. Don’t miss Lacondeguey after that.
You’ll want to stick around all day: Zink rides near the end of the list, Sorge goes next to last with his three all-time Rampage wins, and who else but Brandon Semenuk puts the exclamation point on the day.
Tune into ESPN+ at 10:30 a.m. MDT if you’re in the U.S. Internationally, Red Bull TV’s got coverage.
