Vernon pro mountain biker named Red Bull Rampage champion
A gnarly backflip and other extreme stunts while traversing the steep ridges of Utah’s desert mountain landscape is how Vernon's Brett Rheeder became a two-time Red Bull Rampage champion.
The pro mountain bike rider landed on top of the podium by scoring 90.66 at the Oct. 21 event, according to a Red Bull press release. The second place finisher, Szymon Godziek from Poland, got 86.33. Scores are determined by a panel of judges.
“After nailing his massive entry drop, Rheeder aced a flip can on his burly 48-foot drop to tail whip his step up only seconds later,” the release says.
“The two-time champion kept the tricks coming, spun in both directions, and linked together combinations like he was in a video game.”
Rheeder won his first Red Bull Rampage in 2018. Since then he has faced many setbacks including a broken left femur, according to the release.
"I was pretty unsure what was going to happen this year,” he said in the release.
“I had a lot of changes I went through as a person, and I didn't know if I'd ever get back to this level of riding. So, I didn't come out to win, to be honest. I just want to make sure whatever I do is for me. Only for me. Not for any sponsors, not for my competitors, not for any ego. I want to make sure it's for guiding the sport in the right direction and having a good time while doing it.”
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Rheeder’s team, Phil Mclean and Austin Davignon, were given the Digger Award at this year’s Rampage.
A video of his winning run can be watched here.
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