Kudos Claudio. Kudos.
Don’t look right or left,’ Claudio Caluori says as he descends the exposed ridges of the new Red Bull Rampage site.
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Although Claudio is more used to the relative normality of World Cup Downhill course previews, he acquits himself well on this course preview with a difference. He may pull up short on some stuff but what he does have a crack at is mightily impressive.
It’s clear that Claudio isn’t afraid of a bit of airtime!
Red Bull sez: “VIRGIN, Utah — If you follow UCI World Cup racing, you’re well acquainted with the antics of Claudio Caluori and his hilarious downhill course previews. Even if you don’t follow the World Cup there’s a chance you’ve seen one of his clips, as his fan base has continued to grow beyond the mountain bike realm.
“Caluori accepted an invitation to preview the Red Bull Rampage course in 2015, and despite his fear of heights, he accepted. It became obvious once he arrived on site that he was legitimately concerned about riding the very intimidating Rampage venue (for good reason!), but he mustered the courage to record this nail-biting course preview on his GoPro cameras.
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“With a new venue for 2016, it’s time for Caluori to send himself down the perilous ridges of the Utah desert once again.
“The 2016 zone features — well, let’s just say it — a terrifying start that only the world’s most skilled big-mountain riders will be able to take on. As Caluori puts it, “There would be no way to get me on a bike up here.”
“Instead, he begins his course preview a bit below the start gate, picking up on Antoine Bizet’s line at a point after a particularly harrowing drop that most of the riders will have to navigate, one with sheer descents on either side. He takes us through much of Bizet’s line, pausing at a huge step-down that leads into the lower section of the course.
“Looking for another way, Caluori peers over cliffs on a few of the scariest drops on the course, returning to the top to ride the outside ridge on rider’s right all the way to the bottom.”