Plus Aggy's massive crash
Semenuk’s masterclass, Bizet’s double backflip and Carson’s scorcher. Plus the huge pelvis-smashing crash that ended Agassiz’s chances.
These four runs tell you the essential story of Red Bull Rampage 2016 – the year things changed yet remained the same.
1st – Brandon Semenuk, 84.33pts
Ladies and gentlemen, your winner. Semenuk has won the event before but that was back in 2008 when he was a mere slip of a lad (aged 17). He may not be the showiest and most charismatic of riders but he lets his riding speak for itself. Perhaps in some ways, Semenuk is too smooth and in control. His run, though technically perfect, didn’t have much flair or personal style. But this is Rampage and the judging categories are what they are.
2nd – Antoine Bizet, 81pts
Although it’s tempting to say that Bizet’s run was all about one move (and what a move it was) the rest of Bizet’s run up until his pioneering double backflip was packed with nice tricks and a decent amount of style. He’s almost certainly going to win the prize for doing to trick that gets the most YouTube/Facebook views.
3rd – Carson Storch, 79pts
Every year at Rampage there’s a rider who puts in a rider that somehow feels like it’s the ‘most Rampage’ Rampage run but somehow misses out on the judging scores. This year that run was performed by Carson Storch. His run was technically less difficult than Semenuk’s and lacked a pioneering move like Bizet’s but Scorch’s run was still most people’s favourite run this year.
Crash – Graham Agassiz breaks his pelvis
The rider’s rider and the people’s favourite, Aggy was a barnstorming run full of his signature ragged panache and super style. Then he had a little spill. It was a very, very bad looking crash. The sort of crash where you begin to wonder about the ‘morality’ of events like Rampage. As it turned out, Aggy ‘merely’ fractured his pelvis. A serious injury but not a career or mobility threatening disaster.
>>> Watch Claudio bravely previews the Red Bull Rampage course
Red Bull Rampage 2016 top 10
- Brandon Semenuk – 84.33
- Antoine Bizet – 81
- Carson Storch – 79
- Kurt Sorge – 78.66
- Kyle Strait – 78.33
- Thomas Genon – 77.66
- Tyler McCaul – 76
- Andreu Lacondeguy – 75.33
- Pierre Eduord Ferry – 74.33
- Tom Van Steenbergen – 73.33