This year’s Red Bull Rampage venue and rider list have been confirmed, detailing a shock omission for this year’s event. Virgin, Utah, will again host the world’s most iconic and extreme freeride mountain bike event, with riders returning to the site of Rampage 2022. This site hosted Rampage from 2008-2013 and returned as Red Bull’s venue of choice in 2022. 

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It has provided some of the most dramatic moments in freeride mountain biking history, such as Cam Zink’s 360 off the Oakley Icon Sender (2010), and his enormous step-down backflip in 2013. That same year, the late Kelly McGarry also launched an outrageous backflip over the Virgin venue’s 72-foot road gap. 

Carson Storch rides at Red Bull Rampage in Virgin, Utah, USA on 13 October, 2021..jpg, by Redbull

The rider roster for this year’s Red Bull Rampage sees 18 athletes, with four pre-qualifiers from the 2022 event: Szymon Godziek (Poland), Reed Boggs (USA), Thomas Genon (Belgium) and Carson Storch (USA). However, the absence of freeride mountain biking’s most precious and talented rider, Canadian Brandon Semenuk, is notable. 

Regarded as the most influential rider of his generation, Semenuk has cited scheduling conflicts for his absence. The five-time Red Bull rampage winner’s absence has created a wildcard opportunity for one of downhill mountain biking’s most committed riders. With two downhill World Championships and previous Rampage experience, Britain’s Gee Atherton doesn’t lack credentials.

Gee Atherton at Destination Red Bull Rampage 2022 in Virgin, Utah, USA..jpg, by Redbull

Atherton also organises Red Bull’s Hardline event in Wales, which has effectively become a hybrid-European version of Rampage, presented as a downhill race with enormous features. For Atherton, riding at this year’s Red Bull Rampage will be a symbolic triumph after he suffered a massive crash while filming ‘The Knife’s Edge’ in 2021. Atherton sustained a broken femur, broken ribs and several other injuries after tumbling for 100 metres. 

The other British invitee for this year’s Red Bull Rampage is Brendan Fairclough, an experienced downhill World Cup campaigner and noted freeride mountain biker. Fairclough proved his innovative and courageous riding by flipping the canyon gap during the 2021 Rampage event. 

2022 Redbull Rampage spectators, by Redbull

As with all extreme freeride events, Red Bull Rampage operates in a window of opportunity, allowing for weather. The start date for this year’s competition window is scheduled for 13 October. 

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