Just had to share this, as the Rampage isn’t quite in my backyard, but it’s one of the more exciting events that take place here in Utah.
– Brian
Bad Nauheim, Germany, 09 October 2012 -Getting his first taste of Utah desert and the abysses, leaps and crags that make the Red Bull Rampage Diamond Event so challenging, Thomas Genon of Belgium failed to qualify by one slot for the 2012 Rampage finals. This honor he left to another Senso saddle rider, Utah native Logan Binggeli of the KHS Factory Team, who took 3rd on Sunday‘s Rampage podium. Ironically, Genon landed one slot behind another Rampage rookie, Sweden‘s Martin Söderström, at Rampage, and two slots behind 2010 Rampage champion, Canada‘s Brandon Semenuk in the finals. Finishing 17th, 16th and 15th respectively at Rampage, these three riders claimed even greater glory with their places 3rd, 2nd and 1st in the 2012 FMB World Tour Ranking.
No shade, no comfort… nothing but spectacular runs and the world‘s best MTB athletes
Marking the seventh Rampage event since its inception in 2002, this year‘s event drew 1,800 spectators willing to make the journey on foot or by bike along the 6 mile track leading from the parking lot to the observation point. No refreshment stands, no shade, no comfort… nothing but spectacular climbs, plunges and the world‘s best MTB athletes doing their stuff amongst Utah‘s endless sand and rocks.
Called a modern day “gladiator” event by some and a “Kamikaze run” by others, Rampage this year was easy on the paramedics, with excellent riders respectful of the terrain and possessing the skill demanded by these treacherous tracks. Still, no one was disappointed in the spectacle delivered -the lines and tricks set out by each rider were impeccably executed with few falls in forgivingly soft sand.
Logan Binggeli is a son of this terrain, and he did well. Holding Place Two till end of Day Two, his delivery of rotations, backflips, technique and sovereignty on the big drops kept his point average high -it was a huge disappointment when he had to forfeit Place Two to Antoine Bizet of France, stepping back to Place 3 on the podium. Thomas Genon reflected on his early exit philosophically: “Rampage was so much fun! Next year I ‘˜ll be better prepared for sure. I lost my
line in the second run and couldn’t do the tricks I wanted to… but next time it will be easier!”
Quality of today‘s equipment keeping pace with riders‘ skill
This is the seventh Rampage Diamond Event. The shift in emphasis toward Slopestyle and Tricks in this demanding arena is apparent. At Rampage, the contestants need to pit all their skills in the prevailing discipline into one concerted effort to, literally, make the grade. With the skills of the competing riders increasing notably with each subsequent event, the equipment of today‘s riders has also increased commensurately in quality, performance and durability.
Thomas Genon and Logan Binggeli have the equipment, skill and daring to achieve great in their chosen disciplines. As the youngest New Hero for the Senso performance line of Senso saddles, he rides for the UMF Velo Team on a Senso Pivotal or Sport II Light saddle and Merida, modeled for what Thomas can and does do best. Logan, on the KHS Factory Team, also rides a Senso, the Miles 110 Carbon, and a KHS frame designed especially for him.
About Velo and the Senso New Heroes
A leading member of Velo Saddles‘ elite New Heroes team since May, Thomas “Le Frite” Genon is part of a hand selected team of extraordinary young athletes proficient in cycling‘s most demanding disciplines. Model heroes for today‘s youth and youthful, the Senso New Heroes mirror the quest of today‘s youth for individual, free (riding) lifestyle. Taking the hard road to non-traditional, breathtaking victories, they claim affinity and loyalty from a youthful movement demanding integrity, self-respect and fair play: making them figureheads for an affluent generation seeking new expression for traditional values. Working with these young athletes and listening to what they say and what they need, Velo develops performance saddles with state-of-the-art saddle technologies to meet cyclists‘ highest criteria, on the track and off.