I mean... How's that gonna work? When Cam Zink won with basically a one banger (by doing the hardest move of the event)... (And even then...
I mean... How's that gonna work? When Cam Zink won with basically a one banger (by doing the hardest move of the event)... (And even then I'd shout out the canyon front flip as well ya know)
But TVS does a TYPE of cam zink run basically, even crazier, and gets shouted out by Cam Zink on IG as being underscored... Cuz its plain as day lol. He just won with that exact type of run. And for all we know it may have been the exact same judging panel.
I thought Silvas run was very close to Godzieks, like feature for feature, and he got scored way lower. So now we can't even trust in the criteria or consistency. May very well just start throwing darts.
I guess what I'm wondering is, given Semenuk's success, is anybody gonna step up to the plate and just do single crown Semenuk runs to the best of their ability to basically guarantee a podium? Since that seems to be the winning criteria? I suppose that's what makes his runs stand out. Not a lot of SS trick guys cross over into FR as well.So we don't even have a great point of comparison. (Similar to Brendog's scenario, apparently.)
Cam Zink's line last year was a good line with tech drops etc. TVS' run this year reminds me more of Cam Zink's 2013 run when he again did the biggest backflip ever at the time and inished third. Even he said during the finish interview that he didn't have that much else in the run.
Rampage is too hard to score anyway. I have my opinion on a lot of the runs, and I'm seeing widely different opinions here and on other sites about TVS/Tmack/Silva/Semenuk that people think were massively overscored or underscored.
I feel like semenuks oppo whip lillypad drop thing is being very under stated - debatably the most technical and precise move of the whole event? It probably ticked off every judging criteria 10/10. In the end the Top 4 were all amazing runs, could have gone either way.
that is the lowest hanging fruit its actually getting dirty from touching the ground.2023/2010: Zink is a Monster rider2022/2018: Rheeder is a non-energy rider I guess...
that is the lowest hanging fruit its actually getting dirty from touching the ground.
2023/2010: Zink is a Monster rider
2022/2018: Rheeder is a non-energy rider I guess? he has a CLIF helmet like Casey
2017/2015/2012: Sorge is a Rockstar rider
2014: Andreu is a Monster rider
2013/2004: Strait is a non-energy rider?
to not even mention all the other podium or highly scored riders who simply are not RB athletes.
maybe you're saying it tongue in cheek but I do see it on social media over and over and it obfuscates the very real problem of consistent (and accurate) judging.
I am not saying there is bias of a Red Bull rider winning Rampage. Just some additional detail.
Straight was a Red Bull rider in 2004, wasn't in 2013.
Lacondeguy was a Red Bull rider in 2014 when he won
Semenuk has won 5 times, been a Red Bull rider the entire time
Also, had Godziek won, he is also a Red Bull rider.
apparently i wrote an article on rampage in 2003. i just found it and have reposted it here (w/ some pics, vids and apologies LOL). groomers vs raw was a hot topic over two decades ago, too.
I feel like semenuks oppo whip lillypad drop thing is being very under stated - debatably the most technical and precise move of the whole event...
I feel like semenuks oppo whip lillypad drop thing is being very under stated - debatably the most technical and precise move of the whole event? It probably ticked off every judging criteria 10/10. In the end the Top 4 were all amazing runs, could have gone either way.
Definitely a proper Rampage type send, but the rest of the run was... Kinda meh by comparison. And I think Zink winning last year with a run like that really calls into question the criteria or consistency or both. But maybe no one put in a proper SS run last year? So maybe that's all it is... Do SS tricks on Rampage type features and you win? And nobody else is really stepping up to the plate. Dunno what SS rider has the same FR chops or what FR rider has the same SS chops. So that's fair. He's basically riding at a completely different level.
But even then the order is just... Confusing. TVS had the biggest send. Godziek had the most complete run if an important criteria is basically never letting up and doing something fucked up on every hit. Brendog had the most creative and raw line. Semenuk had the most tech tricks.
I don't envy any one the task of picking those apart and choosing which value is most important. But I think when it comes to overall scoring, the idea of overall run top to bottom and packing it in should be prio number one. I feel like Godziek ticked every damn box. And got 2nd. Meh
For me to enjoy Rampage you have to park the scoring and just appreciate what all the riders are doing - its almost got to a stage where the approach's being taken are so different its hard to judge and compare.
You have Semenuk doing super tech on smaller features, but the tricks he is doing are still likely the biggest of their kind ever thrown, then you have at the opposite end of the spectrum Bren carving out the gnarliest most exposed route down the mountain, that most pros wouldn't even consider attempting, and then you have the likes of TVS throwing down tricks there are literally do or die and straight out of a video game in terms of scale.
And therein lies the issue - Rampage has morphed into a different event for different riders, with the freeride lable being a catchall term. For some its the opportunity to take tech tricks to another level, for others to throw down the biggest scale tricks ever scene, and for some the chance to push bike control and risk to the very limit.
Its also a fact that Rampage is in the same vein as Nitro Circus and the like to the general viewing public - i was watching with my 9 year old son, and Semenuks run was hands down the favourite for him, though he felt TVS should have won for the front flip whereas for me TMac and Brendogs level of line choice and bike control where the winners.
Perhaps its the case that the judges are looking for a winner that the layman can appreciate, whereas us nerd will always see the technical artist as the one who got robbed.
Ultimately Rampage has gone from an event that catered to the likes of us, to a massive mainstream event there people tune in as much to see the falls as the freeride lines.
I would like to see an equivalent of the snow worlds Freeride World Tour, say 4 venues around the globe, minimal building, and pretty much hitting up raw tech blind with only a bit of scouting.
Cam Zink's line last year was a good line with tech drops etc. TVS' run this year reminds me more of Cam Zink's 2013 run when he again did the biggest backflip ever at the time and inished third. Even he said during the finish interview that he didn't have that much else in the run.
Rampage is too hard to score anyway. I have my opinion on a lot of the runs, and I'm seeing widely different opinions here and on other sites about TVS/Tmack/Silva/Semenuk that people think were massively overscored or underscored.
I feel like semenuks oppo whip lillypad drop thing is being very under stated - debatably the most technical and precise move of the whole event? It probably ticked off every judging criteria 10/10. In the end the Top 4 were all amazing runs, could have gone either way.
I am not saying there is bias of a Red Bull rider winning Rampage. Just some additional detail.
Straight was a Red Bull rider in 2004, wasn't in 2013.
Lacondeguy was a Red Bull rider in 2014 when he won
Semenuk has won 5 times, been a Red Bull rider the entire time
Also, had Godziek won, he is also a Red Bull rider.
apparently i wrote an article on rampage in 2003. i just found it and have reposted it here (w/ some pics, vids and apologies LOL). groomers vs raw was a hot topic over two decades ago, too.
https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/what-i-wrote-about-red-bull-rampage-2…
Definitely a proper Rampage type send, but the rest of the run was... Kinda meh by comparison. And I think Zink winning last year with a run like that really calls into question the criteria or consistency or both. But maybe no one put in a proper SS run last year? So maybe that's all it is... Do SS tricks on Rampage type features and you win? And nobody else is really stepping up to the plate. Dunno what SS rider has the same FR chops or what FR rider has the same SS chops. So that's fair. He's basically riding at a completely different level.
But even then the order is just... Confusing. TVS had the biggest send. Godziek had the most complete run if an important criteria is basically never letting up and doing something fucked up on every hit. Brendog had the most creative and raw line. Semenuk had the most tech tricks.
I don't envy any one the task of picking those apart and choosing which value is most important. But I think when it comes to overall scoring, the idea of overall run top to bottom and packing it in should be prio number one. I feel like Godziek ticked every damn box. And got 2nd. Meh
For me to enjoy Rampage you have to park the scoring and just appreciate what all the riders are doing - its almost got to a stage where the approach's being taken are so different its hard to judge and compare.
You have Semenuk doing super tech on smaller features, but the tricks he is doing are still likely the biggest of their kind ever thrown, then you have at the opposite end of the spectrum Bren carving out the gnarliest most exposed route down the mountain, that most pros wouldn't even consider attempting, and then you have the likes of TVS throwing down tricks there are literally do or die and straight out of a video game in terms of scale.
And therein lies the issue - Rampage has morphed into a different event for different riders, with the freeride lable being a catchall term. For some its the opportunity to take tech tricks to another level, for others to throw down the biggest scale tricks ever scene, and for some the chance to push bike control and risk to the very limit.
Its also a fact that Rampage is in the same vein as Nitro Circus and the like to the general viewing public - i was watching with my 9 year old son, and Semenuks run was hands down the favourite for him, though he felt TVS should have won for the front flip whereas for me TMac and Brendogs level of line choice and bike control where the winners.
Perhaps its the case that the judges are looking for a winner that the layman can appreciate, whereas us nerd will always see the technical artist as the one who got robbed.
Ultimately Rampage has gone from an event that catered to the likes of us, to a massive mainstream event there people tune in as much to see the falls as the freeride lines.
I would like to see an equivalent of the snow worlds Freeride World Tour, say 4 venues around the globe, minimal building, and pretty much hitting up raw tech blind with only a bit of scouting.
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