In Search of Freeride Spirit

The idea first came during the summer, when I was bored to hell because of an injury. I kept thinking it would be cool to create a freeride happening that would be a bit different from usual race or a contest. In the Czech Republic, a place that I am lucky to call home, we get plenty of exciting public events, but none of them really represent what I truly like about riding bikes... nature, group of buddies, a couple of worthy features to ride, and vibes for miles. I cannot go further without mentioning the inspiration that I got from Yoann Barelli and Steve Vanderhoek original „Tour de Gnar“, thanks Steve and Yoann! So I used the creativity of our language and I named the event “Tůr Je(De) Gnar” which could be translated to “cow rides gnar”. We wanted to have a bit more relaxed schedule, plus Czech is not home to so many massive features and diverse terrain. So that started to shape the program for a proper day out with your mates, who ride some challenging stuff, but do not need to be stressing for a specific moment to have a chance to send. I knew I wanted to invite seasoned freeriders, who know what it takes to measure themselves and will not go blindly beyond their comfort zones.

The locations were already prepped, because I wanted to shoot some pictures on them since spring (shout out to the diggers that helped me build, especially Jirka, Gargamel and Baba). I went for a beer with my cinematographer friend, who got stoked on filming the whole thing as well and got together a group of filmers and drone operators. Call a couple photographers on top of that and you got yourself a recipe for a day to be remembered.

In the end it took a month of prep and a sleepless night of pouring rain on the eve before the event and we were set to go. It's Saturday morning and 32 shredders meet in a parking lot, all get stickers and t-shirt to make it official and we set off to the first riding spot.

It's a freeride zone, ripe for carving turns in steep gravely forest and a decent size road gap. Everyone is loving the riding already and it's nice and chill to get you going in the morning. After the introduction of a lip at the beginning, everyone starts to send it faster and that also brings the first casualty (get well soon Martin). After about an hour of shredding and hiking back to the top, everyone moves to the road gap sector.

It's a stepdown with a proper lip to take off from and measures about 10m out and 4m down to get you comfortably to the landing. The run in is a techy turn that is also a bit moist after the nights rain, but that doesn’t prevent Studnopes from being the first one to send. The rest of the group gets easily inspired and after some more maintenance on the turn that leads into it, the session gets nice and wild. Whips, tabels, t-bogs, couple ballsy sui-s from Matous and Moudras, everyone is pumped on going again and again. Until Seb puts the session on hold by coming way too short and hitting the deck hard. Luckily, he is also a tough fella so he will ride again soon, but both bones and his seatstays need some time to recover.

After a quick snack, we move camp to „Matějova plotna“, a slab that was opened a couple years ago but was fine tuned for more exciting riding on this occasion. It got its name to remember the birthday of Bambus’s son who was born the day before the slab was opened. It’s a sequence of a 2m rock slab, that leads into a narrow ledge you can’t stop on and straight into another 8ms of steep rock face. The runout itself is not way easy. You have two options, one offers a series of compressions and the other one a cheeky drop hard to setup for at the speed you are coming at off the slab. And if that’s not enough fun for the most skilled riders we also built a lip line so you can pop into the lower slab. It didn’t last long till Matej opened the A-line whilst still choosing the sketchier runout of the too so mad props to him. All of a sudden everyone seems to be gapping or endo-ing into the lower slab and things go a bit crazy. The A-line got a few more creative run-ins but unfortunately, also took its toll on Domink’s bike that got way too compressed on the run out. Gargamel also went down on the runout, but luckily without any serious injuries except for a broken phone. David then finds a super straight and by far the sketchiest entry into the A-line, everyone holds their breath but he keeps it together and easily claims the throne on the slab. What a session again! We pack tools, broken bikes and all the fellas and move to the third and final location of the day.

Majority of the riders take advantage of the shuttle to get to the third spot. Bunch of core enduro riders use the self powered shuttle to get there. The third and last spot is a gully, deep in the loamy section of woods nearby. The camera crew and photographers are all prepped and await the arrival of the shredders. The Kosnar’s gully is way too much fun but once again a horrid hike. We can see the boys are loving it but fatigue sets in and also takes the casualty of Vita, who walks away unscathed in the end. The hip at the bottom of the gully gets its maiden sends and there is loam flying all over the place as the boys get trains on trains of laps in.

Pushing the gully up was no bueno. What do you think, Frenk? @kraliqe

Tree bong in the making by Honza Sramek . @marsal.adam

Martin Krejci brings all his steeze into the gully. @kraliqe

Jakub Riha and his sharp focus on the next turn. @kraliqe

Dzi sets the table. Photo: @kraliqe 

We call it a day when the sun starts to set, the place gets dark and the boys get tired.

It was a big day. But nothing beats those smiles! Photo: @kraliqe 

Time to move to the base at Potepli where beer and beef await. All the riders discuss over a brew who gets the honors of the day and this is how it all pans out...

What a day! Big thanks to all the riders who turned up and made this day an unforgetable experience.

Awards went to:
Lord of the Gnar: Studnopes
Steeze Master: Moudras
Send to the Gnar: David Cila
The sketchiest line: Honza Sramek
Crash of the day: Seb Hluze
Spirit award: Baba
Honorable mentions: Matous Mlejnek, Dominik Puffer, Dzi

The ceremony. Photo @slamdom

The one, Studnopes! @slamdom

Congrats boyz! Photo @slamdom

All the knights:

Cila David
Cila Jiri
Dominik Puffer
Jakub Riha
Matej Visnovsky
Moudras
Maaca
Pospi
@the-real_benben
Simpancz
Svata
Honza Sramek
Paja Tousek
Jumbo
Filip Drahokoupil
Seb Hluze
Frenk
Radek Rada Kulhavy
Dzi
Studnopes
Vita
Gargamel
Zoceli
Matous Mlejnek
Martin Ptacnik
Martin Krejci
Sojer
Baba
Hanz
Hubajz
Marek Petelik

Respect and props to the boys behind camera lens, risking it all to get the shots.
Dominik Slambora
Honza Kratochvil
Tomas Kral
Adam Marsal
Ondra Havlik
David Spacek

To all the sponsors who were not afraid to support this happening.
Continental
Dakine
Etnies
Horsefeathers
Krab Cycles
Smith
Netopyr Bike
Freeride Pyco


Apparently, freeride ain't dead yet, so see you next year!