Bike
MTB
Szymon and Dawid Godziek are brothers first, bikers second
Szymon and Dawid Godziek look fearless in the worlds of MTB and BMX, but both feel fear – on their sibling's behalf. The Polish duo talk sweaty palms, lack of sibling rivalry and pining for normality.
Part of this story
As Dawid Godziek builds up for his latest trick, or comes to the business end of a competition run, only one person feels the nerves more acutely than him… his brother Szymon.
Inseparable on two wheels from childhood, each sibling feels the dangers of a particular trick and the nerves of the big occasions when watching from the sidelines.
As Szymon, at 29 the older of the pair by three years, puts it: "There are some moments when my heart skips a beat when I watch Dawid trying to land a particularly dangerous trick, or completing his competition run. Even when we were still competing together, I was less scared during my own run than during Dawid's."
Related
His mental outlook is not simply that of a protective older brother, Dawid feels similar sensations and just as acutely.
He explained: "Every time I watch Szymon compete, my hands get sweaty, my heart is racing and there's nothing I can do about it. I just keep my fingers crossed!"
For the most part, the fraternal fear factor has proved misplaced thanks to the manner in which both have shone in their respective fields: Dawid in the combined world of BMX and mountain bike, Szymon as an MTB freeride and slopestyle protagonist.
Dawid Godziek back in Slopestyle action at Crankworx Innsbruck
© Boris Beyer/Red Bull Content Pool
Both celebrate the other's success as though it were one of their own, a testament to the closeness of the brothers, who've pushed each other from the moment Dawid could pedal.
For Dawid, his first memory of being on a bike involved Szymon holding onto his seat, as he tentatively pedalled for the first time without his training wheels. "We pushed the bike together and then I just started pedalling," he recalled. "Later on, I was the first one to start pulling off bike tricks and Szymon began to copy me after a while."
There has never, however, been a fractiousness in their collective bike riding, both bemused at the suggestion there might have been any competitiveness between them.
"I don’t really remember such situations," said Dawid. "It seems to me that we were never fiercely competitive, because why would we compete with each other?"
Szymon Godziek picked up the People's Choice Award at Red Bull Rampage 2019
© Long Nguyen/Red Bull Content Pool
Partially, that's been helped by the fact that their competitive paths have passed less regularly in recent years.
We were never fiercely competitive, because why would we compete with each other?
The last time they believe they went head-to-head with each other was at the 2010 Polish Dirt Jump Championship, before Dawid switched to BMX the following year.
Casting his mind back a decade ago, Szymon said: "He landed tricks the world's top athletes couldn't even dream of, but he never managed to flow with all his biggest bangers through a line at an event when observed by the judges.
"I'm waiting for the day I'll be able to share a podium with Dawid at the biggest MTB slopestyle competition – that's one of my sporting dreams."
"I often ask for Szymon's advice," says Dawid Godziek
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
Instead, in training at the homemade track where it all began, or when filming in front of the camera, they simply push each other further.
Despite not competing against each other, Dawid said: "During competitions at the highest level, I often ask for Szymon's advice. As the older brother, with bigger experience, he shared his valuable knowledge on particular events with me. Plus, we talk about silly things and bikes: where and which tricks you can land, what's new in the bike world… normal stuff."
Szymon admitted that, as the older brother, he borrowed stuff from his brother – mostly bikes – and didn't always take the greatest care of them, but still there was barely a cross word.
Their latest project together is The Old World, a full-length film of bike riding across Europe set for release in December, a project that helped bring them closer still.
Matthias Dandois in Paris, August 2019, performing a Steamroller Barspin
© Julian Mittelstädt
Matthias Dandois macht einen One-Hand MC Circle im Gare du Nord, Paris
© Julian Mittelstädt
Downhill MTB pro Rachel Atherton films around Cadair Idris, Wales
© Julian Mittelstädt
Director Andi Tillmann films Martin Söderström in Stranda, Norway
© Julian Mittelstädt
Already they have their sights set on being able to work together once more. As Dawid said: "I'd like to film another incredible production with Szymon. I also hope that the world will get back to normal and we'll be able to ride in different parts of the planet," as the Godzieks always have.
Be sure to download the free Red Bull TV app and catch unmissable action on all your devices! Get the app here.
Part of this story
