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Andreu Lacondeguy Wins Red Bull Rampage 2014
After three fourth-place finishes in a row at Rampage, the Spaniard finally tops the podium.
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Andreu Lacondeguy lays it out over a hip
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Set atop the ragged cliffs of southern Utah's picturesque landscape, 20 riders thrilled fans tuning in live across the globe to watch an event considered the pinnacle of freeride mountain biking.
The sun came out in Virgin after a weekend that saw severe weather and flash floods in the area, and many of the biggest stars in the sport were shining with runs that combined speed, style and big tricks. Lacondeguy topped the field with one of the steepest and most difficult runs possible, capping it off with a huge flatspin 360 over the Polaris RZR booter.
I knew I needed that extra little bit to be on the top this year. I just picked the steepest line.
Previous Rampage champion Cam Zink claimed the Best Trick presented by Utah Sports Commission for a massive 360 drop off a 50-foot cliff, also earning him the second-place spot on the podium.
Canadian rider Brandon Semenuk placed third with a run stacked with tricks that included an opposite-360-drop and a huge backflip-one-foot-can-can. Awarded the People’s Choice presented by Army National Guard, based on fan's online votes during the live broadcast, Semenuk also earned the overall 2014 FMB World Tour title with his points from the event.
While top qualifier Graham Agassiz had to drop out of competition due to an injury sustained in practice, several qualifier athletes and Red Bull Rampage rookies made their mark in finals, including Jeff Herbertson and Szymon Godziek, who both backflipped a 72-foot canyon gap.
The new course for 2014 started as a blank canvas for athletes who, alongside a team of builders, shaped their lines over a week prior to finals, working their way down 1,000 feet of vertical cliffsides. The end creation: A path to be ridden by the riders that is judged not only for difficulty of the route they choose, but also the speed, flow, style, and possible tricks they can pull from top to bottom.
Finally first: Andreu Lacondeguy
As Lacondeguy prepared for his run, he aimed into one of the gnarliest lines on the mountain. “I knew I needed that extra little bit to be on the top this year," he said. "I just picked the steepest line. As soon as I heard the countdown, I just got out of the cage and pinned it to the bottom.”
As he went to the top to prepare for a second run, he watched the rest of the riders try to beat his score without success. As soon as his fiercest competitor Brandon Semenuk finished his run and he saw the score would not top his, he put down his bike and wiped away tears, as his dream was finally realized.
Final results
1. Andreu Lacondeguy
2. Cam Zink (Best Trick presented by Utah Sports Commission)
3. Brandon Semenuk (Army National Guard People's Choice Award)
4. Kyle Strait
5. Brett Rheeder
6. Kyle Norbraten
7. Jeff Herbertson
8. Brendan Fairclough
9. Paul Basagoitia
10. Mitch Chubey
11. Szymon Godziek
12. Kelly McGarry
13. Thomas Genon
14. Louis Reboul
15. Carson Storch
16. Pierre Edouard Ferry
17. Geoff Gulevich
18. Ramon Hunziker
19. Tom van Steenbergen
20. Mike Montgomery
Look for more content from the final soon; in the meantime, visit the official Red Bull Rampage site for runs on demand and much more.
Join the #Rampage conversation — follow Red Bull SLC on Instagram, as well as Red Bull Bike on Twitter and Facebook.
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