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This is how Tomáš Slavík prepares for an urban DH season
Join Tomáš Slavík and Adrien Loron as they prepare for the new Red Bull Cerro Abajo urban downhill series by spending days upon days riding similar setups in Spain.
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Three-time Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo winner Tomáš Slavík decided to take a new approach to the urban downhill season this year, heading to Spain for most of January to hone the specific skills needed for riding urban downhill.
Together with Adrien Loren, the Frenchman who won the Red Bull Monserrate Cerro Abajo race in Colombia in 2021, Slavík spent time in the Costa Brava region to prepare for the season. Loren has been based in the area since the latter part of 2022 in order to escape the cold winter further north.
The Costa Brava has many places to train for urban riding, such as narrow streets and passageways, as well as steep staircases of varying profiles. The duo documented their time riding in the region in a new video, Stair Chase, which they filmed over 10 days. Watch it here.
Tomáš Slavík and Adrien Loron training in Spain
© Tomáš Slavík
The training and the filming they did for the video project has already delivered dividends. Slavík took the win at the urban downhill season opener at Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo in Chile in February. This race and two others – Red Bull Medellin Cerro Abajo in Colombia and Mexico's Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo form part of the new Red Bull Cerro Abajo urban downhill racing series that will see an overall winner from the three races crowned. This is a key target for both Slavík and Loren.
12 min
Urban downhill in Valparaíso with Tomáš Slavík
Watch downhill maestro, Tomáš Slavík take on the unique run in the streets of Valparaíso, Chile.
We caught up with Slavík to discuss his time in Spain prior to traveling to Chile for Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo.
What's behind you teaming up with Adrien Loron for this training camp and video project?
How did filming for Stair Chase go?
When you shoot in a city it's quite challenging, because there are so many things that can go wrong. In some spots there were doors right next to where we rode and you were wondering whether people would open them or not when riding past. You can't influence that. I kept thinking, 'please don't let someone open the door, don't let a cat or a dog run out'. And among other things, of course, I tried to survive staying upright on the stairs.
During filming, we spent the most time jumping over two flights of 10-meter stairs. It was book-ended with a road at the top and at the bottom. Cars were drove there, people were climbing the stairs, and then someone sat down on those stairs. A cat also ran out, which I almost ran over. So this shot took us a really long time.
The intrepid duo get down to business
© Tomáš Slavík
What was the most difficult part of the route you chose?
Adrien and I found some stairs on which we had to coordinate nicely for the shot, to ride side-by-side and at the same speed. This was quite challenging because we both ride differently. At the end of the stairs, a 13-meter triple jump awaited us, which we hit completely blindly. We did it so many times until we were completely in sync, which ended up happening about twice. I'm very happy about it, but it was pretty scary.
And the favourite?
I like the final shot the most, where we enter the jungle and the drone flies behind us as we fly down the stairs to the beach.
Yet more steps to conquer
© Tomáš Slavík
The end stop. Good vibes and good times at the beach
© Tomáš Slavík
The whole project and being in Spain looked like a great warm-up for the Red Bull Cerro Abajo series.
I have never prepared for races like these in the city. It's very complicated to do that normally. Now, we're very well prepared after so many days of filming and I think it gives us a lot going into the races. Our form will be perfect.
Not only did we make a great video, but we also had a great workout. Both Adrien and I feel ready for the season like never before.
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