Finish Line Interviews: Red Bull Rampage 2022 Podium & All Award Winners – Pinkbike

Brett you just won Redbull Rampage congratulations man how does it feel?

Brett Rheeder: Thank you very much!

And here we are with the excavation team, Austin Davignon and Phil McLean, you guys did it!

Brett Rheeder: Yes, it’s a dream team. We put a lot of effort, actually we put all our effort into this build and it seems surreal that we actually finished it. We were still fine-tuning the line at the end of practice this morning and thought maybe we didn’t have a top-to-bottom. So to be here with the win, with the bagger prize – [looks at Austin & Phil] the excavator price, how damn it!
Austine: Yes, someone had to carry the team.

Well it worked. You were going fast at the top of your run where it’s really exposed and there were some great tricks, but you also had this fast raw freeride action at the top.

Brett Rheeder: I didn’t even see the barrel! I did an interview with Tina Dixon and they showed my run and I focused on the run – it was the live broadcast interview and I didn’t answer her questions well because I was trying to see my run. But yes, I look forward to seeing it. I tried to load it up asap because that section is a bit dry. But yes, as soon as we fell into our line, the game was on.

Yes, it was game when you did the big backflip with the one-footed can.

Brett Rheeder: Yes totally,

and the huge tailwhip, single crown action….

Brett Rheeder: ha yes

OPPO THREE!

Brett Rheeder: I know, I know it’s been a crazy run. It felt super ambitious at the top and I kinda made it!

Well great job man you are the champ, good job guys and congratulations!

Szymon Godziek – 2nd place

Congratulations, second place. Your first Rampage podium! How do you feel?

Szymon Godziek: I’m so happy right now I was so stressed out before my run and when I landed that canyon gap flip I was so relieved and changed my plan on my final jump, did one sure trick to not screw it up. So happy.

Your first podium, how does it feel after so many years?

Szymon Godziek: It’s unreal. I could not believe it. Then the second run was canceled and here I am in second place.

Brandon Semenuk – 3rd Place & Best Trick Award

Congratulations on third place and the Best Trick Award at the start. How did that feel?

Brandon Semenuk: It was definitely gnarlier today after everyone went down the slide and chewed it up. It was a slightly wilder feeling than the first time. I got down there, always a relief to get to the bottom of that slide and ride away.

I heard that you didn’t even hesitate while practicing. You looked at it, grabbed your bike and just did it.

Brandon Semenuk: There’s no point in hesitating, this is just bad news. Pick up the bike and go.

Came here late and didn’t get a chance to ride as much as you’d like, but still had a good experience?

Brandon Semenuk: I’m very happy with my driving style today and the guys absolutely nailed it. The setup was insane considering I wasn’t here for the first four days. We missed a lot of work hours but we made it and I was able to practice everything and got a rundown. So all in all it was really good.

Tom Van Steenbergen – McGazza Spirit Award

Tom Congratulations, you made a safe run and won the Kelly McGarry Spirit Award. What does that mean for you?

Tom van Steenbergen: Probably the coolest award there is to win. I love Kelly, we miss him, it’s an honor to receive this award.

You tried last year and you were on the road to success, but you were badly injured. You fought your way through, I can’t even believe you’re here, driving and ripping again.

Tom van Steenbergen: Yeah, I can’t believe I’m being honest here too. It wasn’t an easy way to go down the path, and it wasn’t an easy decision to come back. But now that we’re on a clean run and healthy for the winter, and have more than two months to prepare for the invite, I’m looking forward to next year. It is going to be great.

Jaxson Riddle – Style Award

Congratulations on another 9th place and another Best Style Award

Jaxson riddle: Yeah dude the style award is honestly probably the best thing I’ve won, it’s definitely cooler than first place

Yes right, that’s what you love!

Jaxson riddle: Yes, style is everything.

that’s what you do

Jaxson riddle: Oh yes, I try sometimes

Well it was pretty stylish and good looking man.

Jaxson riddle: Thank you very much.

Cam Zinc – Toughness Award

Congratulations on making it to the end and of course upset that your buddy had a fall and you have to keep fighting. But that’s what you’re known for and you know what you’re getting yourself into and how it feels to get the hardship prize.

Cam Zinc: Yes that was definitely not the prize I was aiming for, I was here to win and we put hours into the build but alone the months before we prepared for it. So it’s a small consolation, but I’ll take it. They introduced it last year to be the sole Hardiness Award winner in a row. I think that’s cool and I really appreciated it because I try to teach my kids to be tough and overcome adversity and obstacles along the way. But when everything went wrong and went bad, things kind of started going well. This morning I didn’t know which line I was going to ride, but I was able to put something together and put on a run that I was pretty proud of. Considering where I was somehow forced to be routed, I was really pumped on my line. I knew it wasn’t going to be a win, but I ended up getting a line despite barely getting out of bed this morning.

That’s the main thing, coming down with a good feeling and having fun at the same time, isn’t it?

Cam Zinc: Yes, and honestly, that was probably one of the funnest Rampage runs I’ve ever had because I wasn’t scared. Once I ticked off the big drop at the top. Although I was literally worried you might die from it, once I checked that off it was fine, makes sense you can ride it, I wasn’t really worried about anything, usually there’s a major jump or drop . So to be able to enjoy it more and vibrate in my headphones, it’s been a pretty comfortable run. A 3 star for Jordie at the bottom and almost threw it away [laughs].