Darkfest 2026: "Between world record and fear"

"I would have gone under without Utah"

BIKE: How was your comeback at Darkfest after the knee injury?

ELIAS RUSO: Intensive. It was my first big event after the injury - and then the tenth edition. The respect was correspondingly great.

BIKE: How much big bike time did you have before?

Almost none. Maybe 20 minutes in total. I practically didn't ride before the event.

BIKE: Seriously?

Yes, that's why the trip to Utah was crucial. I wouldn't have felt comfortable there without this training.

BIKE: Even as a former "King of Darkness"?

Precisely for this reason. I lack confidence after such a long break. Utah helped me to get a feel for speed and jumps again.

BIKE: How did the start of the event go?

Surprisingly good. I did several top-to-bottom runs on the first official training day. New bike, good setup, good feeling. After that, I was able to improve step by step.

BIKE: When did you start thinking about bigger tricks?

Relatively fast. I realised that the speed was right. The timing is right. Then confidence grows automatically.

"At two o'clock in the morning, I knew I was going to land the double flip"

BIKE: You were one of the first riders on the new Falcon Heavy jump. The name comes from the biggest rocket ever built, to do justice to the dimensions of the jump. It's supposed to be the biggest dirt jump in the world, right?

Yes, the Falcon Heavy is the biggest airtime jump in the world for mountain bikes, you could say that. It's a double with a 20 metre gap. To get the speed, you drop down a step-down, also with a 20 metre gap. This gives you an approach speed of 70 km/h - and you need that. The Falcon Heavy's take-off angle is only 53 degrees. Relatively flat. The last two metres of the ramp: completely flat, like a board. You have to get the pop out first.

Four riders tested it first: Alessio Tonoli, Clemens Kaudela, Tom Isted and me. I jumped a backflip that same evening.

BIKE: And then you immediately thought about the double flip?

Not immediately. But I realised that there was a lot of airtime. More than with many other jumps. So I started to visualise.

BIKE: How intense?

Played through in my head fifteen, twenty times. Over and over again.

How do you prepare yourself mentally for a trick like this?

I went home and visualised. I went through the double flip 15 to 20 times in my head. Then I fell asleep. I woke up at two o'clock in the morning because my room neighbour Tomas Lemoine was snoring. And I remember my dream - I land the double flip. I normally never dream, I remember a dream maybe once a fortnight. But this was crystal clear. I thought: This is a sign!

BIKE: That was enough?

It is for me. I get up at 6.30am. Visualise again. Then I head straight to the track. No warm-up, no top-to-bottom run. Just the Falcon Heavy. I jump it eight times. Once straight, otherwise just flips. Then I do the double.

BIKE: And confessed.

Yes, probably the biggest double flip ever done over a real dirt jump.

"7 minutes at the start - with thoughts of the wheelchair"

BIKE: What happens in your head before you make such a leap?

A lot. I stood at the start for seven minutes. And of course there are doubts.

BIKE: What doubts?

I fought every one of my inner demons. There were thoughts of Adolf Silva in my head. That I was now doing something equally dangerous. That I could potentially lose my legs. Then your brain rattles. You have to block out these thoughts. Say: I know the danger, but I'm going to land this shit. I even thought: If I break my neck, I could be dead.

BIKE: And you still jump.

You have to control these thoughts. You can't block them out completely. But you need hyperfocus.

BIKE: What does that mean in concrete terms?

Trust in your skills. Confidence in your preparation. Trust in the material. It doesn't work without that.

BIKE: Would you make the jump again?

No. The risk is simply too high.

BIKE: So that was a one-off?

Yes, I won't do a double flip of this dimension a second time.

BIKE: Then why at all?

Because it is precisely this situation that puts you in a special mental state. You are completely in the moment. Everything else disappears.

"Rampage begins long before the start gate"

BIKE: Is Rampage your next big goal?

Yes, but not immediately.

BIKE: Why so long term?

Rampage begins long before the actual event. With preparation. With projects. With video clips.

BIKE: So strategically planned?

Absolutely. I don't want to just turn up there. I want to be prepared.

BIKE: What is your strategy?

When I ride, it's with a line within my skillset. I want to show what I can do. But not risk everything.

BIKE: So it's not an all-or-nothing approach?

No.

BIKE: Who do you see as a role model?

Reed Boggs, for example. Very controlled. Very smart.

BIKE: And riders like Tom Van Steenbergen, Cam Zink or Adolf Silva?

Extremely impressive. But that's a different level of risk.

BIKE: But Rampage still appeals to you?

Of course. It's the biggest event in freeride.

"Adolf showed me what mental strength really means"

BIKE: Adolf Silva was at the event. In a wheelchair. What was that like for you?

That really moved me. That's exactly the situation that every driver is afraid of.

BIKE: How did you experience it?

Incredibly positive. Travelling the world alone. Builds new sports equipment. Stays active. Stays present.

BIKE: Impressive.

Very much. I have huge respect for that and bow inwardly to this guy.

BIKE: Did that influence you before your jump?

Yes, I was wearing his shirt.

BIKE: As a sign?

Yes, I wanted to make this leap for him too.

"The 110-Footer is more brutal than Falcon Heavy"

BIKE: Falcon Heavy is considered the biggest airtime jump on the scene. Nevertheless, many riders say that the 110-footer is more difficult.

I agree.

BIKE: Why?

You can "lob" Falcon Heavy. The 110-Footer is more brutal. More speed. More power.

BIKE: Did you have any problems with the 110?

The 110 is still in a league of its own for me. I jumped it again this year and thought to myself: this thing is at its absolute limit. I also flew nose-dive once because the air was thicker than in the previous session. I underestimated it. The speed combined with these forces should not be underestimated. I was on the verge of hitting my face.

BIKE: What makes 110s so difficult?

Timing. Speed. Consistency.

"My goal is clear: Rampage"

BIKE: What are your next steps?

I want to ride at the top level again.

BIKE: And then?

Prepare a strong video project for Rampage.

BIKE: Schedule?

2027 or 2028 would be realistic.

BIKE: Sounds like a long way to go.

It is. But that's exactly what motivates me.

BIKE: And until then?

Drive on. Continue learning. Make progress.
And stay healthy