The Belgian Thomas Genon (32) is a phenomenon. There is virtually nothing that this talented mover cannot do. "Tommy G" as Genon is known in the scene. As a teenager, Genon won the high-calibre Joyride Slopestyle in Whistler, which is considered the Super Bowl of freestyle mountain biking in the scene. Tommy G competed in the toughest downhill race in the world, the Red Bull Hardline in Wales, and is a video star and Rampage veteran. After 12 participations in the Red Bull Rampage, the Belgian finally managed a podium finish: silver for Genon!
BIKE: Congratulations on your silver medal success at the Rampage. You've finally done it!
Thomas Genon(Laughs.) I'm not sure what I did differently, but thank you!
On your first run, you caused a lot of excitement when you jumped over the cliff in a 360 directly below the summit. Only a few centimetres separated you from a dangerous fall into the depths. After that, you had to wait what felt like an eternity for your second run. How difficult is it to do a second run at all?
Thomas GenonYou can only hope that the first run goes well, otherwise you experience stress that is almost unimaginable. I had to go through that this year. You sit up there and have no idea when the wind will pick up - and it usually gets stronger as the day goes on. My nerves were on edge.
Pressure to perform and a pain in the arse
BIKE: And meanwhile you're sitting up there waiting.
Thomas GenonIt's incredibly tense. You're sitting there with the other drivers, but it's actually just you. Alone with your thoughts and your stress. It's a unique experience that you have to get through, believe me!
BIKE: On your first run, you almost gave us a heart attack when you landed so close to the abyss after your 360. Did you even notice that?
Thomas GenonI only felt that I was a little too far to the left. The bigger problem was that I went off course and had to stop. So the first run was lost. But I know how to correct things like that.
BIKE: Presenter Cam McCaul said in the livestream: "Oh dear, I don't want him to do that again!" After all, the same thing could have happened to you as Emil Johansson, who fell off the cliff.
Thomas GenonI probably wouldn't have risked the 360 if Emil's crash had happened before my run. But he started after me.
Cup or hospital
BIKE: Everyone is talking about the terrible crashes. Especially the one involving Adolf Silva. Did you witness Silva's crash?
Thomas GenonI saw his fall and also knew that he wanted to do a double flip over the drop. I couldn't help but look. The fall was violent, but at least he crashed on a steep landing. We riders had no idea how serious the injuries would be. To be honest, at first I thought it wouldn't be too bad. It was only when I saw the crash in slow motion after the competition that I realised it was worse.
BIKE: Szymon Godziek flew through the air like a crash test dummy, Silva can no longer move his legs, Emil Johansson almost fell into the canyon - is the risk still acceptable?
Thomas GenonWe are talking about very different falls here. Emil's fall was actually more dangerous than Adolf Silva's. Basically, anyone can fall in this competition - and we have no control over the consequences. Emil could have ended up in hospital like Adolf. So could I if I had drifted a few centimetres further to the left. Nevertheless, there are differences. Emil fell doing a trick that he actually masters in his sleep and that he practises regularly. Emil was simply unlucky. Szymon Godziek undoubtedly risked a lot with his front flip drop. But here too, Szymon can do the trick and has practised diligently at home. Unlike Emil and Szymon, Adolf put all his eggs in one basket. Everyone who knew about it suspected that it wouldn't work. I can't blame anyone for taking a risk like that. But if you ask me, I'd say his chances of success with the double flip over the drop were slim. I didn't believe in it.
BIKE: Has the Rampage become too dangerous?
Thomas GenonWe freeriders only have the Rampage. There is no other event in this class. Only this one time a year do we have the chance to be recognised. If you mess up a race as a Worldcupper, you can make up for it the next weekend. Not us. We have to wait a year, assuming we get invited again. That creates enormous pressure. On top of that, none of us freeriders earn 100,000 dollars a year; most of us struggle to make ends meet. This leads to even more pressure to perform.
BIKE: The industry is in trouble. You were dismissed from the Canyon team, for example, and yet you started with your Canyon Torque - visible to the whole world at the top of the start tower.
Thomas Genon: At the moment I don't have a bike sponsor, that's true. Take the winner: Haydon Zablotny. I don't think he has a pay deal either, because the bike manufacturer has financial problems. Or Tom Van Steenbergen - he rides for a brand that is hardly present on the market. Only the fourth, Tomas Lemoine, has a proper bike sponsor. This clearly shows why we give everything at the Rampage. The pressure is on!
Rampage - still justifiable as a format?
BIKE: Again, does that mean that the Rampage has become too dangerous?
Thomas Genon: No! Give us five rampages and everything would look completely different. Then the pressure wouldn't be so immense and the stress would be reduced. I'm sure that if there was only one Downhill World Cup, the scenario would be similar. Because World Cup racing is basically even more dangerous than the Rampage.
BIKE: Adolf Silva, Finley Kirschenmann, Jaxson Riddle - many riders don't even wear a back protector.
Thomas Genon: I don't wear one either, neither at home nor at the Rampage. In my opinion, a back protector would not have helped Adolf Silva. These parts don't protect against compression and torsion.
BIKE: At the beginning you mentioned the judging and said that you hadn't done anything differently this year than usual. But this time you ended up in second place. What do you think about the judging?
Thomas GenonThat also increases the pressure on us drivers. Nobody knows what's going on. I'm very happy with my second place this year. But I don't think my run this year was any harder or tougher than last year. In other words, it is what it is - you never know how you're going to do. On the other hand, it has to be said that the judging is super hard. Some see Emil Johansson's run at the top, others don't - in the end it's a matter of taste.
BIKE: A matter of taste?
Thomas GenonOf course. Let's sit down at a table! You, me and a few Rampage riders and journalists. Everyone will have their own opinion. And that puts pressure on us riders. Because I can't start at the Rampage next year and aim for the podium, because I don't know what it will take. It's a game of chance.
BIKE: For example, I didn't see Haydon Zablotny in first place. I thought your run was more impressive. And you?
Thomas GenonI'm a big fan of Haydon's style. I really liked his run and his line. That's why I was so happy for him that he made it to first place. Was his run more difficult than mine? No, I don't think so. But I liked the way he looked. In my eyes, his run had everything: style, a tricky start, great tricks from top to bottom. As a judge, I would have seen him in 1st place too.
The eye-catchers 2025
BIKE: Did you watch the other riders' runs in the replay?
Thomas GenonSome of them.
BIKE: Which stunt impressed you the most?
Thomas GenonJaxson Riddles Back-to-Back-Backflips: Backflip Heelclicker in Backflip Step-Down.
BIKE: I was impressed by the way Finley Kirschenmann climbed onto his saddle during the step-down.
Thomas GenonOh yes, the youngsters have a style all of their own. Finley, Talus, Jaxson are absolutely new school. They don't seem to do anything that they wouldn't do in other sessions. And that's why these guys look so good.
BIKE: And you?
Thomas GenonWhen I look at my run in the replay, I can see that I'm under immense stress. The high tension has an effect. My style isn't as clean as usual because I'm giving it my all and trying to deliver the craziest run I can. You can see the tension on my face. In contrast to the guys, who you can tell are having fun. Ultimately, this is reflected in the points, because the youngsters tend to stay in their comfort zone, while the rest of us go beyond it. But the boys certainly look cooler and more stylish.
BIKE: Tom Isted did a cash roll on the big bike during the final jump. How hard is that?
Thomas GenonTom Isted had a crazy run. It's incredibly difficult not to fall flat at the end. Showing a difficulty at the end requires nerves of steel.
BIKE: Was his run undervalued?
Thomas Genon: You have to be on site to make an assessment. It doesn't work from the screen. Tom started quite weakly. In the area where most points are awarded, he started from a less demanding line, unlike Cam Zink or Adolf Silva. This spoilt his result. Despite a cash roll, it made little difference.
BIKE: And also his barrel roll over the Sharkfin?
Thomas GenonEven the barrel roll can't make up for that. In my eyes, it deserved the "Best Trick Award". Its upper part was the least demanding in the starting field.
BIKE: Tomas Lemoine jumped over the highest drop in the Rampage area, the "Stratos" drop. How high was it?
Thomas Genon: No idea. The Stratos drop is pretty high. I'm generally not interested in numbers. I couldn't even tell you how high my highest drop has ever been. For me, it's the difficulty that counts. Let's take my initial drop: not particularly high, but extremely challenging. The landing hangs, is too close to the edge and is damn risky - the abyss lurks to the right and left.
A tough calculation
BIKE: How many rampages have you already ridden?
Thomas GenonTwelve. I've been riding since 2012, 13 years ago. But one Rampage was cancelled due to corona.
BIKE: Will you be back next year?
Thomas Genon: Definitely.
BIKE: Is a Rampage victory still on your bucket list?
Thomas GenonEveryone wants to win. For me, it's not about the prize money, but about achieving something big.
BIKE: The winner Haydon Zablotny won 100,000 dollars and the Ford Raptor. What did you get for your second place?
Thomas GenonThe runner-up receives 40,000 dollars.
BIKE: Not bad. As long as you don't compare it to other sports.
Thomas GenonYou have to bear in mind that we freeriders never see sums like that. That's why it's a lot of money for us. But you have to get on the podium first. In the 12 rampages I've ridden, I've always had to pay extra.
BIKE: What does the calculation look like?
Thomas GenonYou get 9,000 dollars in starter money. That pays for your construction teams and flights, but it's not enough. I did the accounts yesterday: Apart from the prize money, I had to add 3,000 euros - with the help of my sponsors. That's how it is for 80% of the riders.
BIKE: Do you think Canyon will hire you as a team rider again after this success - after all, your bike was visible in close-ups all over the world.
Thomas Genon: That would be nice. Let's see what happens.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
