FREERIDE: You are the first Austrian to take part in the Rampage. How did you find out about it?
Clemens Kaudela: It was like an application. Organiser Todd Barber had written to me telling me what I had to do and that I would find out on 27 July whether or not I was going. I was at Swatch Nines in the Greenhill bike park that day and couldn't concentrate on building, I was so excited. At 8 a.m. California time on the dot, Todd Barber wrote: "You are on board. I immediately dropped the shovel and opened a beer.
The Rampage takes place on 13 October. How did you prepare?
I rebuilt my terrace in the midday heat (laughs) and then went biking - just like at the Rampage: You work on your line in the heat and then have to train afterwards.
This year the Rampage is taking place on the same site as last year. Is that good or bad?
The good thing is that I know the terrain, because I was there as a digger for Szymon Godziek. What's not so good is that many riders already have their complete line from last year. They just have to touch it up a bit. But some riders won't be there this year. So I will use their features.
Is there a fixed set of rules?
No. The organiser only says that you should coordinate with each other and talk to each other.
It is said that rookies find it particularly difficult. Why is that?
I saw that with Dylan Stark. It's difficult to use time properly. In other words: What can I build in the time I have available? And do I have enough time to train so that I have my line under control? Then there's the pressure to perform and the nervousness. Dylan had miscalculated a little.
Rampage veteran Szymon Godziek is your friend. Can he give you any tips?
In any case. Tips are always good. However, I've already been there twice as a digger for him, so I know what to expect.
The way you talk, you seem very self-confident.
Yes, that's me too. I've already achieved my goal with the invitation. Everything else is a bonus! I hope that I can programme this into my mindset so that the whole thing doesn't stress me out so much. Because I want to have fun.
You will start with the Propain Rage. How do you prepare your bike?
Of course I'm getting a custom paint job. I'm really looking forward to that. I'm installing crank stoppers so that the cranks can't turn any further. I need that for tricks. I want to install a particularly good headset so that nothing breaks on high drops. But basically, I've already tested my bike setup well while the filming of my Utah edit "The Minister". So: how hard do I have to ride the tyres so that it doesn't pull the tyres off the rim, how tight do I have to ride the suspension so that it swallows up the high drops without catapulting me into space. I already know all that.
Do you know the complete list of starters, i.e. who will be new this year?
Yes, I know that one. It will be announced on Friday 15 September. I also already know the successors.
Clemens Kaudela says: These guys will win!
1 - Szymon Godziek (31): "Szymon Godziek proved last year that he can finish on the podium. Szymon always has crazy ideas. This year he might just win. 2024 is particularly difficult to predict, because last year's winner Brett Rheeder has stopped competing and four-time winner Brandon Semenuk is also not competing this year, so the cards will be reshuffled," says Kaudela.
2 - Emil Johansson (24): "Some people will be surprised that I'm giving the Swedish super slopestyle rider from Trollhättan a podium chance, but Emil has mastered his big bike. You'll see, the guy pulls a Cork-7, does a 360 drop over a fat cliff and another sick stunt - and he's already in front," says Kaudela.
3 - Carson Storch (30): "The American from Bend, Oregon is a big mountain freerider through and through. He was on the podium in 2016 (3rd place) and has a hell of a lot of rampage experience. His 360 drops are legendary. Why shouldn't it work this year?" says Kaudela.
Clemens Kaudela advises: You have to see these guys!
1 - Jaxson Riddle (20): "Jaxson is Utah local, knows the desert and loves big jumps as a motocrosser. Jaxson has his very own style, a real eye-catcher! Really cool: his extended tricks. Take a look at his runs from the last two years!" says Kaudela.
2 - Adolf Silva (26): "The madman from Spain is a force to be reckoned with. Think of his double flips at Darkfest. This guy knows no fear, the best prerequisite for the Rampage," says Kaudela.
3 - Bienvenido Alba (36): "Bienve is now an older man, but you can't tell from his riding. The former artistic gymnast is a talent for movement. He won the Swatch Nines with a frontflip cliffhanger and is sure to pull out some crazy tricks in Utah too," says Kaudela.
Clemens Kaudela: The Minister - the YouTube video of the Austrian, Clemens Kaudela
Read more about Clemens Kaudela & the Red Bull Rampage here:
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
