It’s simple: rocks, bikes, madness
No halfpipe. No course. Just red sandstone, vertical cliffs and a rider asking himself: Is this even possible? Since 2001, the answer at the Red Bull Rampage has been the same time and again: Yes – if you’re good enough. Or brave enough. Sometimes, even both aren’t enough.
20th edition, 11 different winners – one is back
Hayden Zablotny, a Canadian and last year’s winner, is back. For him, the 2025 victory was “the greatest achievement of his career” – which is no small claim given a field of eighteen world-class athletes. Eight riders secured their places based on their performances last year, whilst ten were awarded wildcards – selected by a committee comprising former winners, professionals, judges and industry experts. In short: anyone competing here has earned their place.
Invited athletes for Red Bull Rampage 2026
Pre-qualified athletes
- Hayden Zablotny (CAN)
- Thomas Genon (BEL)
- Tom Van Steenbergen (CAN)
- Tomas Lemoine (FRA)
- Reed Boggs (USA)
- Talus Turk (USA)
- Cam Zink (USA)
- Finley Kirschenmann (USA)
Wildcard athletes - Bienvenido Aguado Alba (ESP)
- Carson Storch (USA)
- Connor Gallart (USA)
- Jaxson Riddle (USA)
- Johny Salido (MEX)
- Kade Edwards (GBR)
- Kaidan Ingersoll (USA)
- Paul Couderc (FRA)
- Szymon Godziek (POL)
- Tom Isted (GBR)
List of substitute drivers
- Ryan McNulty (USA)
- Aiden Howe (USA)
- Ondra Slez (CZ)
- Louis Reboul (FRA)
- Nicholi Rogatkin (USA)
Note on the list of participants
German fans will be disappointed that neither Lukas Schäfer nor Leo Erhardt received an invitation to the Rampage. In other words: in 2026, Guido Tschugg will remain the only German freerider ever to have taken part in a Rampage (2004, 2008).
We were surprised to find Kada Edwards on the list of participants. It’s sure to be exciting, as the Brit is a true all-rounder. Thanks to his DH World Cup experience, he’s incredibly fast, and he’s already proven his creativity at the X Games Real.
We were also surprised to see that Tom Isted is back in the line-up. The Brit received a rather poor score last year, even though his run was one of the most impressive. Tom seemed so frustrated after last year’s competition that we got the impression he’d had ‘enough’ of the Rampage.
We wish all the competitors the best of luck – in the hope that no one suffers a serious injury. Last year, Adolf Silva ended up in a wheelchair following a fall, and slopestyle superstar Emil Johansson is still struggling with a serious nerve injury following his horrific crash, which currently makes competing impossible.
Everyone designs their own route – that’s no joke
The rules of the Rampage are as simple as they are brutal: each rider has two helpers and is allowed to carve their own line into the mountain. By hand. With spades. What sounds like a folkloric relic is, in reality, high-performance strategic design – because if you plan it wrong, you’ll ride it wrong. And if you ride it wrong, you’ll land it wrong.
The field: six nations, four rookies, no mediocrity
Belgium, France, Poland, Spain, Great Britain, Mexico, Canada and, of course, the USA – the 2026 starting line-up is more international than ever. Four rookies are making their debut: Kade Edwards (GBR), Kaidan Ingersoll (USA), Johny Salido (MEX) and Paul Couderc (FRA). Two former winners are also in the line-up. Cam Zink (USA), a living Rampage legend, returns as the oldest competitor.
The standard? Frighteningly high. The entertainment value? Guaranteed.
Utah awaits. And Utah is unforgiving.
On 10 October 2026, it will be broadcast live on Red Bull TV and the Red Bull Bike YouTube channel. Anyone tuning in will see people doing things that no sensible person would ever do – and that’s exactly what has made the Rampage the best show in cycling for the past 25 years.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
