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Best Photos From Red Bull Rampage 2002
The second year brought more spectators, more sending and the-one-and-only Tyler "Super T" Klassen.
Darren Berrecloth drops in at Rampage 2002
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
The first year of Red Bull Rampage was a test of sorts. Freeride mountain biking was relatively new — slopestyle was yet to exist — and people were unsure if a big mountain freeride mountain bike contest could be possible.
By the time the second Rampage kicked off in 2002, it was clear Rampage had staying power. Riders proved the terrain could be ridden in 2001. So in 2002, the riders were all about finding the biggest terrain possible and went even bigger.
Likewise, the hillside began to fill-up with spectators. The larger crowd cheered a lot louder — and the legend of Rampage grew with every red dirt cliff huck.
Check out the best photos from Christian Pondella's 2002 Red Bull Rampage selection below — with a few wild GIFs thrown in for fun.
Robbie Bourdon: Early Rampage guinea pig & pioneer
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
Robbie Bourdon was at the forefront of Rampage's early years of progression. Bourdon's attitude set him apart — he pushed it harder and faster than the rest of the field. Unfortunately, he'd only land in tenth place at Rampage #2 after an epic crash. But in the process, Bourdon provided the crowd with some of the best riding of the event, as usual, and a beacon for other riders to follow.
2002: A cult following of Rampage fans begins...
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
Powered by the coverage of the first Rampage, the second year saw way more spectators come out to witness the action in person. To get a sense of how long ago this was, look at the fashion choices of this "action sports crowd." Things were different back then, kids.
Bearclaw bringing BMX influence into the mountains
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
Before Rampage 2002, few people knew who Darren Berrecloth was. "Bearclaw hadn’t been invited to compete," said photographer and friend Ian Hylands who had carpooled with the BMX-turned-mountain-biker from Vancouver to Utah for the event, "But a sequence of events happened that ended with him getting into the event, even though most people figured he’d have a hard time just making it down the mountain."
Claw surprised everyone when he threw a massive superman-seatgrab mid-run, one of the first tricks at Rampage, and changed the way people looked at freeriding in the process. To bring it to the big mountain arena — especially as a relative unknown rider — was a move that shook the status quo. Had he not crashed in his final run, who knows if Claw wouldn't have ended up taking a better position than third place that year...
Lance Canfield's Rampage lines: Always creative
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
After a whole bunch of experimentation in 2001, return competitors saw an opportunity to try even crazier lines in 2002. Here, Lance Canfield airs a sizeable hip-drop to loose landing.
Like Bourdon, the legendary fin gap — another hip, but with a narrow goat path landing — would take Canfield down in finals. A Utah native, Canfield's creativity would open up the eyes of his fellow riders in generations to come.
Oh yeah, and Canfield also rode his own hand-built bicycles at Rampage that he built with his brother, Chris. A true pioneer. After 2002, the creativity of the field grew exponentially...
Cedric Gracia, Tyler Klassen, Darren Berrecloth
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
UCI World Cup Downhill racer and third place finisher Cedric Gracia joins winner Tyler "Super T" Klassen and surprise second place finisher Darren Berrecloth on the podium at Red Bull Rampage 2002. Klassen's run culminated in a simply humongous drop that changed how everyone looked at both possibilities on the bike and in their construction.
Bearclaw bringing BMX influence into the mountains
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
This is the giant drop that snagged Tyler "Super T" Klassen the top spot at the 2002 Red Bull Rampage. Klassen's bravado to go big sealed the deal en route to the victory.
Australia's Andrew Mills at Red Bull Rampage 2002
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
In 2002, the field of athletes grew international — unlike 2001, which was contested entirely by Canadians and Americans. Riders from all around the globe headed to Utah to test what was possible.
Earlier in 2002, Australian Andrew Mills had competed in one of the first big mountain "slopestyle" contests ever, the Red Bull Ride Jindabyne — note: contest winner was the current reigning 17-year-old World Junior Champion Sam Hill. Mills receive an invite to Rampage after his Jindabyne performance. He rode the infamous Canadian Bacon line in 2002 and took a couple big crashes in the process.
Trademark: Kyle Strait doing his thing, Rampage #2
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull
The only rider to have competed in every Red Bull Rampage, Kyle Strait hasn't let up once since 2001. In 2002, he threw down a suicide no-hander — wait, Strait throws an epic suicide no-hander every Rampage — and showed men a decade older than him that he was a force to be reckoned with ... a fact evident in his two Rampage victories in 2004 and 2013.
Tune in LIVE on October 17
The 10th edition of Red Bull Rampage returns on October 17 — watch the LIVE webcast of all the action on Red Bull TV.
Can’t wait until October to get your gut-wrenching, nail-biting freeride fix? Find more exclusive photos and videos on the official event Red Bull Rampage event page.
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