Red Bull Rampage cancelled until 2021

Mountain bike events are slowly resuming around the world, but freeride fans will have to wait a bit longer. Red Bull Rampage is officially cancelled for 2020, with organizers looking to pick up where they left off in 2021.

The decision to cancel the competition aims to protect the health of riders, volunteers and the local Southern Utah community.

The Utah festival faced additional complications with travel to the U.S. still restricted. The Canada-U.S. border remains closed and several other countries have restrictions on travel to the United States. Many, including last year’s winner Brandon Semenuk, do not feel it was feasible to safely travel to the event.

“I was excited to return to Utah this year to defend my title at the 2020 Red Bull Rampage,” Semenuk says in the official statement, adding “but as the situation around Covid-19 continues to evolve, I wasn’t confident in my ability to bring my team to the US due to travel restrictions, amongst other logistical challenges.”

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Official Statement:

For the past 19 years, Red Bull Rampage has brought together the greatest freeride athletes from around the world to compete on one amazing stage. The current challenges presented by the global health pandemic has led to the decision to cancel Red Bull Rampage 2020 and focus on a 2021 event for the freeride mountain bike community.

”This year we were especially looking forward to delivering an event that entertained and excited the world about sports again, and we recognize the magnitude of the decision to cancel and the effect it has on the riders and industry,” said Todd Barber, Director of H5 Events. “However, the challenges presented by the global health pandemic both in getting riders and teams to the event, and in protecting the health and safety of the riders, staff, and everyone involved including the local Southern Utah community drove our decision making.”

2019 Defending champion Brandon Semenuk expressed how complications around border crossing echoed by many athletes played into the analysis and decision to cancel. “I was excited to return to Utah this year to defend my title at the 2020 Red Bull Rampage, but as the situation around Covid-19 continues to evolve, I wasn’t confident in my ability to bring my team to the US due to travel restrictions, amongst other logistical challenges.”

Details on the forthcoming 2021 event will be available in the coming months. Red Bull Rampage is mountain biking’s truest test of skill and mental toughness. The event has evolved over 18 years to become freeride mountain biking’s most coveted title.