Featuring a load of fearless riders on a course built for progression, the Suzuki Nine Knights MTB gears up for a week of dust, sweat and crazy footage.
The tailor-made course, combining freeride and dirt jump elements, is taking shape at the new location in Reschenpass in South Tyrol, Italy. Culminating on the public contest day on Saturday the 10th, the world renowned media event begins on the 5th of September with invited riders joined by “Become a Knight” wild card winners Adolf Silva (ESP) with his big bag of tricks and Reilly Horan (CAN). Stomping solid and smooth tricks on his big bike Horan also bagged the “freeride” prize: a FOCUS bike sponsorship.
“Freeride” category and the FOCUS bike sponsorship winner Reilly Horan (CAN):
“Open” category wild card winner Adolf Silva (ESP):
New course under construction
The shapers and carpenters are rushing to finish the course which includes a flow line and the main features: two super step-ups, 12 and 18 meters long; and a 7 meter high quarter-pipes with dirt landing, possibly one of the biggest ever built for mountain bikes. Returning to the line-up as a rider but also course co-designer, Sam Reynolds (GBR) is pumped, as “freeride MTB is changing for the better and I’m excited to work with these guys to create an awesome set up with sick jumps at the forefront of the new freeride big air movement! Can’t wait!” Balzamico Trail Design are creating the opportunity for more air time in the course and the existing terrain is perfect for that: “shaping along a huge avalanche mound is not only more environmentally friendly, its perfect for creating something extraordinary that combines freeride and slopestyle elements with huge obstacles,” explains Andi Wittmann (GER).
The riders
Many familiar faces are on the stacked riders list including trick machine Szymon Godziek (POL), German powerhouse Peter Henke and local favourite Torquato Testa. The relaxed format—known to lend itself to progression¬¬—amps up the anticipation for what the riders will do this year. Will Nicholi Rogatkin (USA), who stomped the Cashroll on a Downhill bike last year, be able to land more slopestyle tricks on his DH bike? Does Antoine Bizet, who nailed a double backflip on a DH bike in 2013, have something new up his sleeve? Will having designed the course give Reynolds an edge to throw down? What mischief will Swedish trio Max Fredriksson, Anton Thelander and Martin Söderström, get up to? Stay tuned for daily videos and photos, or if you want the full experience, join us on the Public Day on Saturday the 10th of September for a mountain bike session that, if the last few years are anything to go by, will go down in history.
Riders list Suzuki Nine Knights MTB 2016
Antoine Bizet (FRA)
Max Fredriksson (SWE)
Szymon Godziek (POL)
Peter Henke (GER)
Reilly Horan (CAN)
Clemens Kaudela (AUT)
Lukas Knopf (GER)
Sam Pilgrim (GBR)
Timo Pritzel (GER)
Sam Reynolds (GBR)
Nicholi Rogatkin (USA)
Adolf Silva (ESP)
Martin Söderström (SWE)
Anton Thelander (SWE)
Torquato Testa (ITA)
Olly Wilkins (GBR)
Tobi Wrobel (GER)
For detailed information and to watch all “Become a Knight” entries head to www.nineknightsmtb.com.
