Magic Moments/Dept. Pedal Power

Never has a mountain bike moved with greater speed, or have more spectacular tricks been performed on a BMX bike than this year. A review: seven bike moments that made history in 2007.

“It was as if I was watching myself riding,” said Markus Stöckl of the time around midday on September 13. While others were sitting down to lunch, Markus was traveling at 210.4 km/h – doing so on the saddle of a basic, no-frills mountain bike faster than anyone to date. In 2008 he wants to top his world record on a custom-made bike with a longer axle base and an aerodynamic frame.

‘Only’ going a little faster than 50 km/h was Gee Atherton on September 23 – on an escalator in the underground of all places. The jolty high-speed ride taken while others were getting into bed secured him a victory at Red Bull Metro Ride, which was held in a metro station in Budapest.

Four days previously, Gee’s sister Rachel Atherton had celebrated the greatest success of her career: For the first time ever she took the second step on the podium at the mountain bike Downhill WC – and then also immediately on home turf at the WC in Great Britain. Also winning the internal family duel, she had one up on her brother, who came third in the men’s contest.

From June 29 to July 2 in Whistler, Canada, it was less about speed than style at Red Bull Elevation. Brian Foster performed the best trick at the world’s toughest BMX contest, successfully managing a truck driver to 360 downside tailwhip.

And speaking of best tricks, on June 9 Spain’s 18-year-old freeride talent Andreu Lacondeguy managed a double backflip on a mountainbike at 26TRIX in Leogang, Austria – as the third athlete in history to do so.

The very first person to perform a flatspin 720 with a lookdown as well as other aerial acrobatics of his own was Daniel Dhers. His innovative bag of tricks secured him the victory at the X Games 13 on August 4.

‘X’ also marks the spot in Jill Kintner’s life: Chalking up yet another on the board, she won her third 4X World Championship title on September 7.