The UCI season may be over but it’s certainly not the end of the mountain bike season. Eyes will now be focussed towards a sandstone ridge in the brutal landscape near Virgin, Utah for the 2010 Red Bull Rampage. Below are highlights from the 2008 event, but keep a check on the Red Bull Rampage official site for more news.

In 2008 Red Bull Rampage returned triumphantly after four years of silence. Although a rain delay kept many anxious, the mountain bike gods unleashed the glorious sun to scorch the barren Utah terrain.

More daredevil than athlete, Thomas Vanderham, stuck a no-hander over a 59-foot canyon gap and took home best trick. However, it was 17 year old Brandon Semenuk that took home the prize of 10,000 dollars and bragging rights.

Here’s a view you don’t see everyday. Thanks to the new GoPro HD Hero, enjoy Mike Montgomery’s fluid run that got him 2nd place at the 2010 Crankworx Whistler … including a nice bit of rider commentary.

GoPro HD HERO Camera: Crankworx Whistler – Mike Montgomery’s Slopestyle Run >>

Record numbers of over 20,000 fans at the Monster Energy Slopestyle at Kokanee Crankworx witnessed a huge changing of the guard. Cam Zink (USA) had a major comeback and earned himself first place and $15,000 for a mind-blowing run featuring a huge front flip off the VW Booter, super floaty 360s and a big, old backflip off the Kokanee Booter. He stepped it up huge and his efforts got him 95.0 out of 100 from the judges. Zink held the title in 2006, making this his second first place win at the Monster Energy Slopestyle.

“This run was unreal; that was the first front flip I have ever done in competition,” says Zink. “It has been four years since I have had a big win. I don’t even know what to say. It has been a long time coming. It all paid off – all the hard work, all the injuries.”

Mike Montgomery (USA), who came in 14th at last year’s Monster Energy Slopestyle, was gunning for the win today and in his Super Final run he was flipping and spinning off everything he could get to in an attempt to unseat Zink. Unfortunately, he got a little sideways off the massive Monster Energy Launch Pad and detonated as soon as he landed. His impressive first run saw him throw down the hugest tail whip off the same feature and earned him a score of 91.5, enough to keep him on the podium through the whole competition.

“I am so glad all of my hard work has finally paid off,” says Montgomery. “I am so excited. I am healthy this year and I came to play. I nailed the first run and I got to do it in front of so many people. Stoked.”

Casey Groves (CAD) lived up to all the hype with solid runs through the entire competition. His second run sealed the deal and after stomping some styley 360s and a solid tuck no-hander x-up he was literally speechless in the finish corral with a score of 89.5. In Groves’s third run he showed heart when his chain broke and he launched himself off the Kokanee Booter with a fist pump anyways.

“This is an amazing turn of events, I never expected any of this,” says Groves. “I didn’t expect to go into the Super Finals in third and to maintain that placing is amazing.”

Paul Rak was the head judge at the first-ever Crankworx Slopestyle and he was back in the judge’s chair for 2010 after a two-year hiatus. The level of progression the sport has undergone in two short years was glaringly evident in the Boneyard today.

“Being away for two years and coming back and seeing the level that this sport has progressed to is incredible,” says Rak. This is one of the best mountain bike events I have ever had the privilege to judge.”

While the highs were high for the top five athletes, some crowd-favourites and superstar athletes fell victim to hard luck in the dirt arena of the Monster Energy Slopestyle. Both Darren Berrecloth (CAN) and Brandon Semenuk (CAN) laid down incredible runs, tricking top to bottom, only to crash after airing off the Kokanee Booter. Sixth place rider Yannick Granieri (FRA) was unable to compete in the Super Finals after washing out in his second run, but the score from his first run held up to get him some prize money.

The Monster Energy Slopestyle gives each rider two runs in the Finals and one run for the top six riders in the Super Final. The good news for today’s event was that the score from any of the three runs could win the competition. As the crowd saw today, the best runs of the day were thrown down early on.

A record crowd at Kokanee Crankworx witnessed the Monster Energy Slopestyle in Whistler Village and a live webcast on Crankworx.com and Go211.com ensured this year’s event was witnessed by over 100,000 worldwide.