When it came time for FMX czar Travis Pastrana’s first ride in Sunday’s Dew Action Sports Tour FMX final, seven of the 12 finalists who rode before him had scored 90 points or better.
The pressure was on the Maryland master, who was the top qualifier for the Denver final and finished a rare second in the tour’s first stop in Louisville, Ky., last month.
Pastrana delivered with a lofty Superman backflip – an unbelievable move involving letting go of the bike as it flips over – a sidesaddle backflip and tricks entailing three combination moves.
On his first run, Pastrana notched a 96.83, enough for a win and $15,000.
Arizona’s Nate Adams, who edged out Pastrana for the win last month in Louisville, answered with five backflips in 12 jumps, all employing combo moves. But Adams fell short with a 96.17 and took second place.
Kenny “Cowboy” Bartram, who set the pace for 12-jump runs early in the day and was the tour’s FMX overall champion last year, finished third with one-handed backflips and a rare sidesaddle backflip.
Dhers takes BMX title
Daniel Dhers danced through the Pepsi Center’s massive BMX park course, his bike keeping perfect rhythm through inverted spinning flares, double tail- whips and floating 540s. The up-and-comer from Caracas, Venezuela, spun his way to victory Sunday, besting 11 other finalists for his first Dew tour victory in BMX park.
“I just said go for it. It’s just another competition,” the 21-year- old said. “I didn’t give myself too much pressure. If you do, you can crack.”
Los Gatos, Calif., veteran Ryan Nyquist, who won the BMX dirt contest Friday, finished second, and Great Britain’s Alistair Whitton took third.
Noted bike contender Dave Mirra left the contest after missing the transition on a backflip tail-whip and landing on the flat during his first run.
