Getting Wild at Crankworx Innsbruck

Prep the Champagne bottles for a world premier this Saturday! The world’s best athletes are getting ready to drop into another FMB Diamond Event only one week after Crankworx Les Gets. Welcome to the FMB World Tour, Crankworx Innsbruck! The beautiful Austrian city is predominantly known for winter sports and the Olympics, but will be bringing you the planet’s best slopestyle athletes on June 24. Amongst them are also two FMB Wildcard winners from 26TRIX in Leogang. We caught up with one of them: all-rounder Jakub Vencl, who is not only having the season of his life, the 27-year-old will also be dropping into his first ever FMB Diamond Event this weekend. You can watch all the FMB Diamond Series action from Crankworx Innsbruck live on Red Bull TV and on fmbworldtour.com from 12pm CEST / 6.30am EDT / 3.30am PDT! 

Hi Jakub, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us today. You are one of the Wildcards for Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle. What are your thoughts heading into your first-ever FMB Diamond Series contest? Excited?

Yeah, obviously I’m excited and I’m looking forward to the contest. It’s been something that I have been trying to achieve for quite some time.

You belong to the more experienced riders on the Tour at the age of 27. What is it like competing against young guns like 18-year-old Emil Johansson or 20-year-old fellow FMB Wildcard winner Simon Pagès?

These young guys are pushing the level so hard lately. But that’s not something I think about. I’m just trying to do my thing.

You won the wildcard thanks to a great showing at 26TRIX in Leogang. How important is it in your eyes to give riders the opportunity to win a spot for FMB Diamond Events?

It’s extremely important. You can see 20 guys battling for the wildcards all the time. It makes things interesting. It is a goal for lots of riders these days, I would say.

You have been in Innsbruck for the last few days. Did you already get a chance to test the course? What is it like?

It’s great! Tom Hey did a very good job. I’m trying to get used to it, but the first practices were fun and I’m looking forward to more.

Which features do you like most? Do you have a favorite trick, which you hope to send this weekend?

I love doing big 360s and as all the jumps are huge, they put a smile on my face every time. I also like boner logs and step-downs. Spinning those is always fun.

What is your goal for this weekend? Will we see you on the podium?

Lost of people have been asking me this question in the past couple of days. As cliché as it sounds, I mainly just want to have fun and enjoy it. In slopestyle my main goal is to simply put a run together, that I would be happy with. If this works, I’ll be stoked.

Thanks, Jakub. We wish you all the best for the contest!

Check out the rider lineup for the second FMB Diamond Series at Crankworx Innsbruck here.

Keep your eyes peeled for further information about LIVE broadcasts and calendar updates on www.fmbworldtour.com or stay informed and sign up for the FMB World Tour Newsletter.

And do not forget that all the action from the FMB Diamond Series is broadcasted live on www.redbull.tv. Get the latest on everything bike-related at the Red Bull Bike Channel: redbull.tv/bike.

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