2 taken to hospital following separate incidents at Red Bull Rampage venue in Virgin

(Photo for illustration purposes only) Competitor Szymon Godziek practices against gray skies and snow-covered peaks at Red Bull Rampage, Virgin, Utah, Oct. 12, 2021 | Image courtesy of Red Bull Rampage content pool, St. George News / Cedar City News

ST. GEORGE — Two people, including one of the competitors, were taken to the hospital with injuries following unrelated incidents one day apart at the “Red Bull Rampage” extreme mountain biking event venue in Virgin.

After a series of weather-related delays on Tuesday, Andreu Lacondeguy of Spain crashed while landing a jump during his first practice ride.

In his Instagram post about the incident, Lacondeguy said he “overjumped a technical section of my line and ended up hitting the ground harder than I ever did.”

“This is one of the most painful moments of my career, mentally and physically,” he added. “The broken bones hurt but not being able to ride after all I (have) been through this year is what hurts the most.”

Lacondeguy is a former Red Bull Rampage champion, having won the freeride gold in 2014. He also took home the second-place silver medal in 2018.

Then, on Wednesday afternoon, a member of another competitor’s support staff was injured in an all-terrain vehicle rollover, event officials told St. George News.

The man, who was competitor Reed Boggs’ designated cameraman, was the only occupant of the ATV, a Red Bull spokesperson said, adding that she did not know the extent of his injuries.

“He was conscious and talking,” the spokesperson reported. She added that the man was taken out of the venue site by medical staff and was later transported to the hospital.

Lacondeguy’s withdrawal leaves 14 competitors who will vie for the title on Friday, with the first run scheduled to start at 11 a.m. The event’s in-person attendance, which is limited this year due to COVID-19, is sold out. However, viewers can watch the competition online via the Red Bull website and its various social media platforms.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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