Semenuk ads to his novelty cheque collection.

Brandon Semenuk’s winning 2016 Red Bull Rampage run took just a little more than one minute and nine seconds for him to complete, top to bottom.

One minute and nine seconds of riding after eight days of digging with his team, a few nervous minutes before the start—and countless hours of training, practice, filming, travel and competition leading to Rampage. But in that run, Semenuk was able to capitalize on the steep Utah terrain and showcase virtually all elements of his incredible skill and signature style. And with that run, Semenuk became only the third two-time Rampage winner—his first win was in 2008.

Other than the steep, gnarly terrain, there are few certainties at Rampage. To win here you have to create a line that impresses the judges, and you have to feel good on the bike. Semenuk was firing on all cylinders in every department.

“Line choice and a solid build crew play a huge part in putting together a competitive run,” Semenuk said. “I definitely had both leading into the event, and also had a good feeling on the bike. The stars just seemed to align for me this Rampage.”

 The stars most definitely need to align at this event. More than building and getting to the bottom in one piece, you need to impress the judges and fans. In the 2015 edition, Semenuk won the fan vote, but failed to score highly enough with the judges. This year, the judging panel—made up entirely of past Rampage competitors—and the People’s Choice vote was the same. Brandon is #1.