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Two Red Bull Rampage freestyle mountain bikers were airlifted to hospital after a crash in Utah’s Zion National Park.
Adolfo Silva was attempting his second race in one of the world’s largest free ride events when he crashed hard on a steep section of the course.
The Spaniard was attempting a double backflip, but crashed mid-move, hitting his head hard and sending him rolling towards a cliff.
The crowd surrounded him and he was loaded onto a stretcher before a rescue helicopter airlifted him to hospital.
The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, with Red Bull USA reporting that he was ‘alert, conscious and talking to loved ones’ about half an hour after being moved away from the crash site.
There was a break in the competition before the remaining riders resumed their second race. Silva crashed in his first two runs at the annual event, but was uninjured and managed to finish the race.
He posted an update on social media on Monday evening, confirming that he had suffered a “lower back injury” and thanked well-wishers for their support.
“It’s great to have my family here and feel the support of all of you,” the post continued.
Later on Sunday, Swedish rider Emil Johansson was also taken to hospital after hitting a steep cliff after attempting a tailwhip at the start of the race. The competition was stopped again for medical crews to extricate him from an inhospitable position on the ridge line.
Johansson wrote on social media on Monday: “I have a major dislocation in my right hip, which they managed to get back to the hospital… but will likely require surgery to clear the socket of bone fragments. Other than that, I’m pretty much okay!”
The competition is renowned for its difficult terrain and the extreme difficulty of the riders’ tricks and jumps.