The stage was set for a ground-breaking showdown between the best freestyle motocross riders in the world to battle head-to-head on the largest FMX course in the history of the sport. Amongst the roster of riders, Metal Mulisha team riders Todd Potter, Wes Agee and Rob Adelberg faced unpredictable winds throughout the week.
Thursday kicked off a practice session which then led into Friday for another practice and qual. Unfortunately they never got to qualify because once again… the wind held them back.
This placed riders in a shotgun effort to stack up during the final day with another practice, qual and battle during the main event. Wind once again set the tempo of the day as officials delayed scheduled times throughout the day for safety reasons.
Deegan, Scummy, Link, Jacko, Leduc, Bean and the rest of the team stopped by the pits to meet and greet with all the fans while the the Mulisha Maidens decided to have a party of their own! They really got the crowed pumped handing out a grip of free clothing, products, stickers and autographed gear.
Unfortunately the wind never let up and the results came down the qualifying score. All the riders agreed that it was too unsafe to compete due to the high winds that would drastically affect their rotations and tricks. With rider safety being #1 to Red Bull event staff, an agreement was made by both parties to cancel the event as it was dangerous to perform at their best for the fans due to the gusty conditions.
“It’s been windy the past couple days and we had to miss practice all day yesterday, and then we luckily got in some qualifying this morning after the main event was called off. I’d like to go up there fair and square and go through the whole way, head-to-head, and do it legitimate, but we all knew this morning at qualifying that it was going to be tough with the wind. We all made sure we did our best runs, and it just so happened I won it. A win is a win, so I’m pumped.” – Rob Adelberg
Congrats to the Adelberg and the team for going on there and giving it your all! Make sure to visit our Glen Helen X Fighters photo gallery and check back for more photos and updates.
The 2013 Red Bull X-Fighters tour continues June 1 in Osaka, Japan, for the fourth of six stops, followed by events in Madrid, Spain (July 19) and Pretoria, South Africa (Sept. 7).
Today the team gathered inside the X Fighters pits, focusing on last minute bike corrections and mentally running through their trick lineup for each of their event challenges. They course layout is something you have to see in person. Looking around this massive FMX footprint will hold a new, much larger course map than the previous event in 2012. Dane Herron the course designer added a mix of new features such as the huge 80-foot high wall-ride bowl, plenty of uphill and downhill options, the biggest transfer jump in the history of freestyle motocross, a newly improved step-up launching riders six stories high, six metal take off ramps, two super kicker-style metal ramps, a metal quarter pipe take off, a unique 40-foot long rainbow rail… should we go on? Straight badass’ness! 
There will also be increased use of the existing hillside, which provided for some of the most exciting tricks in 2012, including the massive backflip step-ups landed by American riders Wes Agee and eventual winner Todd Potter. The step-up will grow to two stages (adding an additional jump) that will take the riders more than six stories above the main course arena. These additional uphill and downhill options will result in the biggest transfer jump in the history of freestyle motocross. To mimic the freeriding style that Southern California is known for, look for less traditional tabletops and more natural freeride terrain jumps. And on top of all that dirt, there will be six metal take off ramps, two super kicker-style metal ramps, a metal quarter pipe take off, a unique 40-foot-long rainbow rail and the return of the 80-foot-long bowl-curved wall ride (a 2012 fan favorite), all making for near-unlimited riding options. In addition, spectators will be closer to the action, with the seating areas moved in from last year.
This will be the third time that the Red Bull X-Fighters tour has touched ground in Dubai and fans are ready to witness all the freestyle motocross action!
