The X Games has grown over the years and seeks to add new forms of excitement and novelty to the range of events on offer, which is the reason why it is always such a hit with fans and athletes. The ever-growing quest for freshness and new adrenaline is backed by creativity that seems to always align with what athletes and fans crave at any given time. This has seen the X Games go from just a few events to what it is today, giving us action-packed adrenaline-infused competition all year round, from the Winter X Games to the Summer X Games, and dotted in-between by the Real series, which debuted back in 2009.
The Real series, which runs mainly in April, showcases the top freestyle athletes in skateboarding, BMX, and moto, pulling off their best moves on street and park courses.
2021 is promising to be special for the event, as the X Games adds a new twist with the Real Mountain bike event. This is not a totally new kid on the block for the X Games as mountain biking will be making a return to the games for the first time since 2013. This is not just great news for fans who get to see an extra slice of thrill, but also for people with a taste for extra action, as the games once again grace our screens.
The coronavirus pandemic means that the Real series 2021 may hold events in ‘bubbles’ like most professional sports that have resumed, but fans will be able to catch all the action and more on ESPN 2 and dedicated X Games social media platforms.
The Real Series ultimately shifted into the spotlight in 2020 as the summer X Games got canceled and the pandemic peaked. It was one of the few events that could hold without athletes being in the same place. All the participants had to do is send in video content of themselves pulling off their sickest tricks from the comfort of the grounds they choose.
The mountain bike competition will take a similar format as invited athletes will produce 90-second videos of themselves giving their best to wow the judges and win a medal. For the competition’s return, six athletes have been asked to participate, including Guinness Book record-holder, Cam ZInk, alongside Danny MacAskill, Brage Vestvik, DJ Brandt, Brandon Semenuk, and Veronique Sandler.
The video segments of the participants will feature on the official X Games website, preceding a World of X Games segment on ESPN, which will cover a one-hour Real Mountain Bike episode. The episode will show exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, interviews, the judges and their verdict, and the video segments of the athletes. The medals will be awarded during the episode and fans will be in on the action, by being able to vote for their favorite video. The fan-favorite will get a $5,000 prize.
