AssetID: 54163429
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Take That Tom Cruise! Motocross Star 'Paraglides With Bike Down French Mountain'
Caption: French freestyle motocross legend Tom Pagès has wowed fans and peers by using his motorbike to launch into a paraglide. In his video, Ride & Fly, he careers down the steep, rugged Alpine terrain of Les Portes du Soleil in Haute-Savoie, France. As his paraglider takes flight, he soars parallel to the mountain at speeds of nearly 100 km/h (80 m/h) before skillfully landing and continuing his ride, completing a unique speedriding journey. Building on the success of his previous world-first FMX stunt, Flight Mode, where he parachuted his motorbike off a 135-metre cliff, Ride & Fly pushes the limits even further. This time, Pagès not only jumps, but flies with speed, control, and precision, transforming the perception of FMX and aerial sports. He says: "At first, I was really scared in the air. But now I'm fine, I'm shaving the grass, flying through the trees, and even forgetting that I'm on a motorbike. “When you see the video you think 'yeah, easy,' but I almost stopped everything facing the complexity and risks of this hyper-stressful project! I was basically ready to go a month before the shoot.” Speedriding, a hybrid sport combining paragliding and freeriding, has never before been attempted with motorbike riding, marking a true world-first. Pagès meticulously designed custom gear, including a suspension system, to make this feat possible. He trained with expert Albert Baud, who prepared Tom Cruise for Mission Impossible, and spent over two years perfecting the project. The take-off required careful control to keep the paraglider wing inflated, with Pagès reaching speeds of 80 km/h in tight turns close to the ground. Despite the technical challenges and unpredictability of nature, Pagès pulled off this groundbreaking achievement. The 39-year-old French athlete, with four consecutive Red Bull X-Fighters wins and multiple X Games medals, continues to push the boundaries of freestyle motocross, evolving his craft and setting new standards in the sport with this remarkable blend of motorbike riding and aerial stunts.
Keywords: france,alps,motocross,red bull,stunts,tom cruise,feature,photo,video
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