AssetID: 54138011
Headline: BMX Daredevil Makes Mountain Biking History With World-First Ride On A Moving Train
Caption: **VIDEO AVAILABLE. CONTACT INFO@COVERMG.COM TO RECEIVE.** A Polish mountain biker has achieved a groundbreaking feat by becoming the first-ever rider to complete a mountain bike course on a moving train. Dawid Godziek, who holds the title of 2024 Slopestyle World Champion, navigated a challenging course atop a train moving at speeds of 23 km/h, solidifying his place in sports history. The ambitious project saw Godziek riding over 10 train carriages, executing eight jumps, and performing high-flying tricks, including a double tailwhip, a frontflip, and the world’s first flat drop backflip to flat landing from stairs on the final carriage. “At first, I practised riding on the track while the train was parked. Once I felt confident, we set the train in motion and gradually increased the speed. 23 kilometres per hour was the right moving speed to match my riding speed to create the feeling of riding in one position. That impression of a frozen background is very strange. Navigating this course smoothly was much more challenging than it looked,” said Godziek, reflecting on the complexities of riding on a moving platform. The concept behind the "Red Bull Bike Express" was simple but daring: build the world’s first MTB track on a moving train. Turning that vision into reality was no small feat, and the technical challenges were immense. With a narrow 2.7-meter-wide track, fluctuating wind gusts, and limited visual reference points, the project demanded flawless precision from Godziek. After 15 attempts, he achieved a perfect run, creating a stunning "freeze frame" video effect that left viewers in awe. “We are dealing with the principle of Galilean relativity here. When a train moves in one direction at a constant speed, and Dawid riding in the opposite direction maintains a similar speed, a camera positioned on the side keeps the rider in a static frame the entire time. It's a bit like in old-school computer games where the background scrolls, and the player always stays in the central part of the screen,” explained Dawid Myśliwiec, the creator of popular science videos, offering a glimpse into the physics behind the captivating footage. Godziek’s older brother, Szymon, an accomplished freestyle MTB rider and Red Bull Rampage podium finisher, was present during the shoot. He praised his brother’s performance, saying, “Dawid is now at his peak performance level. In 2024 he stood atop the podium at the FMB World Tour in Cairns, Innsbruck, and Whistler. I am glad he still has the passion for doing unconventional things and pushing the boundaries, not only in official competitions. Red Bull Bike Express is a crazy and technically challenging project. I hope the video can inspire people to get into mountain biking.” The course itself was a marvel of engineering, built across 10 train cars supplied by Grupa Azoty Koltar. Featuring eight jumps, a roller, and a stair drop, the course tested Godziek’s skills and equipment alike. His Specialized bike, outfitted with Continental tyres, performed flawlessly under the unique and rigorous conditions. The filming took place in Upper Silesia, with support from PKP Polish State Railways S.A. The project also marked the first Polish sports collaboration with Prada Linea Rossa, which provided Godziek with high-performance clothing that allowed maximum freedom of movement.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story
PersonInImage: Dawid Godziek