Its elimination time! Today's elimination round was an action-packed show of flips, whips, pain, and victory. © Lat34

FMX Elimination Round

Travis Pastrana, Mike Mason, Adam Jones, Jim McNeil, and Mat Rebeaud will be the five rider in tomorrow's FMX Final.  Today's elimination round was an action-packed show of flips, whips, pain, and victory.

Ailo Gaup, Nate Adams and Ronnie Faisst took some major slams on a course which seemed to be tearing riders apart.  But guys like Pastrana and Mason showed a valiant display of courage by turning the course upside down, inside out, and destroying it completely.

Here's some highlights of the event, recorded as they happened:
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5:44 PM: Gaup goes down hard on a big backflip attempt, getting bucked off his bike and tumbling down the landing.
5:47 PM: Gaup gets driven off the course (sitting up) by medical staff.

5:58 PM: Coming up short on the landings seems to be the new cool thing to do - everyone's run so far has seen at least one solidly cased jump.

6:05 PM: Ronnie Renner just got his bike over his head on a huge whip.  Really far over his head.

6:15 PM: Faisst takes a hard slam while attempting a 180 on a jump far bigger than 180s should probably ever be attempted on.
6:18 PM: The paramedics are hovered over him while the crowd bangs the floors & cheers for him to rise to his feet.
6:20 PM: Faisst is walking - unassisted - out of the stadium.  There is a paramedic holding his right arm & wrist.
6:21 PM: He puts his left arm up over his head and the crowd erupts in applause.

6:24 PM: Nate Adams goes down hard on a backflip variation attempt over a jump that so many have cased today.
6:24 PM: The paramedics are huddled around him.
6:26 PM: He's moving & on his feet.
6:26 PM: Adams is walking with little assistance out of the stadium.

6:34 PM: Pastrana throws down a huge superman backflip, followed by a lazyboy backflip on the same jump, keeping both of these fully extended until he is almost over the landing, the crowd gasps & cheers.
6:35 PM: Pastrana is the first rider in a few to ride out of the stadium with no assistance at all.

6:44 PM: Nate Adams, Ailo Guap, and Ronnie Faisst do not take second runs after their falls.

6:51 PM: Renner literally dances on the landing of the 115 footer after his second run.  The robot, the sprinkler, some Rennerific dance he seems to have made up himself, they are all included. 

7:05 PM: Travis Pastrana decides not to to take his second run after qualifying with his first run score.  After winning FMX Best Trick last night and the Rally event today, I'm sure he's pooped.  I recommend a nice bubble bath with some Enya & vanilla scented candles.
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Although the rider list for tomorrow's finals is lacking some usual heavy weight names such as Renner, Adams and Bartram (who was injured in practice and did not compete today), the guys who did make it have shown that they have what it takes to produce a sick FMX finals for your viewing pleasure tomorrow.  Today was the perfect warm up - everyone got a good idea of the speed needed to successfully clear all the jumps and also took care of a whole chunk of the competition.  It'll be great to get to see this unusual cast of characters in tomorrow's final, which promises to be a thrilling, if not unique, event.  Be sure to check it.

- Cody Allen