Julien Cudot makes FISE history on the Spine Ramp

There's always a big show happening on the Spine Ramp, and after a crazy scooter competition last night, and just before the BMX Pro Men finals in a few minutes, it was time for Roller Freestyle to hit this jewel of a ramp. Spoiler alert: you're in for a real treat!

Let's start by applauding the performance of 13-year-old Haruhi Shimizu, who had the audience screaming with an incredibly clean second run. Let's also salute the veteran Romain Godenaire, several times winner here at FISE, who seems to be enjoying a second youth and landed one rotation after another, until he fell on his last 720 on the spine. And last but not least, the only female rider in the finals, Spain's Carla Martin, put in a flawless first run, clean from start to finish!

Third place was taken by Jaro Frijn, who had already impressed us on the Freestyle Park this whole week. Despite a fall on the first run, he came back with a vengeance on the second, grinding not only the safety barrier, but also the whole length of the spine between two of his trademarked flat spins. In second place was young Danilo Senna, who came all the way from Brazil to deliver a very solid second run, with tricks on all the walls, and the huge rotations to which he has become accustomed, combined with technical grinds on the coping.

But on the top step of the podium, and this should come as no surprise after his victories in the Rail Contest and Freestyle Park yesterday, and in the ESA Street Contest this afternoon: it was Parisian Julien Cudot, of course, who put in one of the best runs in the history of this Spine Ramp, quite simply. He struck right from the start with a backflip drop, followed by a huge 360 flat spin on the spine, where he also landed a highly technical switch-up, before demolishing the sub box and landing a 720 backflip. Victory, then, the fourth in two days, and one of the sport's finest performances for the man who continues, more than ever, to write its history.

A fantastic show, as promised earlier, and the perfect start to Saturday evening's BMX Pro finals. There's no doubt about it, this is truly the essence of FISE Montpellier: so, are you ready for the show?