Since the Red Bull Rampage began, there have been nasty crashes where the rider is presumed dead or at least seriously injured. However, most get away with bruises or a buzzing head. In addition to two hair-raising but comparatively minor crashes by Nico Vink and Nicholi Rogatkin at the 2015 event, Paul Basagoitia had a much worse time with a back injury. Although he is back on his feet today, it could have been much worse. If the athlete can no longer walk at all, has irreparable brain damage or even dies in an accident - nobody likes to talk about that, it's almost a taboo subject.

Many of my colleagues - nota bene downhill-oriented mountain bikers - are of the opinion that sooner or later a rider will not leave the event site alive. A blatant and clear opinion that is by no means meant to be amusing. So far, I've watched the spectacle on screen every year, cramping up in my seat at every terrifying moment. Like my friends, I don't want to witness a death. But even though I say every year that I don't want to watch the next Rampage live for this reason - I'm still going to do it.

The spectacle cannot be explained away and just watching the replay - after you know that no athlete has fallen - is not the same. Anything else would be hypocrisy and that's why I have to accept the worst. If I don't want to do that, I should also stop watching downhill ski races, because there have already been fatalities there.

Well, I'll probably be sitting behind the screen again this year and watching the Red Bull Rampage via livestream - if only because the event has moved to a new area where there are no more wooden jumps - but all the more rattlesnakes, tarantulas and a slightly more blatant start section. I'll put up with the cringe, but please dear freeride stars, stay safe.