Kagy Kicks Off Toyota Challenge, Takes Top Spot in BMX Vert Prelims

Chad Kagy took the top spot in Thursday’s BMX vert prelims, kicking off a full weekend of competitions at the Toyota Challenge in Salt Lake City.

Kagy used the new BMX vert format to his advantage, claiming a 92.13 and the top spot leading into Friday’s finals, where he and the other top six finishers from prelims will face off against Jamie Bestwick, Steven McCann and Simon Tabron.

The new format for BMX vert prelims gives each rider a pair of 30-second runs at the beginning of the competition. Then all 17 riders are reseeded based on their top run’s score and each rider is given a last-chance 30-second run to determine who advances to finals. Only the best run of the three is counted for each rider, and Kagy earned the top score when it was all said and done.

Vince Byron jumped out to the early lead, landing a 180 double tailwhip and edging out Jimmy Walker for the top spot in Heat 1. But with heavy hitters Zack Warden, Coco Zurita and Chad Kagy taking to the ramp for Heat 2, Byron’s lead didn’t last long.

Rider after rider upped the ante in the second heat, starting with Warden, who landed a barspin to tailwhip and his signature bike flip to bump into the top three. Both Zurita and Austin Coleman cracked into the top five as well, but it was Kagy who stole the show. With a tire grab to tailwhip, flair whip and barspin flair in each of his Heat 2 runs, Kagy earned a 92.13 and a four-point lead over the rest of the field leading into the last-chance runs.

The riders in the bottom half of the standings did their best to jump into the top seven, but they couldn’t and the top of the leader board remained intact. Kagy’s high score from Heat 2 stood the test of time and the vert vet claimed the top spot leading into Friday’s finals, where he and the other top six finishers from prelims will face off against Jamie Bestwick, Steven McCann and Simon Tabron.

Chad Kagy took the top spot in Thursday’s BMX vert prelims, kicking off a full weekend of competitions at the Toyota Challenge in Salt Lake City.

Results 

1. Chad Kagy, 92.13
2. Vince Byron, 88.25
3. Zack Warden, 87.88
4. Austin Coleman, 87.63
5. Jimmy Walker, 87.00

For complete results from BMX vert prelims and all this weekend’s competitions, click here.

Tickets to tomorrow’s festivities get you into both the BMX vert finals AND the concert featuring Provo locals, the Neon Trees. To get tickets, click here.