Its a blast from the past Scotty Cranmer from X Games 2005. © ESPN Images

Who’s Dropping Next?

With an absolutely insane park ready to go and the world’s nastiest riders descending upon sunny Los Angeles, X Games 12 will surely go down in the record books for BMX.  One of the biggest competitions of the year, this is the one event that every rider waits for, the one event by which all others are judged.  Checking out the athlete list reveals a virtual who’s who of the sport; sure to keep the competition anything but easy and push the envelope of what is considered possible on a bike.  With the Park Final not until Saturday, here’s a quick rundown of some of X Games 12’s top BMX riders and what they bring to the table. 
 
Brisbane, Australia’s Ryan Guettler is definitely one to keep your eyes on.  His huge double tail whips, unreal front flips and flawless lines are sure to set the standard, and judging by some of the gnarly slams he’s taken in competition this year, he’s not afraid to put everything on the line when it matters most. 
 
Next up is North Carolina’s Ryan Nyquist.  Competing in every X Games since 1997, saying that Nyquist is experienced is an understatement.  Add the fact that he left his first seven X Games with medals, and you know that he isn’t looking to go home this time around empty handed. 
 
Scotty Cranmer out of New Jersey is also one capable of taking it all.  At only 19 years old, Cranmer already rides like a seasoned veteran and almost beat Dave Mirra last year at X Games 11.  One of the sport’s finest, Cranmer consistently delivers with a sick bag of tricks and can surely rain on everyone’s parade at the drop of a hat.  As no one knows what he has up his sleeve for X Games 12, he is sure to give the older guys a run for their money and then some. 
 
As victory is truly anyone’s game, the white-hot action this week in the BMX Park is surely something you do not want to miss.  With the pressure through the roof and thousands of screaming fans descending upon the Home Depot Center, one of these guys is bound to drop the hammer and deliver the goods in spades.  So who will kill it and who will go home?  Only time will tell, but keep it locked to Lat34 and don’t miss one second of the madness!  
 

-Glen Braunsdorf