Riders conquer big air in Red Bull Rampage

• Berrecloth, Zinc compete on Freeride Mountain Bike Tour
• Tour stop will be featured as part of Red Bull Rampage
• Sport features big airs, freestyle maneuvers

When pro mountain biker Darren Berrecloth learned he had broken his back after a crash in August, his first thought was not again. The 31-year-old Canadian knew he'd have a long road to recovery.

When Cameron Zinc crashed wearing a helmet-cam last fall, he knew it wouldn't be the last time. The video of the crash went viral instantly.

"It's like anything with risk versus reward," said Zinc, who walked away from the crash. "It's never going to be perfect all the time, so you have to be willing to suffer through the lows to get the highs."

Berrecloth and Zinc are among an elite group of mountain bikers specializing in the freeride discipline of the sport. It's mountain biking defined by big airs and freestyle maneuvers and sheer speed. But as with most extreme sports, there's always the risk of injury.

Zinc crashed in Utah at the Red Bull Rampage, part of the Red Bull Signature Series, which will be broadcast on NBC Sports on Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET.

"It was one of the bigger jumps I'd ever hit (65 feet) ... I went into the chute too fast, and as soon as I went over the lip I knew I was going over the bars, so I jumped off," Zinc said.

Zinc had a similar crash at the 2010 contest. After that incident, he came back to win the title.

"The contrast between being able to walk away to ride another day or just play on is a big difference from other sports," he said. "You can't just wait it out like an NFL player for next week's game."

Berrecloth and Zinc compete on the Freeride Mountain Bike World Tour, a 34-event series founded in 2010.

Sullivan writes for BNQT.com