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Kirt Voreis Interview

Bike: What did your skateboarding buddies think of you riding a mountain bike?

Photo: Dillon Clapp/TruVativ

Voreis: Luckily, I had a few friends that also rode and they understood. But when I started shaving my legs I could never let my buddies see that.

Bike: How do you want to be remembered?

Voreis: I just want to be remembered as someone who did it all, as someone who just had fun on his bike—whether it is racing downhill, freeride, cruising cross-country trails or even riding a road bike.

Bike: Speaking of road bikes, do those guys give enough respect to mountain bike riders?

Voreis: It's funny 'cause I respect those guys, but a lot of times the respect doesn't come back. A six-hour road ride is intense, it wears you out. But I've spent years just digging trails from the time I woke up in the morning and then jumping on my bike in the afternoon. You end up thrashing yourself and you're beat up with scars all over, but you ice up and do it again the next morning. Kids are putting their whole heart and soul into this sport and working their asses off and getting thrashed. That's pretty powerful, for sure, and it deserves respect.

Bike: How hard is it to balance racing with freeriding?

Voreis: It's hard to go between the two and figure out which one you want to put so much energy into. I love racing and my sponsors love me racing, but I also love doing all the other stuff. But you're always worried about injuries and wonder whether it's worth it. You wonder if what you just did is good enough for people to say, wow, this sport is stepping it up, or if you have to go bigger and three the road gap next time.

Bike: With sponsorship money drying up and prize purses shrinking, do you think it is harder for someone to just concentrate on one aspect of riding?

Voreis: You still have your hardcore racers, but a lot of racers are doing the freeride thing— almost any downhiller has the skills to do big drops because there are huge drops on some courses. Not all of these guys will leave racing, but freeride competitions and filming are another way for them to get out and get the exposure. And it's another way to have fun on your bike.

Bike: Any goals you're still shooting for?

Voreis: I would live to win a downhill. I've been so close and I've stood on World Cup podiums. But winning one would just be amazing.

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