The world’s best FMX riders will take to the air in Madrid for the 16^th  Red Bull X-Fighters event on July 7.

Defending champion Tom Pagès of France had to drop out of the world’s most prestigious FMX competition and will be replaced by Germany’s Luc Ackermann.

The excitement in the world of freestyle motocross is building with just eight days left until the 16^th edition of the Red Bull X-Fighters stop in Madrid’s Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, where the best riders will battle in front of 20,000 fans to win in the sport’s most iconic arena.

With four-time Madrid winner Tom Pagès of France forced to pull out due to a shoulder injury that did not heal quickly enough after an operation, the field will be more wide open with four former Red Bull X-Fighters champions going all out to win the prestigious Madrid stop: Clinton Moore (AUS), Josh Sheehan (AUS), Levi Sherwood (NZL) and Spain’s very own Dany Torres. Former Red Bull X-Fighters’ event winners Rob Adelberg (AUS), Taka Higashino (JPN), Adam Jones (USA), Australia’s latest trick machine, Harry Bink and Spaniard Maikel Melero round out the field of the ten qualified athletes besides the two Novilleros Fred Kyrillos (BRA) and Chris Meyer (ESP).

“It’s a big setback for me,” said Pages. “I was really excited about returning to Madrid and fighting for my fifth triumph in Las Ventas because the atmosphere is awesome there and the riders’ level is going to be higher than ever this year.” The tricks in Madrid are among the most spectacular every year in FMX as the riders train and prepare especially to present their best creations to the FMX world.

Luc Ackermann (GER), the most successful German Red Bull X-Fighters rider in history after getting to the semi-finals in Munich in 2014, will be added to the field. The German, who was the youngest rider ever to executive a backflip on a motorbike, is in top form after taking first place in April at the Night of the Jumps in Munich.

Riders list:

1. Clinton Moore (AUS)
2. Josh Sheehan (AUS)
3. Levi Sherwood (NZL)
4. Dany Torres (ESP)
5. Rob Adelberg (AUS)
6. Maikel Melero (ESP)
7. Taka Higashino (JPN)
8. Adam Jones (USA)
9. Harry Bink (AUS)
10. Luc Ackermann (GER)
11. Fred Kyrillos (BRA) (Novillero voted by the fans)
12. Chris Meyer (ESP) (Novillero selected by the sports committee)

Watch it live!

Be one of more than 20,000 excited fans in the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid… or watch it live. Red Bull X-Fighters Madrid will broadcast live on redbullxfighters.com and Red Bull TV at 10 pm CET on July 7th. Red Bull TV is available on connected TVs, gaming consoles, mobile devices and more. For a full list of supported devices, visit www.redbull.tv/apps.