ATHLETES

🛡 Mountain Biking’s Viking Warrior

No one in the world can ride a bike like Brage Vestavik.

The freeride star is nicknamed the “Viking” for his Norwegian roots, warrior-like appearance, and hard hitting style that has seen him break 22 helmets by just the age of 26.

But who truly is Brage?

We did some digging to understand how a former downhill racer transitioned into the greatest big mountain freerider of his generation.

Backstory

Born in Mysen, Norway, Brage was pretty much destined to be a beast on the mountain bike. His dad, Arnebjørn Vestavik, is also a passionate rider who helped guide his son into the sport.

Even after their house burned down when he was two years old, Brage didn’t slow down—ripping around on his toddler bike non-stop at his grandparents’ place. When their new house was built, Brage turned the empty backyard into his own playground, stacking construction materials into sketchy but sendable obstacles. It wasn’t long before he was tearing up Hafjell Bike Park and riding with Norwegian freeride legends Makken and Trond Hansen.

The Rise Of A Freeride Icon

Brage started racing downhill young, hitting his first Norwegian DH Cup at just nine years old on a 24” Kona Stinky. While he raced World Cups with Devinci in 2016 and later joined the MS-Mondraker development team, his true passion was always in big sends and freeride creativity so he shifted his focus fully to making content.

That’s when things really took off.

His 2021 X Games Real MTB edit was a game changer, putting his wild style on full display and earning him serious respect in the freeride world. He did more cool projects like ANYTIME with Kade Edwards and Brett Rheeder, and even rode at Rampage in 2021 but crashed out after hitting a monster drop in practice. In 2023, he sent the legendary 55-foot Jah Drop in BC—22 years after its first attempt in 2001. Though he took a hard hit on landing, he didn’t crash!

Planet Alaska – The Next Level

Recently Brage unleashed Planet Alaska, a mind-blowing ride through the rugged Alaskan landscape. The film captures his signature style—huge drops, raw lines, and that unpredictable, do-or-die energy that makes him one of the gnarliest riders out there. The project brings freeride back to its roots—big mountains, no limits, just pure shredding.

Brage’s goal with his career is simple: to create timeless content.