The rider Julio López has achieved the longest jump ever recorded on an adventure motorcycle. The Madrid native reached 67 meters with his Kove 800X Rally, surpassing the previous record held by American Colby Raha (62.48 meters, best record with a bike over one cylinder).
Besides the number, what is truly remarkable about the Spanish milestone is how and where it was accomplished. Julio López used a unique setting, the Olympic ski jump of Bergisel, the most iconic in Europe, located in Innsbruck (Austria).
There, along with a very small team of trusted individuals and a very limited budget, he faced this giant with a takeoff ramp 120 meters high and a drop of 128 meters to the landing area.
Bad weather also accompanied the entire day with heavy rain that left the takeoff and landing surfaces completely soaked. Despite this, López decided to jump, taking on the extra risk, and achieved his mark. A feat that was verified by the Bergisel station itself, handing him the certificate from its director, Bernhard Niggler.
"It has been a true battle against my own mind. We had everything against us: bad weather, wind, rain, and an ultra-complex setup since we had to build a landing area without being able to drill into the original structure of the station. But I couldn't leave Bergisel without jumping, and I went for it," explained the expert rider, a four-time Spanish motocross champion, who could only make three attempts as "the weather conditions were too adverse." "But I know I can go much further. I am very happy to have achieved this and to show that by dreaming big, even being small, you can achieve great things. Now I want to go for 100 meters! I want to thank all the brands that have supported me in this challenge, as it would have been impossible without them," he concluded.