During the final stage of the 74th Tour de Pologne Szymon Godziek, Poland’s best freestyle mountain bike rider, performs the world’s first flip over the peloton rushing through Bukowina Tarzańska. Especially on that occasion, Szymon switched from his mountain bike to a road bike in order to complete the jump in a truly cycling style, Poland on August 4, 2017. (Photo credit: Red Bull)

BUKOWINA TARZAŃSKA, POLAND — Szymon Godziek has lit up the mountain bike slopestyle scene in recent years with his trademark, gung-ho approach to courses wherever he competes in the world.

The daredevil Pole, 25, from Suszec decided to choose the final stage of the 74th Tour de Pologne to perform the world’s first backflip over a peloton on a professional road bike.

Godziek’s preparations for Red Bull Joyride at Crankworx Whistler on August 20 are a little different from his rivals as the thrilling video and photos bear testament to.

He switched from his customary mountain bike to the road bike for extra dramatic effect and wore classic cycling gear as his road colleagues zipped past through Bukowina Tarzańska.

Afterwards he said, “The difference between my dirt bike and a road bike is huge. The tires are thin, the handlebars are much narrower, the frame geometry is totally different, and of course the weight — a road bike is much lighter and acts differently in mid-air.

“For me the biggest challenge was to get familiar with the specifics of riding on that kind of bike. I had practiced the jump itself numerous times, so it wasn’t difficult for me, and I felt great on the road bike.

“The fact that I was the first one in the world to perform a jump like that means a lot to me. I’m glad that it happened in Poland at the final stage of the Tour de Pologne.”

A backflip is a standard trick in the repertoire of every slopestyler, but landing it on a road bike after a nine meter flight involves a completely new level of difficulty particularly off a specially prepared kicker hidden underground.

Even though Romain Marandet jumped over a peloton in 2013, it was a downhill bike not a tricky road one which makes Godziek’s feat that bit more special in the history books.

The Tour de Pologne has been a part of the UCI World Tour since 2011 and it continues to grow in attendance and global popularity with every passing year.

Organizer Adam Siluta added, “I knew right from the beginning that it was a great idea. The Tour the Pologne is a world-class event and Red Bull is globally famous for its extraordinary projects."