Pretoria - More than 17 000 screaming fans witnessed Tom Pagès and Clinton Moore deliver an epic final to the Red Bull X-Fighters at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday (September 12 2015).
Pagès claimed the top step of the podium with Moore in second, while Taka Higashino of Japan took third.
Tom Pagès flies to victory
France’s Tom Pagès, the innovator who has changed the game in freestyle motocross, shook up the 2015 World Tour standings as well with an electrifying triumph.
Pagès faced the man who has clung to the top of the overall leaderboard all season, Clinton Moore of Australia, in a flawless final where both riders served up tricks that were unimaginable in seasons past.
.@TomPagesFMX = big match temperament. We salute you! #xfighters pic.twitter.com/WNTBb2m2uE
— Red Bull SouthAfrica (@RedBullZA) September 12, 2015
Watch: Red Bull X-Fighters rip up Pretoria
Thousands of supporters
Moore drew roars from the 17 000 proudly South African spectators, delivering his signature Bundy and the first dirt-to-dirt Volt ever landed in competition on the unique track’s double line.
Pagès has the biggest bag of tricks in the sport, and, going last, he rode like a man possessed.
He performed his signature 'alley-Oop Flair', 'bike flip' and 'special flip', as well as the 'transfer flip' he just added to his tricklist, to claim the unanimous votes of all five judges.
WOW! Another insane run for another victory: @TomPagesFMX wins #xfighters Pretoria http://t.co/k66ycX12CN
— Red Bull X-Fighters (@xfighters) September 12, 2015
The result ties Pagès and Moore in the points at the top of the overall standings in the world’s most prestigious freestyle motocross series, setting up what’s sure to be an epic showdown at the season finale in Abu Dhabi on October 30.
Higashino earned third on the red dirt in front of the historic Union Buildings with a strong run that included the exceptionally difficult 'rock-solid backflip' as well as a superb Flair he’s recently mastered. The defending Word Tour champion, Australia’s Josh Sheehan, performed his rarely seen 'double backflip' look easy in earning fourth.
Competing in X-Fighters Pretoria for the second year in a row, Alastair Sayer of neighboring Botswana went big, landing a massive flip over the track’s mammoth 26m jump despite a recently dislocated finger, and finished 11th.
Pretoria result:
1 Thomas Pagès (France)
2 Clinton Moore (Australia)
3 Taka Higashino (Japan)
4 Josh Sheehan (Australia)
5 Rob Adelberg (Australia)
6 David Rinaldo (France)
7 Maikel Melero (Spain)
8 Rémi Bizouard (France)
9 Adam Jones (United States of America)
10 Javier Villegas (Chile)
11 Alastair Sayer (Botswana)
12 Dany Torres (Spain)
World Tour Standings:
1 Thomas Pagès (France) 280 points
2 Clinton Moore (Australia) 280
3 Levi Sherwood (New Zealand) 185
4 David Rinaldo (France) 145
5 Josh Sheehan (Australia) 145
6 Rob Adelberg (Australia) 135
7 Dany Torres (Spain) 100
8 Adam Jones (United States of America) 100
9 Taka Higashino (Japan) 95
10 Rémi Bizouard (France) 90