The Bike vert field is virtually set for the 2001 X Games after Saturday's impressive final at the X Trials in Bristol, Conn. Jay Miron and Eduardo "The Spanish Fly" Terreros came in third and fourth respectively to grab two of the last four spots for the upcoming X Games in Philadelphia, Aug. 17-23.

Simon Tabron and Kevin Robinson finished 1 and 2 in the competition at Lake Compounce Theme Park but both were already prequalified for the X Games. The final two tickets to Philly will be punched by the winners at the upcoming European X Games.

Under a brutally hot sun, nine riders (the tenth, Josh Herrington, was injured in practice and had to withdraw from the final) dropped in to the delight of the huge crowd estimated around 15,000, and pulled off some impressive runs.

With a blonde Rick Thorne, a usually color blind Robert Earl and a relaxed looking Mat Hoffman among the "friends and family", the competition got underway with Dave Osato doing his thing and a little James Brown blaring over the loudspeakers. Osato put in a very technical run with lots of no-hand tricks and the trick of the day, a smooth 540.

Jim Burgess was next up with a good run that just wasn't good enough compared to the rest of the red-hot field. He was followed by Jay Eggleston who pulled off his first ever tailwhip and lots of multi-variations. Both of these riders, as well as Stefan Geisler and Josh Harrington already have their invite to Philadelphia though.

Jay Miron, the sixth-place qualifier turned in the first really eye-popping run of the day with a huge 540, a smooth tailwhip, a long backwards rail slide and then a superman style tailwhip that really got the crowd into it.

Jason Davies and Stefan Geisler dropped in with some more 540's, tailwhips and Geisler added a superman seatgrab and nice double bar spin.

But the real crowd pleaser was Eduardo Terreros, better known as the Spanish Fly, who was getting so much air he was practically looking down on the roller coasters at Lake Compounce. The announcers called it at 13 feet but from our front row seat it looked even higher. The judges had to love Terrero's huge tailwhip straight into a 540.

The first round ended with back to back runs from Simon Tabron and Kevin Robinson who were really riding relaxed. You could tell because they both were pulling some huge tricks, including as sick 900 from Tabron. But that was just a hint of what was to come ..

Round two was more of the same with no one really turning it on until Tabron dropped back in with something special in mind. After an invert 540 and a look down 540, Tabron took a short break and dropped down an alleyoop 900 that set the crowd on fire and even got a high five and a hug from Mat Hoffman.

"I had it all clear in my mind," said an ecstatic Tabron after the competition. "Between my two runs, after I pulled the first 900, I came up on the ramp again, paced up and down, I just pictured it in my mind, it was so clear in my mind. I'm just psyched it worked."

The official finish was 1) Simon Tabron, 2) Kevin Robinson, 3) Jay Miron, 4) Eduardo Terreros, 5) Jason Davies, 6) Stefan Geisler, 7) Jay Eggleston, 8) Dave Osato, 9) Jim Burgess, and 10) Josh Herrington.

The list of those qualified for the 2001 X Games Bicycle Vert competition are Jamie Bestwick, Dave Mirra, Mat Hoffman, John Parker, Simon Tabron, Kevin Robinson, Dennis McCoy, Jay Miron, Eduardo Terreros, Jay Eggleston, Stefan Geisler, Jim Burgess, Rick Thorne, Josh Harrington, Koji Kraft, Shaun Eglington, Seiji Saito, and Achim Kujawski (with two more to come from the European X Games).

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