Their faces say it all: mouths open, hands clenched, hearts in their throats. The parents of Tom Pagès, the French freestyle motocross legend, can’t hide their terror as they watch their son launch himself into the air in the middle of competition.
Pagès, the 2013 Red Bull X-Fighters champion and a multiple X Games gold medalist, is known for inventing his own tricks, such as the Bike Flip, a maneuver he perfected after thousands of attempts. Every jump is a second of total emptiness for those watching from the stands.
When he finally lands safe and sound, the relief on his parents’ faces is as real as the fear they felt seconds earlier. That’s why the clip went viral: because behind every extreme trick, there is a family holding its breath.
