Broken backs and insane trains at the Taxco Urban DH

Benjamin Haworth

Pleasure and pain. Lots of pain.

At the recent Taxco Urban Downhill event Remy Metailler broke his back. Sam Pilgrim had much more fun by being part of a truly impressive multi-rider ‘train’ ride.

Here’s what Remy had to say on Instagram about his misfortune (that’s him upside down in the photo y the way!)…

Half a second after that shot I broke my back. I have not been progressing as fast as I wanted since I starting riding because I have always made my health the priority over the results or any other thing. The past saturday, I flipped the last jump of #DownhillTaxco and overshot a tiny bit. Just enough to take the biggest slam of my life, all on my back. I made a mistake and I landed like you never want to land. The shock was horrible and I knew even before I bounced on the floor that I had broken a vertebra. I wanted to make sure I won't move before doing X-rays. The doctors took care of me and told me it was just the muscles. At this point I was just so happy but I knew my body and that it was probably more than this. The pain was not bad. I walked and danced fine after they told me I was ok, without taking any drugs. Yesterday I went to double check in Guadalajara before flying to France. Within two seconds the doctor saw I had cracked and compressed my T6. I was just walking, holding things, bending with no real struggle. My bones were not painful. Now I am going to rest the bone, and then go back to the gym to get stronger and healthier than ever. I am so determined and motivated to work harder than ever. Thanks @interproteccion, @altiusevents, @northmanco and @mdhbikes for the support. Photo by @nicoswit_photo. @commencalbikes @maxxistires @raceface604 @camelbak @vorsprungsuspension @acros_components @e13_components @htcomponents @allmountainstyle @whistlercore @camplifecoffee @whistlergrocery @whistlertrainer @bellbikehelmets @smithoptics. Thanks as well to every other riders, fans for the support and the great times. See you very soon.

A post shared by Rémy Métailler (@remymetailler) on

In case you can’t read the caption easily, here it is in full…

“Half a second after that shot I broke my back.

I have not been progressing as fast as I wanted since I starting riding because I have always made my health the priority over the results or any other thing. The past saturday, I flipped the last jump of #DownhillTaxco and overshot a tiny bit. Just enough to take the biggest slam of my life, all on my back.

I made a mistake and I landed like you never want to land. The shock was horrible and I knew even before I bounced on the floor that I had broken a vertebra. I wanted to make sure I won’t move before doing X-rays.

The doctors took care of me and told me it was just the muscles. At this point I was just so happy but I knew my body and that it was probably more than this. The pain was not bad. I walked and danced fine after they told me I was ok, without taking any drugs.

Yesterday I went to double check in Guadalajara before flying to France. Within two seconds the doctor saw I had cracked and compressed my T6. I was just walking, holding things, bending with no real struggle. My bones were not painful. Now I am going to rest the bone, and then go back to the gym to get stronger and healthier than ever. I am so determined and motivated to work harder than ever.”

Sam Pilgrim on the other hand had something of a more enjoyable time way down in old Mexico. Just watch the above helmetcam POV film of him chasing another rider down the steep, narrow and sketchy back alleyways of Taxco.

>>> Australia’s only urban downhill race

Sam Pilgrim: “Here i am following the gang down the taxco urban downhill course which carves its way through the streets and alleyways of taxco in Mexico! This trip was really incredible and I’m super stoked i was able to go there!!”