SAM SORIANO DROPS 'GROUNDWORK' - A RAW LOOK AT WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD AND RIDE FREERIDE LINES
If you’ve ever stared down a feature wondering what the hell you’re doing, Sam Soriano’s latest edit is for you. Groundwork dives into the headspace and hard graft behind freeriding — from digging and shaping to the gut-check moments that happen when it’s time to drop in.
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For publication at 17:00 CET / 09:00 PT on Tuesday 4 November: Utah’s own Sam Soriano is one of the standout names in the freeride scene right now. She grew up on BMX, raced downhill as a teen, and eventually found her groove in freeride. Known not just for her riding but for her honesty about the mental side of the sport, Sam has built a reputation for tackling fear head-on and sharing what that journey actually looks like.
In Groundwork, she takes on one of her biggest projects yet: building and riding a full freeride line inspired by Red Bull Rampage — the ultimate proving ground for big mountain riders.
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Sam on building her own lines:
"2024 was such a huge year for women’s freeride. The addition of the women’s category in Red Bull Rampage suddenly gave women the global platform they've been demanding. Watching from the sidelines I saw the inner workings of what it takes to construct and ride a Rampage line, and instantly knew there was a big hole in my own practice if I wanted to be considered as a Rampage contender.
"I needed to be able to build and guinea pig my own features. Building is a physical and mental challenge but guinea pigging is one of the most overlooked aspects about Rampage while also being the most emotionally challenging part of the event. I’ve usually ridden other people’s builds, so this was a big step for me.
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"I wanted to build features that would push me as a rider while also being smart about what we built. With my amazing team of digging mentors, we settled on a double drop followed by a flat drop that would be at the end of my favorite ridgeline, or “Powerline” as it's come to be known.
“Even though I didn’t make it into Rampage this year (I was on the alternate list), this project felt like the next best thing. It taught me so much about what it takes to show up as a freerider, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we built."
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Watch the film:
You can watch the full 8-minute video on Sam's Youtube channel here. Or grab the full press kit and video assets here.
Bike spec:
Sam Soriano rides a custom Canyon Torque AL (size S). Here you'll find the main components:
Cockpit: Race Face Atlas Bars & Atlas Direct Mount Stem
Wheels: Race Face Atlas Wheels 27.5 front and rear
Brakes: Shimano XT
Suspension: Marzocchi Bomber 58 & Marzocchi Bomber Air
Drivetrain: Shimano Saint 10spd
For more from Sam Soriano see @samathasorian0or for more from Canyon's other freeride athletes check out @canyonMTB.
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