Dirt Sessions 2021

Open to the public since 2005, it’s incredible to see how La Poma has changed and evolved, and many riders would agree that it’s one of the best spots in the world. We’ve spent hundreds of hours at La Poma in our teenage years and part of our adulthood, and the positive impact that it has had on us and the European Dirt Jump scene over the years is undeniable.

The Happy Ride Weekend, La Poma’s annual Dirt event since 2008, didn’t happen last year, but we did something about it to give back to our local scene and Dirt Jump community.

On December 11 and 12 of 2021, more than a hundred riders and photographers from different parts of Spain and Europe came to Barcelona to participate in our first-ever Dirt Sessions at La Poma Bikepark.

The main idea behind Dirt Sessions isto bring dirt jumpers and like-minded individuals together to celebrate Dirt Jump culture and lifestyle. It’s a gathering to shed light on an underserved niche within cycling and push self-expression and creativity forward, with categories and prizes for riders and photographers of all genders and ages.

Unlike the typical contest run format, at Dirt Sessions, nobody felt pressured to do anything they wouldn’t want. The vibes we all felt were very special. You could see all the riders smiling on the way back to the start line and cheering on each other. The winners were selected based on their riding performance during jam sessions at La Poma’s Small line, the classic MBA line, and the Big line.

Attendees visited our exclusive DARK BLACK gallery, an installation built to discover our apparel pieces and accessories, see a photography exhibition, and other related products.

Next to it, the guys at News & Coffee offered specialty coffee and a curated selection of alternative magazines, and Canyon had demo bikes to test at their booth. There, you could also register for a special raffle of their new Stitched 360.

For the photo contest, more than a hundred images were submitted via Instagram using #NightmaresDirtSessions. To help us decide the winning photos, we counted on the eyes, taste, and experience of three old-time friends and photographers: Cristóbal Batlle, Pol A. Foguet, and Alex Domingo. They now shoot different disciplines, lifestyle, car culture, and fashion but have deep roots in Dirt Jumping. These were the winning images:

We’ve compiled the best photos from the weekend and made a digital gallery. If you were there, we hope it brings you good memories, and if you weren’t able to make it, we hope to see you next time.

Dirt Sessions 2021 awards

• Clicked, Controller, and Think, Then Drop In: Nuno Pintas
• Sideways: Peter Kaiser, Iven Ebener & Cristian Rodriguez
• GRL PWR: Gemma Corbera & Kathi Kuypers
• Young Blood: Ian Miguel García & Pol Capella
• Style Matters: Lukas Schäfer & Alexandre Sideris
• In This Together: Bienve Aguado, Alejandro Bonafe, Alexandre Sideris & Szymon Godziek

“I was only expecting to reunite a few of my old-school friends with who I used to ride Dirt and do a small jam together, but as I started diving in more on the idea, things organically started to grow.

In the end, Dirt Sessions was what it was supposed to be, a gathering of like-minded individuals who love Dirt Jumping, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Not only was it successful in my eyes but in every other rider’s mind, too. The appreciation and support I received from everybody made all the hard work and dedication from the previous weeks worth it.

Thank you to everyone who came to ride, shoot, or watch. I appreciate your attendance a lot. Thank you to my family and friends who helped me put this all together and make it happen. I couldn’t have done it without your help and support.

Thank you to the brands involved who trusted my idea and supported the event with prizes: Canyon, Giro, Evoc, Acros, 100%, and MSC Tires. And last but not least, thank you to La Poma Bikepark for giving me the freedom to do whatever I wanted.”

— Héctor