One jump. 25 meters deep. 31.3 meters wide.
A moment that changes everything.
On October 18, 2024, Vincent Tupin makes freeride history: with a drop you only do once in a lifetime. Pushing Into the Unknown is more than just a bike film - it's a cinematic portrait of courage, doubt and absolute trust in your own feelings.
Vinny-T: "That's a drop you only make once in a lifetime."
Point of No Return: Freerider Vinny-T on His 31-Meter Jump Into the Unknown
25 meters deep, 31.3 meters across. In this interview, Vincent Tupin opens up for the first time about his attempt to land the biggest and longest jump in freeride history.
On October 18, 2024, the then 30-year-old Frenchman Vinny-T (Vincent Tupin) dared to do something the freeride world won’t forget anytime soon. Driven by curiosity, passion – and a healthy dose of madness – he launched himself 25 meters into the abyss in Liddes (VS). For comparison: the legendary Jah Drop measures 16.8 meters and has only ever been landed once by MTB freerider Brage Vestavik. We talk with Vinny T about the moment when there was no turning back.
Written by Anna Unternährer
Pictures: Germain Favre-Felix
Vinny, take us back to the very beginning: when and how did the idea for this mad jump first come about?
My friend Seb Giraldi discovered the spot in Valais back in October 2023. As soon as he saw the drop, he thought of me. So we went there together, checked out the location, met some locals – and got the green light right away! That’s super rare. We started shaping the jump later that same month.
You finally went for the jump on October 18, 2024. Why did the preparations take over a year?
I chose not to jump a few times – either the weather was off (wind is a real danger), or I just didn’t feel ready. And every time we wanted to try again, we had to shape the whole thing for at least a day to make it rideable. That’s why it ended up taking over a year.
This was the highest jump ever attempted: 25 meters vertical, 31.3 meters diagonal – pretty nuts. Were you scared?
Of course. The fear’s always there. You know you can get seriously hurt. That’s just human. But over the years I’ve learned to understand what’s possible – and what I’m really capable of. I knew I was pushing my limits hard… but I also knew I could pull it off. And I was super lucky to have Seb with me. He’s a shaper with tons of experience. The perfect guy for a project like this. He helped make it as safe as possible.
What was the hardest part of the jump? Besides finding the guts to actually send it…
Getting the speed right. That was the most stressful factor – you can’t come up short or overshoot. Coming up short from that height really wasn’t an option at all. Given that the spot was so steep I couldn’t walk all the way to the drop. I could only see the jump from about a meter back.
How did you manage to dial in the right speed? That sounds sketchy…
Yeah, it was pretty horrible… (laughs) You just feel it in your gut – you’ve got to trust that instinct completely. There are a few little tricks, like throwing rocks to get a feeling for the distance. But really, the only way to know is to actually do it. I must have practiced roll-ins for an hour before I finally jumped.
How did you go from “I’d like to do it” to “Okay, let’s go”?
I always knew I would do it, I just didn’t know when. As long as I didn’t feel it, the answer was simple: no jump. But with every roll-in, I got more into that zone, that focus. And at some point, something clicks – and that’s when you hit the point of no return. Once you’re there, you know: you’re not braking anymore. You’re going all in.
"I always knew I’d do it – just didn’t know when."
Can you describe what it felt like in the air? What went through your head?
It’s a completely unique feeling. I’ve never base-jumped before, but I imagine it’s kinda similar. From the very first second, I knew: my speed’s good, I’m going to hit the landing. Huge relief. But right after that I thought: “Whoa… this is taking a bit too long… better brace for impact.”
How do you prepare for something like that? Or put differently: what makes for a “good” impact?
The goal was to land both wheels at the same time to spread the force as much as possible.
I controlled it the best I could – but it was just too much. My front tire exploded, my head was almost on the fork. I tucked into a roll. That’s my go-to when things go south: curl up and wait for it to end. I’m so stoked I stayed conscious through the whole thing. Even though I crashed, I didn’t get a single injury and remember everything.
Did you consider doing the jump again? New wheel, new attempt?
No. You can’t take an impact like that twice. It was just too much. The guys said I landed a bit deep and could probably make it if I landed higher up. But I can say with 100% certainty: this impact is unbearable. And even if I’d landed clean, I wouldn’t try it again.
That’s the kind of jump you only do once in your life.
"This is the kind of jump you only do once in your life."
Since then, you’ve pulled off another 21-meter jump – and landed it successfully. How did that feel?
Even though the jump was much smaller, I had to push myself mentally to overcome the fear from my last crash. Landing it was a huge relief. I feel like I’ve passed a milestone: last time I fell, this time I made it. That really motivates me to keep going.
Photos: Romuald Manach
And finally: any advice for young riders?
The best advice? Take it step by step. That’s how you avoid injuries and unnecessary crashes. You’ve got to learn to trust yourself and believe in what you can do. And at some point, you just have to go for it. If you never try, you’ll never know where your limits really are.
"If you never try, you’ll never know where your limits are."
And for the truly mad ones – the ones who want to push limits?
If they’re already that mad, they probably have what it takes. (laughs) But the advice is the same: step by step. If the idea’s nuts but you feel it – get the right people on board and go for it. You don’t do a project like this alone – at least I don’t. You need a solid crew to build something like that. And in the moment of the jump, you have to be able to rely 100% on your friends.
