../people/Daniel Dhers

Sources: www.ddbmx.com, www.redbullusa.com, bmx.transworld.net, BMX Plus!, ...
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1985 DOB: 25/03/1985
Place of Birth: Caracas, Venezuela.
early years www.redbullusa.com, 2007: Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, Daniel rifled through various sports like karate and basketball until some of his neighborhood friends got bikes.
Daniel Dhers, www.dewtour.com, august 2006: All my friends just started cruising around on bicycles, so I bought a mountain bike and started jumping stairs. One of my friends got a flatland bike, so I discovered all of the other parts of freestyle riding from that. I eventually started hanging out with some street riders.
www.redbullusa.com, 2007: Daniel took his first spin around the local skatepark on February 4th, 1998, a date he remembers with ease: "That's the day I rode my first ramp. I remember it because I did my membership for the skatepark the next day and that day it was printed. I was a member for a few years, so I remember it to this day. I got dizzy riding the ramps, but I really liked it, so I started going there every day." Unfortunately, the park closed a few years later, and Daniel was forced to hit the streets to work on his riding skills.

www.redbullusa.com, 2007: When Daniel was 16, his parents received a job offer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and off they went. "At first it was hard; I didn't know anyone. There was a skatepark there, though, and it really helped me out because there were more riders and bigger ramps. People were already doing flips; it was a whole different level. I started going there every day, all day. I really focused on riding." Unfortunately, that park eventually closed as well and Daniel was back to street riding, or making the rare trip to a park an hour and a half away on the sketchiest train in the country.
daniel dhers early years
2003 CFB Woodward West.
First pro contest.
2004

www.redbullusa.com, 2007: The perpetual lack of riding facilities prompted Daniel to dream of the chance to ride Woodward's ramp mecca in Pennsylvania. A chance meeting with Woodward resident pro Tom Stober at a demo in South America in 2003 resulted in an invitation to camp, and Daniel took full advantage in 2004. He was originally slated to stay for two weeks, but enjoyed it so much that he ended up staying for most of the summer.

7th Place, Latin X Games, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Park

2005

www.redbullusa.com, 2007: Daniel returned to camp in 2005, but arrived too late to enter the qualifying events for the contest season. Disappointment turned into drive, and Daniel rode at camp non-stop, further motivated by one of his early heroes, BMX legend Jamie Bestwick. "He'll push me every time," says Daniel. "He'll see me try something in the foam, and he'll say, 'You have to land that right now.' I'll want to wait, but then I'll think, 'Okay, he's Jamie Bestwick, he might be right,' and I end up pulling it first go. Now, if he told me I could throw myself from a five-story building and land on my feet, I'd probably try it." Pulling that move is probably not completely out of the question, given Daniel's machine-like precision on the park course. He can fire out tailwhips in his sleep, often combined with countless variations, many of which only he can do. He stays up on his contest tricks by perpetually riding at his highest level, always pushing the boundaries. "I don't really think about the fear factor. After riding for so long, it's there, but you know how to control it."

Daniel won the Baco Jam in October '05, Longwood, FL.
Daniel Dhers, www.dewtour.com, august 2006: I couldn’t ride the contests this year because they were invite-only and I came too late for the qualifiers, so I just kept riding and learning stuff. I was just about to go home when I went to the Baco Jam. I was riding a lot at that time, so I really wanted to get top three there. I had been working on frontflips over the spine, but one day, I broke my nose in the foam pit, so I was over it. Winning the contest and then doing the frontflip over the spine for best trick, I was really happy because I never expected that. I think I was possessed that night.

Riding for Haro.
december 2005: The HARO squad has picked up Daniel Dhers from Venezuela. Quite a few drunken pros were at the Baco-a-go-go jam over Halloween to witness Daniel win the Best Trick contest with a front flip over the decked spine. He's a ripper, just remember the name: Daniel Dhers.

2006 www.redbullusa.com, 2007: Heading into the finals of the five-stop Action Sports Tour in October of 2006, Daniel Dhers was trailing the overall leader in BMX Park by a mere ten points; to say that Daniel was having a good year would be a major understatement. Barely known outside of his summer training grounds at Woodward Camp in Pennsylvania, the Venezuelan exploded onto the American contest circuit in '06, racking up four podium finishes on the tour and a bronze medal at the X Games. He was now fighting for his first title--and a cool $75,000 bonus--in his first full year as a competitor in the States. "I wanted to make top ten for the year," Daniel remembers. "At the end of the season, I was in the points race with Scotty Cranmer and Ryan Nyquist, so I thought, 'If worse comes to worst, I'll at least get third.' My family and friends were there, so I was able to have a good time and not stress about the contest." Daniel won the final round, earned the title, and launched into the BMX spotlight.

2006 - Bronze Medal, X Games, Los Angeles, CA, Park
2006 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Orlando, FL, Park
2006 – 3rd Place, Dew Tour, San Jose, CA, Park
2006 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Denver, CO, Park
2006 – 3rd Place, Dew Tour, Louisville, KY, Park
2006 – Overall Champion, Dew Tour, Park
2007 Sophrider 7 has an interview with Daniel Dhers and Anthony Napolitan who both made a strong appearance on the contest scene in 2006.

Props Megatour 6.

3rd place pro miniramp and 3rd place pro park @
2007 FISE, Montpellier, France, may 2007.
Daniel Dhers is a trick machine. It was his first time on the Braun spine and he did an amazing job.

Daniel Dhers trip in Peru in Cream june 2007.

2007 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Cleveland, OH, Park
2007 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Baltimore, MD, Park
2007 – 2nd Place, Metro BMX Jam, Singapore, Park
2008 1st place pro miniramp and 1st place pro park @ 2008 FISE, Montpellier, France, may 2008.
Dhers wins first stop of the Braun cruZer Tour at FISE. The crowd at FISE in Montpellier were loving Venezuelan, Daniel Dhers. He's been having an amazing year and has obviously built up a lot of support. His reign at the top continues with a win at the first leg of the 2008 Braun cruZer Tour. From the first practice runs on Thursday he showed all the competition he was the man to beat with his super quick style. During the finals he was executing tricks with insane accuracy. This continues to be the year of Dhers, he must be absolutely stoked having won the Street contest at FISE also.

Flair on the cover of Ride BMX US june 2008: What you can't see: chaotic traffic, cars going the wrong way, hot moms stopping to flirt, and a difficult line of approach... What is visible: Daniel Dhers upside down, tabled, and flaired-out on a sweet street spot in Venezuela. Photo by Keith Mulligan.

Riding for KHE.
www.fatbmx.com, december 2008: Daniel Dhers is switching frames from a Mirraco to a KHE. He's still working out the details but has designed a signature frame for them. In Berlin he rode on a standard KHE bike including that bar/stem combo. It got him second place behind Rob Darden.
Thomas Goring, december 2008: Some last news of the year but a big one for KHE: We have some last news for you this year: We are happy to announce that we have a new team rider: It is no one less than the amazing Daniel Dhers. From now on, Daniel will ride KHEbikes frames and parts and will help to develop stuff. So you can expect some fresh products like a signature frame and parts in the near future.

2008 – Gold Medal, X Games, Los Angeles, CA, Superpark
2008 – LG Action Sports Championship, Seattle, WA, Park
2008 – 1st Place Overall, Dew Tour, Park
2008 – 2nd Place, Dew Tour, Orlando, FL, Park
2008 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Salt Lake City, UT, Park
2008 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Portland, OR, Park
2008 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Cleveland, OH, Park
2008 – 1st Place, Dew Tour, Baltimore, MD, Park
daniel dhers ride bmx us 06 2008
2009 Sponsors may 2009: DC Shoes, Red Bull, KHE Bikes, Verizon Wireless, POC Helmets, Albe’s, Team Blowin’ It, Woodward Camp.

1st place pro miniramp and 2nd place pro park @
2009 FISE, Montpellier, France, may 2009.
Daniel Dhers was on it and unwrapped some of his new 720 variations over the step-up box. You know how he rides, it's non-stop and a big move on every ramp he finds on his way.

2009 – 2nd Place, Jomopro, Joplin, MO

Riding Relics Of War in Ride BMX US november 2009.
2010 BMX PLUS! COVER.
Daniel Dhers sends a seat grab indian air on a quarter while spending some time at the best camp on earth on the cover of BMX Plus! october 2010. Photo: Jeremy Pavia.
daniel dhers bmx plus! 10 2010
2011 58 BIKE SHOP.
Daniel Dhers, press release, october 2011: After months and months of thinking I’ve decided to leave my long time sponsor ALBE’s , it wasn’t easy to come to this decision since they have been awesome to me since my first trip to America when I decided to pursue this BMX dream. They’ve carried me under their wing this whole time and I can’t thank Flip, Todd, Turbo and the rest of the Albe’s team enough for everything, you guys are like family! But just like every little bird I’ve decided to grow wings myself and start my own project to get a little more involved with the industry side of BMX, so I have taken an opportunity to start a partnership with one of my best friends and also rider Pedro Hurtado to start our own bike shop/mail order. We are starting small but with a lot of energy and motivation, so we’ll see what the future brings; we are already planning some stuff we are sure you’ll like! We also would like to announce our first Team Rider, Mark Webb. I have spent a lot of time with Webby over the years and Im more than happy he has accepted to join us. We will be announcing more team riders soon. The shop will be based in the Miami area; for the riders whom might want to come and check it out it’s at 11159 NW 122st, Medley, FL, 33178.