Whips, Flairs, Daniel Dhers

Daniel Dhers exploded onto the scene last year, going from a virtual unknown to a superstar, picking up the overall Park title for the Dew Tour in the process—for the five stops, he never placed lower than third! The kid can throw tailwhips just as naturally as he can pedal down a sidewalk, and he doesn't hesitate to drop them into any trick or over any obstacle he finds. He showed up in Shanghai in May this year for the Asian X Games with a dope new alley-oop flair, along with a now-dialed spine frontflip, and he left with the gold medal. At this year’s Dew Tour, Dhers has placed second at the first two stops. Will he be able to continue this streak in Portland? Whoever's gunning for Daniel's title this year will most definitely have their work cut out for them. We caught up with him between international flights for a little Q&A.

Q: What did you do over the winter?

A: I went home thinking I was going to chill, but I ended up traveling pretty much every weekend to see friends and family. I probably rode only once or twice a week, so I'm glad I'm back!

Q: Have you been working on some new tricks for this year?

A: I learned a couple things and I'm working on other stuff, but mainly just riding. I'm always excited to learn new tricks.

Q: How did winning the Dew Cup last year change your life?

A: It definitely showed me a path. I said that last year was going to be my last year competing in the States if nothing really happened, so with the win, it made me realize that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

Q: Did you make any big purchases with the money you made?

A: I bought a 2007 Honda Fit in Argentina, a Honda Civic in Venezuela but then sold it, and I upgraded from my '95 Buick Century to a Chrysler Sebring here in the States. I also got a fancy cell phone and a watch, and hopefully I'll get a house by the end of the year.