Mark Monea's signature trick the "Carry On" which is a 360 front flip was enough to win $40,000 at the Best Trick competition at the inaugural Monster Energy Cup held at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.

"This is not only the largest amount of money I have ever won, it's the only money that I have ever won in freestyle motocross," said Monea.

The Monster Energy Cup was the first time Monea has landed the 360 front flip in competition. He failed to land the trick during competition at X Games 17 after successfully landing the trick during the Nitro Circus Demo tour early in the Summer.



The Best Trick competition was a one-trick, go-for-broke-freestyle-motocross format with each rider getting one opportunity to land their biggest trick.

The most anticipated moment of the Night was Kyle Loza's attempt at landing the "Scarecrow," a trick in which Loza removes himself from the motorcycle and flips the bike with one hand. Loza was unsuccessful but was able to walk away unhurt.

Best Trick Presented by Dirt Shark Results
Mark Monea: 94
Jackson Strong: 93
Todd Potter: 85.7
Kyle Loza: 65.3
Cameron Sinclair: 65

After four days and 26 different competitions X Games 16 is in the books. Downtown Los Angeles was filled once again with thousands of dirt loving, shower hating, beer guzzling, black-sock wearing boys in tight pants and girls in skimpy clothes screaming for Ryan Sheckler.

With our ears still ringing, memories of this year's festivities are still fresh. Here's what X fans will be talking about until X Games 17.

1. Where did all the big boys go? More X Games superstars pulled out of competition this year than any other we can remember. The most notable exit was Travis Pastrana, one of the most decorated X Games athletes, who pulled out of Moto X Best Trick due to concern he was not close enough to landing his most difficult trick yet. He joined 3-time defending champ Kyle Loza who also withdrew right before he was scheduled to defend his gold in the same category. Travis then had to withdraw from his favorite event, the Super Rally, due to last-minute mechanical issues with his car. Meanwhile Skateboard Big Air Legend Danny Way pulled out of the competition shortly before the games began. Then, after coming up short in the Vert ramp, X Games golden boy Shaun White mysteriously pulled out of Vert Best Trick. With the A-listers missing from many of the headline acts, something just didn't feel right.



2. Maybe they can finish next time? The most anticipated event of X Games 16 had to be the newest, the Super Rally. With four highly-torqued mini-machines zipping through the LA Coliseum fishtailing through turns and jumping over the massive gap things were bound to get interesting. And when the man who waves the checkered flag didn't get the memo that they added an extra lap to the final things really did. After he waved the flag one lap too early the finalists threw an improvisational demolition derby. For what it's worth, they handed Tanner Foust the gold. He used his experience of racing overseas to win both rally disciplines.


3. Hey, I'm over here Pierre Luc Gagnon managed to 3-peat in Skateboard Vert while the rest of the cameras were following Shaun White, the X Games' biggest draw. To be clear, Shaun White delivered a brilliant performance in the halfpipe, unleashing a new heel-flip body-verial frontside 540. But while the cameras stayed glued to White fist pumping on the deck, PLG was busy topping White's ride by linking a 720 with a kickflip body-verial 540. PLG's gold medal did little to help him emerge from White's shadow. The TV headline was that Shaun White lost. And apparently the loss bothered White. He didn't show up for the Best Trick final ten minutes later.



4. Anyone got a hair dryer?: While the Big Air athletes originally thought it was cool having their mega-ramp outside at the Coliseum, the added danger wasn't revealed until competition began. BMX riders were having major issues with condensation, repeatedly sliding out on their landings and going down hard. Things got so bad they were forced to cancel practice. The Skateboard Big Air Rail Jam was delayed and almost stopped for the same reason. Rumor has it the athletes came together and protested, demanding that next year the ramp be inside or they won't compete.



5. The X factor and the envelope: Paris Rosen's epic failure in the Moto X Best Trick was arguably the scariest moment of the games. Rosen got stuck dangling upside down while attempting a front flip. He soared across the entire length of the Staple's Center and landed on his back, hushing the crowd. Ultimately, this was the Jake Brown moment of X Games 16. We're sure to see the replay for years.




Photos Courtesy of Getty Images

Expect non-stop action as Monster Energy athletes hit events across Moto, BMX, Skate and Rally at X Games 16, beginning this Thursday, July 29 through Sunday, August 1. It's all going down center stage in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and in and around STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA.

A total of eight Monster riders are competing in Moto events. In Best Trick, Kyle Loza will be defending as the three-time Moto X Best Trick Gold medalist--after a recent wrist surgery, could we see the bike flip and the first-ever four-peat in the event? He'll face Monster Energy Teammate Blake "Bilko" Williams, an always-exciting rider with loads of swagger.

Hitting the track as defending 2008-2009 Super X Gold Medalist will be Josh Hansen, who's playing triple duty as a competitor in Super X, Speed & Style, and Best Whip--it should be a great show. Also lining up in Super X is Nick Wey, a rider with speed and perseverance that's always a force on the track.

A methodical trick machine, Nate Adams will hit the Speed & Style course as the event returns to the X line-up. He'll also do work in Freestyle Motocross, joined by the defending gold-medalist "Bilko" and serious threat Adam Jones, who's already won at X Fighters this year.

Sara Price will battle as she combines speed and rhythm on July 29 in Super X Women, a semi-new event that's gaining more interest, fans, and excitement constantly--these girls are powerhouses!

In BMX Vert the number one threat will be Monster's Jamie Bestwick, who's often called the best BMX Vert rider ever and is a five-time X Games Vert gold medalist.

In BMX Park two time X Games gold medalist and four-time medalist Scotty Cranmer will be back for more hardware, but he'll have to contend with the legendary Dave Mirra, a medal-collector who's been practicing hard lately and contest-mainstay Ryan Guettler. Andy Buckworth, a young buck from Australia with loads of flip variations like the double front, will battle in BMX Big Air.

Mirra and Ken Block are playing double duty behind the wheel as they both compete in Rally Racing and the all-new Super Rally, which sees four cars on the track at the same time. Mirra, known for his legendary BMX career, has become a threat as he pushed a different pedal to the metal. And Block, now a WRC driver, will be hot off the line and nimble through the turns as he seeks redemption and his first-ever Gold in the event he's medaled in every single year.

Expect more major action as Skate Big Air and Skate Big Air Rail Jam competitors take to the MegaRamp inside the iconic Coliseum. Jake Brown will come in with big plans after the memorable gold medal last year and perhaps more-memorable slam two years ago, while his Monster teammate Pierre Luc Gagnon (PLG) will translate his vert skills and smoothness to the Big Air ramp. The Quebec tech-wizard will also compete in Skate Vert Trick (as the defending Gold medalist) and also Skate vert alongside Alex Perelson, a young force on the ramp with a proven 900. Perelson will also look to make a big impression as he competes in Skate Park.

Tattoos have become synonymous with the culture of motocross, especially within the FMX community. Riders such as Carey Hart and Mike Metzger have pioneered the sport of freestyle motocross and further established themselves as artists and capitalists within the "inked" community. Another such creative mind is that of Kyle Loza. Besides being a multiple X Games Gold winning athlete, Loza is a profoundly accomplished out-of-house tattoo artist. We followed Beau Manley (fellow FMX rider, host of the "Manley Show" EXPN) on his trip to being tattooed by the artist himself, Kyle Loza.

Manley on getting tattooed by Loza.
"I have a back without tattoos on it, and I wanted to get the artist known as Kyle Loza to do it. It's pretty sick when someone that rides dirtbikes has a talent like that."

How did you and Kyle Loza become friends?
"I met him a few times and now we are working on this little project. I liked his style he skateboards, has tattoos, he is on his own program, he isn't your average guy. He's an individual and I like individuals."

What exactly are you getting tattooed today?
"I'm getting a Hawk. I live out in the desert and there is a Native American burial ground nearby. The hawks are always around and I feel like they communicate with me. I needed to get it tattooed on me."

Beau sat down in the room to begin and Kyle prepped the paints. Looking around the studio, Kyle's innate artistic talent was visible everywhere. On the walls were paintings and drawings that expressed a sincere religious devotion and unique perception of pop culture.


I asked Kyle how he got into tatooing.
"My aunt is an amazing artist. She got me into art when I was little and always gave me lessons. Every winter we'd hang out in the snow and draw stuff. I used to drawson my body and not even thinking about tattoos. All the time during church camp on the bus drive up I'd draw sleeves on all of my friends and stuff. I bought a tattoo machine on the Internet and I started doing tattoos and ruining my friends bodies."


What inspires you?
"With anything I do, I try to make something that makes people think. I also have this thing for antlers, I've been drawing antlers on girls faces for a long time."

You are also in a band called Piranha fever; does your music and art ever transpire together?
"Yes, the other day I wrote a song about a painting I did. I painted a dreamland of creatures drinking potion in a cave. I just explained it through music, it translates directly."

There's a lot of religion in your art, do you find it difficult to maintain your faith in a sport (freestyle) that where faith is slightly taboo?
"No. I do my own thing. I have been Christian since I was four. I'm still friends with all the same people. I just do my own thing, with everything I do I try to do it differently."

What is your next focus?
"I'm having surgery on my wrist pretty soon here then my focus is back to X Games."

Someday would you like to own your own Tattoo studio, and go into that field full time?
"Definitely, I mean that's the plan. I'd definitely like to do that."

It is obvious that not only is Kyle Loza one of the most innovative minds in the sport of freestyle motocross, but he is also a rare example of true artistic talent. Be sure to watch Kyle as his career blossoms and grows. As a father and husband, artist and athlete, Kyle Loza is truly one of the most talented people involved in the industry of motocross.