The future? It’s a lot to lay on the shoulders of one 16-year-old, but Anthony Messere’s proven he’s up to the challenge. Last year he came into the Red Bull Joyride as an alternate. No, wait, make that a gangly, little-known 15-year-old alternate–and he took third, besting some of the biggest names in mountain biking along the way.

Can Messere repeat that level of performance this year? Click here to find out and to watch a video of his run from last year.

Photo courtesy Bike magazine. Click on the photo to view a video of Messere