Nyquist is one to watch at X Games X

Ryan Nyquist began riding his bike at 3 in California. And one ofthe greatest BMX riders was on his way. Obviously, I wasn'tjumping off ramps at that age,'' he said.

OK, the 25-year-old isn't superhuman. It just seems that way.

He will be one of the favorites at the X Games X in Los Angelesthis week. The pinnacle of action sports competition began Thursdayand continues through Sunday. ESPN carries most of the live coverage.More importantly, ABC will air the bike stunt dirt finals and moto Xfreestyle finals in prime time from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

As one of the best action sports stars, Nyquist defined X Games Xbest.

The X Games is the biggest one of the year for us,'' he said.Everything leads up to this one. Hopefully, you are having a good daythat day.''

Nyquist, who just won the 2004 ESPY for Best Action SportsAthlete, will be favored in the dirt and street. He won gold medalsin both at the X Games last year. He used to do all three disciplinesof BMX: street, dirt and vert.

My goal is do what I want to pull on my runs,'' said Nyquist, whois fresh off firsts in the Vans Triple Crown of BMX for both streetand dirt in Salt Lake City.

As to his main competition, Nyquist said, It is hard to say. Thisyear, they cut it down to 10. For street, Dave Mirra, he is alwaysthere. For dirt, the format changed.''

This year, 15 of the 17 events were limited to a field of 10athletes, the best of the best.'' There have been some formatchanges, as Nyquist noted, and skateboard big air and moto Xsupermoto have been added. Moto X supermoto and surfing are the onlyevents with more than 10 athletes.

For the past decade, evolution and progression have defined actionsports and in turn the X Games,'' said Ron Semiao, senior vicepresident, ESPN Original Entertainment. These distinguishingenhancements are designed to clearly identify the X Games as thesignature action sports championship.''

An event of this magnitude favors the experience of somebody likeNyquist, who has clearly come into his own the last two years.

Nyquist has the advantage of years of practice, being in thatenvironment of contests and knowing how to react,'' he said. It is ahigh-pressure environment. If you are new, you get real nervous, andit affects your performance.''

Channeling that pressure of the X Games X will be key. Or to putit another way, Now, you have to jug yourself and make it happen,''Nyquist said.

He should know. He began early enough, entering his firstfreestyle BMX dirt contest at 16. He turned pro as a high schooljunior.

From the day, things have changed a lot,'' he said. This is kindawhat I do for a living -- especially T-Mobile. It is a pretty bigdeal. We have a lot of awesome riders on the team. It kinda blows meaway. Back in the day, we were just messing around. If I could goback in time, it would [look] pretty ridiculous [to see thepresent].''

Nyquist is part of the T-Mobile Action Sports Team that includesBMX rider Mirra, skateboarder/snowboarder Shaun White, skateboarderBucky Lasek, freestyle moto X rider Carey Hart and snowboarderGretchen Bleiler.

That alone shows how far action sports have come in America.Advertisers are actively pursuing riders as spokespeople.

I am pretty fortunate,'' Nyquist said. All that stuff, it neveroccurred to me that it could happen. Before that, it was all fun andgames.''

For Chicago kids watching the X Games X this weekend, he had thisadvice: There are quite a few skateboard parks in the area; just havefun. I hate to see people get into the [sport] because they thinkthey can make money.''

At least from Nyquist's view, the sport is far from peaking.

The sky is the limit,'' he said. Hopefully, it keeps growing. Kidsbeing in it don't need a team or a coach. It is a pretty individual-based sport. For kids to get into it, it is all healthy. It justseems like a lot of people are catching on to it, and it continues togrow.''

That's the view of somebody who started at 3. Will he still be atit at 65?

I doubt it, unless there is some medical breakthrough,'' Nyquistsaid. Sixty-five is a long time away; hopefully, my body won't be toobanged up. I have a hard time thinking about next year.''

X GAMES X

What: World's premier action sports competition

Where: Various venues around Los Angeles

When: Through Sunday

Info: www.expn.com

Today's TV: bike stunt vert finals, moto X step up finals,skateboard street men's finals, 8-11 p.m. (ESPN).

Saturday's TV: aggressive in-line skate vert finals, surfingfinals, wakeboard women's finals, 1-3 p.m. (ESPN); bike stunt parkfinals, surfing finals, wakeboard men's finals, 3-5 p.m. (ABC); motoX freestyle prelims, skateboard vert best trick finals, 8-11 p.m.(ESPN)

Sunday's TV: moto X supermoto finals, skateboard big air finals, 3-5 p.m. (ABC); bike stunt dirt finals, moto X freestyle finals, 6-8p.m. (ABC).

The 17 events: aggressive in-line skate (vert); bike stunt (dirt,park, vert); moto X (best trick, freestyle, step up, supermoto);skateboard (big air, men's street, women's street, men's vert,women's vert, vert best trick); surfing (the game); wakeboard (men's,women's).