Downhill Mountain Bike Racers Hall of Fame – Rui Teixeira

What`s your day job?

Me and two friends create a company called JM Graphics which is dedicated to making stickers and graphic works for bicycles, motorcycles, etc… In addition to this work, I´m a semi-professional Downhill athlete.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Finished two times in 4th place In Portugal Cup DHI, two times Regional of Minho DHI Champion (North of Portugal), 1x time winner of Maxxis Cup International DHI (Youth category), lots of wins and podiums and I raced in my first two World Cups DHI last year (Andorra and Lenzerheide).

What would be your dream car/ motorcycle?

I have lots of dream cars, but I would say the new model of Nissan GTR Nismo.

Did you always want to be a racer or something else?

I always love riding bikes since kid and I´m also a super competitive person, so I think racing bikes perfectly fits with my personality.

What motorsport event would you most like to compete in?

I also like dirt bikes, so I would say Motocross races …

What is the most insane/scary/memorable drive/ride you’ve ever had?

I’ve had many scary moments racing bikes, but the serious injuries and some big crashes are the ones that stand out in my memory. The most memorable rides are those that end in podiums or those that are spent with my mates doing lots of descents.

How involved are you in testing and mechanical tweaking before events?

I´m very picky with the setting of my bike, so me or my mechanic are always around my bike after each run.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Hopefully in good health, with the company of my friends and my family and doing what I love most, racing bikes!

What is your go to playlist or song before an event to get in the zone?

Maybe some chill hip hop songs from Drake, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, J. Cole and other similar artists.

If you could try any other motorsport which one would you choose?

I’d quite like to try an F1 car.

What’s the fastest you’ve ever gone in a car or bike on track and when?

The fastest I rode in one bike was when I hit 90 km/h on a descent when I was training in my road bike.

Who is your inspiration?

In my personal life, I try to inspire myself by people with good vibes and attitudes that cross in my life daily. In my racing career, I get a lot of inspiration from my favorite World Cup DHI riders.

What is the one thing you could not live without?

I would say Internet.

What is your favourite takeaway?

Pizza for sure!

Do you have a favourite movie?

I love watching movies, but I don´t have a favorite one that I can stand out from all the others.

Any bad habits?

Lay me down too late and sleep only a few hours are definitely one.

Tell us something about you that most people would not know?

In many of the things I do, I tend to be overly organised, meticulous and petty.

Would you rather fight 1duck-sized horse or 1 horse-sized duck?

Hard question … ahaha! But I think 1 duck-sized horse would be too scary in person, so I would go against 100 horse-sized ducks.