Showcasing confidence, showmanship and borderline insanity, Tristan Gac, challenged Erlend Fagerli and, in a monumental upset, came away the victor.
The Red Bull Street Style Global Championships are all about excitement, and the young Frenchman brings that in abundance. At just 21 years of age, Gac has the swagger and skill set of a man far beyond his years, regularly mesmerising crowds with his 360Variations. And this year, he made the biggest statement of his career — beating the greatest of all time.
After a spectacular performance at the qualifier, Gac made the astonishing decision to call out Fagerli, rendering the crowd in Brussels, Belgium, stunned.
In an exclusive interview with Sporf, he explained: “It was my last chance to battle against him. It was 3-0 to him; he’s defeated me a lot. He is a legend, and I think everybody would love to battle him one day. It’s an honour to battle him. I was happy to put my name next to him.”
Tristan Gac defeated Erlend Fagerli at the 2023 Red Bull Street Style Global Championships
Despite his admirable self-belief, saying you can beat Fagerli and actually doing it are two completely different things. After all, when the pair faced off in the Pulse Riga final, it was Fagerli who came out on top. but when it was time to hit the stage, Gac rose to the occasion, delivering the performance of his life.
READ MORE: THE ERLEND ROLL: THE MOVE THAT MADE ERLEND FAGERLI A RED BULL STREET STYLE LEGEND
While many would fall foul to the pressure of battling the iconic Norwegian, the prospect revelled in the moment en route to dispatching of the legend in one of the biggest underdog triumphs in the history of the tournament.
And while he lost his semi-final to freestyling genius Jay Hennicke, his victory over Fagerli will live long in the memory. The story of Gac is an inspirational one, based around never giving up. While he struggled during his first competition at the French Championships, he’s kept grafting and successfully cemented his place as one of the best on the planet.
Possessing tremendous talent and the hearts of the people exhibited through winning the first-ever People’s Choice Award in last year’s competition, we clearly haven’t seen the best of Gac, leaving the freestyling community positively salivating at what’s to come.
Featured Image Credit: Red Bull
