In the final event at the 2025 Mayhem Classic last weekend, Roman Khrennikov put on a show that we’re still trying to wrap our minds around. It was dominance, plain and simple, and it proved to be one of the highlights of the entire competition.
If you missed the event, here’s what it consisted of:
Khrennikov finished the first 30 calories in 32 seconds, the bar muscle-ups in 1:48, and the final 30 calories in 52 seconds.
- His finishing time was 3:18. James Sprague finished in 3:42, and Jayson Hopper in 4:07.
As Khrennikov jumped off the bike after the first set, Rich Froning chimed in with some trash-talking from the booth: “What do you think about that, Hopper?”
So, does that make Khrennikov the Echo Bike King?
Is the main criterion who wins the most recent workout that includes an Echo Bike, or do we need a more objective way to measure it?
The Candidates:
- Dallin Pepper
- Jayson Hopper
- Roman Khrennikov
- James Sprague
Sprague’s Claim to the Throne
We already discussed Roman’s dominant performance over the field at Mayhem, which included Sprague and Hopper. However, Sprague, Pepper, and Hopper recently completed the “Rogue Hammer Challenge,” a test of max calories on the Echo Bike in five minutes.
Sprague went first and withheld his score from the other two. Pepper and Hopper then went head-to-head in a livestream battle on the Boys Interrupted YouTube channel with Justin Medeiros.
Sprague claimed victory with 163 calories, Hopper finished with 150, and Pepper recorded 143. After the grueling test, Pepper’s first words were, “That was not the strategy.”
Hopper’s Claim to the Throne
Hopper won the Echo Bike workout at the 2024 CrossFit Games. Known as “Firestorm,” it consisted of three rounds with 15 calories on the bike and 11 burpees over a barrier. It is the only recent instance of all four men competing together.
After the event, he told Dallin, “You’re only as good as your last race.” (In our current context, that points us back to Khrennikov.)
Pepper’s Claim to the Throne
The Echo Bike King debate emerged at the 2024 Syndicate Crown after some pre-event trash talk escalated when Khrennikov narrowly defeated Pepper by .07 seconds in Event 3.
2024 Syndicate Crown, Event 3
7 rounds for time:
- 10 cal Echo Bike
- 1 legless rope climbs
- 10 box jump-overs
- 1 legless rope climbs
Through his translator, Khrennikov claimed, “He did not make a mistake. That’s why he won.”
“We got one more Echo bike, Roman,” Pepper responded.
- Worth noting: The rules required athletes to step down from the box jump-overs. Khrennikov jumped down on his final rep but did not receive a no-rep from his judge, which ultimately cost Pepper the win.
Hopper finished 16 seconds behind Pepper.
Pepper backed up the talk by winning the final event at 2:20. Khrennikov finished in 2:26, while Hopper carded a 2:45.
His resume also includes completing 50 calories in 38 seconds at the 2024 TYR Cup during Wodapalooza SoCal. He tied Brent Fikowski in the all-out sprint.
- Remember: Fikowski currently holds the record for the most career event wins involving an Echo Bike at the Games.
Pepper then continued with 50 bar-facing burpees as fast as possible, followed by a 500-meter sprint—an event he described as “the worst thing I’ve ever done.”
The Bottom Line
If the king is crowned based on the latest results, it’s Roman. If the title is based on the most Echo Bike wins in competitions, then Dallin is the king. If it’s the winner of the longest, pure Echo Bike test, it’s James. And, if it’s the winner of an event with all four men on the biggest stage, it’s Jayson.
But can anyone surpass The Professor? Until we have a legitimate objective test, the debate will continue.
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- 3 Ways Rich Froning Would Fix CrossFit (If He Were CEO)
- How Haley Adams Dominated Everyone (Men Included) in Event 4 at the Mayhem Classic
Featured Image: Carlos Fleury and Sara Ines Chew
