One year ago, Ryan Nyquist was sidelined with a severe hand injury suffered in August of 2011. He managed to pedal around the BMX Park course at the 2011 Dew Cup finals in Las Vegas, Nev., for points, but was far from recovered. Following several surgeries last winter, Nyquist, 33, began the road to recovery focused on the 2012 season.

Red Bull Skylines, Paris, France

Ryan Nyquist ends the season on a high note. Check the photos. Gallery

And focus he did. Last month, Nyquist won the Dew Cup in BMX Dirt in San Francisco, Calif., and this weekend, Nyquist finished out the 2012 competition season with a first place finish at the Red Bull Skylines BMX Park contest in Paris, France.

Held inside the Grand Palais in Paris, with a course built by BMX Park couse luminary Nate Wessel and over 5,600 spectators in attendence, Red Bull Skylines hosted 24 of the world's top BMX Park and Dirt riders on one of Europe's largest park courses built to date. The course was so big that many riders were forced to switch their gear ratios in between practice sessions to cover the entirety of the course during their runs.

"When I heard about this contest I just had to be there," said Nyquist. "Having a BMX contest inside an amazing venue like this is incredible. With the gigantic ramps, and the group of riders who were here, you could expect things to go nuts.Things were done the right way in every way and that reflects in the riding. I'm so stoked I pulled the tricks I wanted to do and getting the win feels awesome."

Trailing behind Nyquist in second place was his Haro teammate Dennis Enarson, now back from a broken femur suffered earlier this year. In third place was Red Bull's Venezuelan rider, Daniel Dhers. Rounding out the top five was the UK's Ben Hennon in fourth and Daniel Sandoval in fifth.

Additional prizes were awarded for Best Line (Ben Hennon with a hip whip into the Sosh take-off). Rider's Choice (Dennis Enarson) and Best Trick (Ryan Nyquist, double barspin cannonball).