Red Bull Hardline: Who Is Racing And How To Watch?

Red Bull Hardline, the gnarly and consequential Downhill race located in the Dyfi Valley on a track designed by Dan Atherton in 2014, takes place …

By stwhannah

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Tahnee Seagrave has some Instagram videos of her hitting some of the big jumps so might see her having a go soon enough? Fair play after her concussion, that place is absolutely mental.

@wildhunter2009 yup, and I’ve just spotted Cami Nogueira and Vinny Armstrong there on Instagram too! Looks wet and slippery and a whole pile of nope!

Really excited for this, love the build up vidoes the riders (well, mainly BK) put out.

Hopefully running it earlier this year means a chance of better weather.

Hopefully running it earlier this year means a chance of better weather.

Yeah…No, it’s going to piss it down all weekend. Might catch a break on Sunday.

Really looking forward to this, pretty much the only event I watch religiously. The build up videos from different riders were excellent last year and here’s to hoping everyone gets through the event safely too 🙂

love the build up vidoes the riders (well, mainly BK) put out.

He usually posts quite regularly but hasn’t put anything online in 9days.. so not sure what’s happening there.

Kyle Strait must be old enough to be some of the other riders’ Dad! Coming back from broken vertebrae at Rampage too
https://vitusbikes.com/blogs/stories/kyle-strait-im-fine
Wow.

I think STW should arrange a skills course with a pro rider on the Hardline track for a handful of forum regulars.

Who would be up for it?

Well hopefully they test the course this year and don’t leave it up to the riders to check if the features are actually rideable.

Jackson Goldstone isn’t able to defend his title this year sadly – he’s broken. 😞

so not sure what’s happening there.

He is allowed a little time to relax. LSDs usually appear before and during an event.

He is allowed a little time to relax. LSDs usually appear before and during an event.

It’s not a criticism, more an observation – he’d ‘normally’ have posted a hardline prep or build up LSD by now. Maybe he’s gonna relax a little on them and concentrate on a podium this year.

Who would be up for it?

Not me! But if I could send my non-STWer son, he definitely would 😀

Will be surprised if it happens this weekend, the forecast is 30-40mph winds on sat and sun.

Shame as I have my ticket to go watch.

Had a gander at parts of the course last weekend after riding at Coed Y Brenin thanks to a media friend who is working it, the course is even madder in person! The massive road gap looks huge even from the main road and that’s nearly half a mile further down the hill, stand next to it and it’s so massive it doesn’t really register it’s there until you realise then you can only say ‘Oh…!” in response.

Hope one of the ladies has a crack at it at some point.

I think STW should arrange a skills course with a pro rider on the Hardline track for a handful of forum regulars.

Who would be up for it?

id do it. 🤥

Jono Jones has posted a vid on YouTube so expect his brother and BK  to follow as both had their cameras out

Agree with comment above, prob cancelled due to high winds this weekend

I went last year and it’s a lovely, chilled out event to attend… with some crazy crazy riding happening. seeing these riders attack that road gap and essentially drop 2-3 stories, landing into a super long and fast right hand berm is jaw dropping

sadly, despite having a ticket for this years event, I can’t attend due to illness.

Is tickets still per car?

If so is anyone going Sunday with space for 1 more in the car, travelling from the north (will pay my share of ticket)

Nice piece in the Guardian about the women at Hardline this year: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/14/not-just-for-the-boys-women-take-on-worlds-toughest-mountain-bike-track

Weather forecast not looking good, now thunder forecast for Saturday on top of the wind and rain.

tomrrow has been cancelled.

weeksyFull Member
tomrrow has been cancelled.

Where did you see that, weeksy?

Mrs Weeksy told me, i assume Insta. It’s also reported on Pinkbike thread.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/qualifying-cancelled-at-red-bull-hardline-due-to-bad-weather-conditions.html

I just found it, hidden among the text in slightly bold print on the Hardline website, a little scroll down.

Red Bull website

Due to the extremely high winds, the decision has been made to cancel tomorrow’s Red Bull Hardline qualifiers. This is to ensure the safety of the riders which is of utmost importance.

As ever, the weather conditions in the Dyfi Valley are proving to be changeable. We are closely monitoring the situation ahead of the Red Bull Hardline live finals on Sunday, which is currently going ahead as planned.

At least it means people done waste their time travelling there.

The wind speed isnt going to massively drop on Sunday either. Wind gusts of 30 mph and thats not at high level

Does that mean people will get refunded ?

I went last year on the Sunday.  They brought the finals forward an hour to miss a bad incoming weather event, which nearly caught out some spectators (me).  Having seen the features, there is enough danger without dilly-dallying around in bad weather.  It’s proper nuts.

Are they intending to squeeze qualis and finals in on Sunday now?

So they are now saying it’s cancelled tomorrow but not cancelled 🤔

EVENT STATEMENT: Saturday, July 15, 15:00❗️

Due to extreme weather conditions in the Dyfi Valley, for the safety of the public, the Red Bull Hardline event on Sunday, July 16, will be closed to spectators.

While the event site will be fully closed to the public, we are still hoping to run the Red Bull Hardline finals tomorrow (Sunday) – provided weather conditions allow rider safety. We are closely monitoring the weather conditions in cooperation with the Red Bull Hardline athletes.

The Red Bull Hardline finals will not be broadcast live tomorrow at 2pm as previously scheduled. Provided course conditions allow, Red Bull Hardline will be available to watch post race via Red Bull TV and Red Bull Bike YouTube.

Sounds like it’s too dangerous for live cameras, but the riders might risk it?! Weird.

I suppose riders are judged more able to make that decision, whereas professional cameramen aren’t paid to have trees or misguided riders fall on them.

Cameras are still going to be there but recording not broadcasting live. They’ll broadcast post event anything worthwhile, it’s still uncertain if it will run partially or at all and could be cancelled at any moment.

Interesting on BKs vlog where he videoed the rider briefing for today

All there for 7am, race between 10 and 1pm and the shitty weather the rest of the day ish. But they mentioned they are not allowed to have camera people on the hill past 7:30pm

You can see why they wouldn’t want the added complication of the public there

The no feed is because they don’t know when they will race or how long it will take. RB will be desperate for the race to happen as it’s part of their marketing strategy and they want their roi on the event. The loss of ticket revenue will hit the organisers hard

Just seen a video that says it’s off, back next year. Oof.

You can see why they wouldn’t want the added complication of the public there

The event parking is just a couple of fields so after the rain they’ve had it’d be carnage getting people in and out.

Cancelling has to be the right decision. If the winds in Wales are anything like those in Berkshire, an accident would have been inevitable.

Even without public there it was pretty swampy! Huge waterfall coming down beside the course too, and more heavy rain showers while we were standing around wondering what to do with our day. There’s so much infrastructure and investment that goes into it, so it’s good to see the right call being made for rider safety.

Bernard Kerr seems to have ridden it anyway!