The tough track was made tougher by wet conditions and it really was anyone's day as the final racers came down the course. Mistakes were more common and as a result, the fastest qualifiers came unstuck and were unable to beat the time set by Evans.
@freerideglory: He came over the line more than 9 seconds up on Seagrave, but they still had Kaos in the hot seat about 3 riders later, Rob must've had a long season.
Haha it pissed my missus right off, she threatened to punch them in the face. I don't know how she would have managed it, short of punching the telly. I think she thought it was a grave injustice for Greenland.
@scott-townes: haha it really wound her up. But she wasn't serious bless, she's never punched anyone, or any TVs. I'm just glad she gets into the DH as she's not a rider.
Woah come on pinkbike, Craig qualified 4th. Your little write up there made him seem like some low qualifying under dog, and not one of the best riders in the world.
Aye, but Pinkbike doesn't want to write about any riders outside the EWS, World Cup or Whistler Bike Park circuit. Unless their on an electric pedal assist motor bike, and then Pinkbike's writers get a raging hard on.
Gotta second this PB. If everyone has the same conditions, a win is most def. a win. Should take nothing away from Craig. He earned it. Congrats Evans, Kerr and Dan A. Stoked to see Dan on the box. Such a rad event.
Also, how can Brayton hit a tree that hard and get up like nothing has happened? Absolute animal - and Hope's carbon bar apparently survives some pretty ridiculous impacts rather well!
Dude is fit as f**k. If he wasn't mid race he probably would have ripped the tree down and starting doing intervals running up and down the hill with it....
I watch the world cups and like to delude myself that I could get down them ok, but this? No way Jose. Massive kudos to anyone who even attempts to ride that track - shit is otherworldly.
Felt bad for Kerr - trying to ride through that tree was a ballsy move.
All of these guys are absolute beasts, respect to them all, and it's a relief no one was hurt seriously- except for the 150 year old oak tree of course!
haha i was thinking that same thing in the interview like... man, this dude came straight from being a lute player in a Henry VIII re-enactment to come win Hardline, what a G.
Jesus H... Had to watch through my fingers. Coverage was decent though. First time I've felt that we saw the whole of each run in a DH race (unless I'm wrong).
Massive respect to all for doing this in some greasy ass conditions. One of those you couldn't have walked down...
What about the other 13 riders? Woefully little coverage or news on who did what or what happened to them. With so few riders right from the start, the extra footage or news would have been good, especially as half the guys featured in the opening trail are then no-longer seen. Good job on filming the runs though, it must be hard getting the cameras and equipment up the hill
Man that was brutal!! Course is wild as always! Evans is possibly the most awkward winner of anything ever! Quality rider!!
Kerr did well to hang on I reckon!
Brayton you beast!!! Bet he went back up and ripped that tree apart after.......
Love Hardline but disappointed in only seeing top 10 ride. Would have been happy to see top 20 ride and have a bit more going on and more chance for others to surprise after maybe incident in qualies.
I guess Redbull thought more important to get an edit on for 6pm than showing more racing, shame.
Oh, and could someone not have pointed out the obvious timing mistakes to the guys rather than that annoyance!!
They do need more riders and more for the crowd too see also, we where stood about for ages and then you only see a handful of riders COME DOWN. Also needs merchandise too buy and a few stalls with bike bits too buy etc,isnt enough going on in my mind. But the guys who do race have some big BALLS
So many riders lined up and only a few rode - there must be a few stories waiting to come out. Such a great event and makes awesome viewing - had the whole family on the sofa watching.
Gee injured his shoulder,Yoann personal decision, see interview on Pinkbike.
Hatton and Klein crashed yesterday,The Claw crashed on Thursday,not sure about the rest
you've got to be kidding me. The carnage there almost exceeds Rampage. Glad to see that at least the finalists got down in one piece, even though between Kaos finish line jump and Adam hugging that tree there were a hundred times when you thought they wouldn't.
They came, they saw, many were found wanting, true and real test of man and machine.
The true warriors of Dh made it and rode finals, some got injured on the way, some legends of the game turned up and walked away, some were invited and never even turned up.
True hero's are born on hardline.
Well done to Bernard especially for coming back from injury and racing.
Oh... of course I wouldnt ride it, probably not 1 feature of it, sack that, this is mental.
Reckon they need to make a few sections a little easier to make it more competitive (if that makes sense). Totally respect Dan Atherton but I don't think he should compete, feels a bit weird to me. He seemed a bit grumpy in his after race interview?
Best mtb event I've ever watched on the telly. Thanks to all involved and the riders for taking the risk. Nice to see a winner who hasn't had media training shoved down their necks.
they have over the years, Hart was there once, Fariclough, Wallace Brannigan, McDonald, Vink at one point, the field varys alot and alot of the pro's fall at first hurdle - its hard and not a ype of event many seem as .. well, not sure really, maybe they see it as a show-off event and nto for them, who knows, would love to see who they actually asked and those that refused
@Altron: Indeed, the may not have wanted to take part in an Atherton Redubull PR stunt. Its not as if the Athertons are noted at taking part in anything other than the World Cups unless its one of thier stunts.
The problem is the whole event claimed they were the best in the world and they clearly werent.
1. Evans
2. Tree
1) Grizzly Bear
2) Timothy Treadwell
The lad's been on the big hit training program this year!
Also, how can Brayton hit a tree that hard and get up like nothing has happened? Absolute animal - and Hope's carbon bar apparently survives some pretty ridiculous impacts rather well!
Dude is fit as f**k. If he wasn't mid race he probably would have ripped the tree down and starting doing intervals running up and down the hill with it....
Massive kudos to anyone who even attempts to ride that track - shit is otherworldly.
Felt bad for Kerr - trying to ride through that tree was a ballsy move.
Jesus H... Had to watch through my fingers. Coverage was decent though. First time I've felt that we saw the whole of each run in a DH race (unless I'm wrong).
Massive respect to all for doing this in some greasy ass conditions. One of those you couldn't have walked down...
Good job on filming the runs though, it must be hard getting the cameras and equipment up the hill
" arrrgh he hits that tree so hard,
Poor tree"
www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/And-Then-There-Were-Ten-Red-Bull-Hardline-Qualifying-Results,1114
And yeah... had nothing to do with this post or the many other posts you like to cleverly try to troll me under.
Too busy on vacation, riding every day, and doing all the stuff you can't do while at work and banging keys and being an insufferable ass on PB.
Great event but without the worlds best there it all seems a bit of a PR stunt by Redbull and the Athertons.
The problem is the whole event claimed they were the best in the world and they clearly werent.