A Red Bull Hardline Series Appears to Be Happening in 2024

Oct 26, 2023 at 8:06
by Ed Spratt  
Ronan Dunne not hanging around as per.

Red Bull could be expanding its Hardline event to become a two-stop series in 2024.

As the event reaches its 10-year anniversary in 2024, Red Bull appears to be expanding Hardline into its own series with two events planned for next year. The stop in Wales returns in June, and a second event appears to be taking places at a to-be-confirmed location.

The slim details about the 2024 Hardline series which can be found on Red Bull's distribution catalogue on its Screening Room site seem to answer the long-standing rumour that Hardline would grow into its own series. The Hardline page reveals the June date for the Wales edition with the second stop left as TBC.

Along with the race dates the page included the following statement suggesting only 20 riders will take part in the events:

bigquotesTwenty of the world’s best and bravest riders are put to the test in this one-of-a-kind race series.

The iconic Wales edition will return for it's 10 year anniversary in June. And we are busy working on the expansion of our most established downhill event behind the scenes - stay tuned!

After spotting the page we contacted Red Bull but were told there was no further comment at this time.

Interestingly, Red Bull is set to broadcast or organise events including a Cerro Abajo series, the Crankworx World Tour and the Hardline series in 2024 as it will showcase DH racing beyond the usual European focus of international racing.

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124 Comments
  • 247 8
 This is great news. Keep ‘em coming, Redbull! Let’s add 5 or six more and put this UCI/Discovery nonsense to bed.
  • 79 5
 Replace the UCI DH with Hardline with 20 riders taking part. . . hold on, aren’t we upset that only 30 riders get to race at the moment?
  • 19 0
 It is great news, the revolution has started. It is funny though as a few years ago, maybe less redbull was the sworn enemy trying to take over the world with their evil caffeine drinks. Now everyone loves them as they are the lesser evil.
  • 3 1
 I don’t disagree with either point, it’s really the terrible broadcast and changes to the format that have killed it for me. I hope there continues to be an outlet for more racers to get exposure but I can still cheer on UCI’s death right?!
  • 12 0
 @mashrv1: Pinkbike doesn't know what to be upset at anymore.
  • 3 2
 @mashrv1: it's got to start somewhere ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Incremental growth to a series like this would pressure UCI to do better, which is a low bar right now.
  • 2 0
 @blinglespeed: The changes have very little to do with the UCI; the MTB World Cup is all organised by ESO/Discovery....everything is done by them. They bought the rights of the UCI...and do the lot.
  • 1 0
 @phastlikedatnascar: that growth would have to involve dumbing down what Hardline current is. Seems like a bit of a paradox
  • 1 0
 @mashrv1: in terms of diluting the talent pool invited or the style of the course? I want to believe there are at least 20-30 more extremely fast/gnarly enough riders who would be interested in riding a course like the current Hardline if invited.
  • 4 0
 @phastlikedatnascar: Either/both.
There likely are other riders, but what about all the women racers? How about all the future prospects? You quickly run into the same problems everyone has been complaining about this year, except far worse as they wouldn’t even get on the track at all.
Or, as you say, you dumb down the courses, and then it isn’t Hardline anymore
  • 1 0
 @mashrv1: good point and let's not forget that Brendan is almost certain to get robbed again...
  • 1 0
 @enduroNZ: except this revolution WILL be televised!
  • 5 0
 Everyone look, a @scott-townes: comment with upvotes!
  • 2 4
 @nateb: Everyone look, @nateb cares about upvotes!
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: everything!
  • 43 6
 Trying to turn the world cup into a superelite invite only media event is what you ate mad at eso discovery for looking like they’re trying to do.
Sincerely,
Your memory
  • 15 3
 @Snfoilhat - you are absolutely correct. Hardline has yet to be a race in my mind, precisely because of the small, exclusive field. It’s great, but I view it as more of a race exhibition…maybe in a few years it’ll come across as more than that.

And I dare anyone here to tell a group of adults that two races is a series. U krazy!
  • 8 0
 @owl-X: Twice isn’t a series, it’s a coincidence.
  • 3 1
 Actually I'm mad at them because their lack communication, spreading out events between XC & DH in different locations, increasing fee's and the general state of the world's economies combine to mean that the teams could simply not have the marketing budgets to compete next year.
  • 42 4
 Oh man, if they can do an Enduro series too, we can completely ignore the UCI!
  • 1 1
 Yeah, that would be cool! ...Though I can almost see the "Ramduro" announcements now.
  • 3 0
 Nobody is going to ignore the UCI. It represents the top level of riding in the world. Just because you hear the odd gripe from riders about format doesn't mean that 99% of them don't take it very seriously and aspire to win at that level. Red Bull Hardline is rad, but in no way would ever take over UCI DH.
  • 18 0
 Wasn't there talk of Maydena? I thought I heard Dan Atherton was there recently.
  • 7 0
 It was listed as a venue on the red bull website for a late February or March event a few weeks ago and Dan was definitely out here meeting Maydena owner a week or two ago.
  • 7 0
 Downhill24 on Facebook posted a few days ago that a round was going to be held at Maydena. The only other info I could find was a locked page on Maydena site, this screenshot was from Monday and now that page has been taken down.

www.pinkbike.com/photo/25779179
  • 2 0
 @TOU93: This is pretty old news with the news found on Vital MTB and Pinkbike forums for a couple of weeks.

www.pinkbike.com/photo/25779301
  • 3 0
 I reckon it will be in Holland.
  • 18 0
 @bigtim: No, that's Redbull Flatline
  • 26 9
 Might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't think Hardline is any more exciting to watch than World Cups...
  • 32 6
 World cups are way more exciting to watch than Hardline or Crankworx.
  • 8 1
 This is up for debate but what's clear is that Red Bull will at least let us watch the races (for free) which is super exciting!
  • 1 1
 In theory yes, in practice if you do not want to pay for another subscription Hardline wins hands down Smile
  • 2 2
 The only good thing about the world cups this year has been the fantastic performances from the racers. If hardline forms into a more established series with actual prizes it will start to draw more big names and then it’s all over hopefully.
  • 1 2
 @singletrackjamaica: Hardline has way higher steaks, features and speed through in the Welsh weather and it’s one hell of a spectacle and a great race because they invite 20 of the fastest men in the world
  • 4 1
 @Jules15: But everyone is complaining that only 60 are allowed to race semis and now you want an event that only allows 20 to be invited to race. How does that help?
  • 3 1
 @nolimit: Even they cant charge you to watch a marketing campaign
  • 3 0
 @singletrackjamaica: Agreed. Giant tough features are neat but make for bad racing. As a fan I want a track that is vaguely relatable to my riding, (but of course is still hard). I also want one that all of the competition can not only get down, but push the limit on.

The risk factor in pushing the limit on the current hardline course is not really worth it... unless you're Jackson Goldstone or Bernard Kerr.
  • 1 0
 @spicysparkes: I think the WC tracks were all good this year too. Although it sucks that there aren't races outside of Europe and North America. It will be really interesting to see the new Hardline course and if they will expand the series in years to come. It might be easier to develop Hardline races in more diverse locations which would be awesome and easier to pull off with the relatively small field. The main downside to Hardline and Crankworx is that only a few of the top racers are there.
  • 2 0
 @Jules15: I agree it's amazing. And although I enjoy seeing a variety of racers on the WC events it is always a treat to see the likes Kade, Kaos, Ratboy and Craig Evans riding.
  • 16 0
 Will be interesting to see what teams allow what riders to do these in season events.
  • 2 1
 Or which riders RB will allow to enter. This is an invitational event not an open race
  • 16 0
 Whistler has a nice, steep, gnarly new DH track. Just saying...
  • 7 0
 Golden BC with Psychosis track on Mt 7 is a definite contender.
  • 6 0
 @mrgazoo: Ooooh, totally. Send em all down 5th Horseman on Cypress while we're at it. Then every other dodgy trail in the province until only one racer remains uninjured.
BC Attritional Race Series
  • 3 0
 @CarbonShmarbon: Sea to Sky already has a one-day format like that: #IntoTheER
  • 11 0
 Isn't one of the big complaints from the peanut gallery about the world cup is how exclusive it's becoming to privateers and smaller teams? And now the comments are stoked on a competition that's going to field 20 riders?
  • 1 1
 It doesn't reduce the overall pool of race slots for riders to get exposure though? Overall its a net positive over what we had this year. Could possibly open up some opportunity for riders not invited to get their spotlight in the uci dh as well
  • 8 0
 Yes and tons of complaints that wc racing has become too dangerous……
  • 15 3
 Hardline > Rampage
  • 9 2
 Yoann Barelli's tour de Gnar could become a big downhillduro hard-line marathon event!
  • 9 1
 This would be amazing!
  • 2 0
 I wonder where it could be???
  • 1 0
 ; )
  • 6 3
 Am I the only person on Pinkbike who thought this seasons racing was the best ever and the coverage was also quite a level higher than what we had ever had previously although it still needs quite a bit of improvement to truly be top rate
  • 4 2
 No you’re not. I don’t get the love fest for an invitation only marketing event to promote a drink. It’s not a race
  • 3 0
 No you are not. But you mostly hear about haters in the comments. Said haters seems to have clown fish memory too as they kept complaining about coverage from RedBull before.
  • 2 0
 The regular World Cup DH has an air of “last man standing” by the end of the season. I can’t imagine how many riders could last a season of just Hardline or perhaps Hardline and World Cup.

Hope it happens though because the original Hardline has been fantastic since it’s inception.
  • 4 0
 If they bring a stop to BC, I'll help move some dirt for the cause of going big!
  • 1 0
 Yes!! Beef up 1199 for the big boys and get sending!
  • 5 2
 Red Bull - injecting sickly sweet awesomeness right back into the veins of downhill just when it needed it most. Forza Hardline!
  • 3 0
 Prediction: PB will threaten modified coverage of RB Hardline if no women's category is included then fill the homepage with story after story once the dudes race happens.
  • 1 0
 I would hate to see the world cup disappear but a threatening Redbull series could be a wake up call to make changes for the better. Redbull has brought so much to the sport that they deserve the fans allegiance. Hoping uci doesn't get in the way of racer's ability to participate in both.
  • 3 0
 Should have added, Tasmania is where it's at...yeow
  • 1 0
 That's what I read - and early 2024 ie summer down under.
  • 3 1
 lets hope redbull learned from the backlash it got from rampage and they invite the girls to race.
  • 1 1
 Doubtful. Girls probably don't buy enough Redbull to justify the extra event day it would require. Oh, and "the girls might get hurt".
  • 3 0
 Hopefully GCN+will buy the series and CG will be commentating.
  • 1 0
 Huauuu, i think Brook Macdonald shows an incredible course on Instagram that could be a Hardline next year.

www.instagram.com/p/Cy21PW8P4Qu

Hope so!
  • 2 0
 This is a repost from a Red Bull Dream Track series edit from last year.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJP6mpW8cIU

Remy Morton who built this track was in Tasmania with Dan Atherton scoping out the Hard Line Tasmania location so odds he will be working on the bulk of the track as he is more local than Dan.
  • 2 0
 @casey79: Thanks!. Amazing!
  • 1 0
 Fucking yes! Nice one Red Bull. Haven't watched one second of WCDH this year, but have really been looking forward to Hardline.
  • 9 7
 Is this the beginning of the end for uci and dh!!
  • 24 1
 Hell yeah! Hopefully the multiple billion dollar soda company really sticks it to the man!!
  • 2 1
 No. I don’t see how an invitational event that only allows 20 riders to enter is going to replace a proper race series
  • 3 1
 series kill cool single day events.
  • 2 0
 Gwin can host one at Windrock
  • 4 6
 Here's an unpopular opinion. I think elite racing should be a smaller field of racers. Look at any successfuly broadcasted/marketed racing sport. SX is 20 racers, MX is 40, F1 is 20 etc. Meanwhile, look at Enduro/DH Results and there are 60+ racers. How is that supposed to be sustainable for the sport? There is simply not enough money in MTB for sponsors to pay that many racers. Have 20 racers, and each can actually garner enough individual attention for sponsors to justify investing.
  • 4 0
 Not unpopular with me - it's a fair point. The issue is there isn't a series just below the World Cup where riders ranked 40+ can get exposure.
Downhill ski-ing has the Europa Cup - and people progress from that.....
  • 2 0
 This is a VERY cherrypicked comment, just look at road cycling for a counter example.
  • 1 0
 The problem is that there is not enough exposure and prize money in national DH racing. That's the only reason the field is full. If you have the same TV coverage, sponsorship and prize money in the National championships there would be no reason for there to be 60+ riders there.
  • 1 0
 @aMillenarian: road cycling has tens and maybe hundreds of millions of dollars dumped into it every year and it makes loads of money for organizers and sponsors. The team aspect of road also makes the racing faster and much more interesting. Road simply isn't comparable. All the sports @collinellis198 mentioned are not team sports (besides the pits/tech zones/whatever you want to call them) while road cycling is (at least at the National, Continnental, and World Tour levels).
  • 3 0
 @aMillenarian: the tiny field of silver spoon boys is precisely what makes F1 shit
  • 1 0
 @collinellis198 : moto is a great comparison and you are right only 20 or 40 racers make the finals, but pretty much anyone with enough points can enter and try to qualify. Pretty much every event has a local or two that at least make it to the heat races. Right now, that's not the case in DH. It's more like the F1 model where a set group of teams pay to hold spots for their team members to qualify.
  • 2 0
 And guess who's going to be back in the commentary booth ?
  • 3 0
 Hopefully CG.
  • 1 0
 @Tigergoosebumps: Made my day !
  • 2 1
 Pure racing, all the excitement of rampage but no bias judges to decide on a winner who didn't really win.
  • 1 0
 June is promising, July never a good idea, it's 50/50 on whether it's gonna psss down in Wales.
  • 1 0
 YES! Greatest news in a long time!
  • 2 0
 Can't wait Smile
  • 1 0
 期待新赛季的到来！
  • 1 4
 What bike do you ride? I'm guessing it's a Mandarin Orange
  • 1 0
 @commental: Mandarin Orange What does that mean?
  • 1 0
 FK YEAH ( & told ya so)
  • 1 0
 hopefully the entire series is not called off due to bad weather Wink
  • 1 0
 2nd event please be in Utah.
  • 1 0
 They are building a course on mt superior in little cottonwood canyon. Should be sick!
  • 1 0
 What absolute madness, go on red bull! Pioneering the way
  • 1 0
 Can’t wait to see the track!
  • 1 0
 Stellenbosch in South Africa would be a phenomenal venue for Hardline.
  • 12 12
 So two races is a 'series' these days?
  • 16 1
 it's a start
  • 37 0
 Only 4 less than World Cup next year. One more and hardline is half a World Cup season
  • 12 10
 They aren’t even races. They are invitational shows
  • 1 0
 Inflation dude. Have you been living under a rock?
  • 5 0
 @chrismac70: That they race in
  • 1 0
 I was thinking the same
  • 1 0
 Two races walk into a bar...
  • 6 7
 Wow a whole 2 promo events. Are they going to allow all the pros to enter or just the chosen few
  • 2 1
 You are right, but if you can blame UCI, for world cup rules and you are cool, say that twenty riders chosen by drink isn't fair racing and you get only downvote.
  • 3 1
 Yeah, no women though, obviously
  • 3 0
 @Alexh1983: after seeing the event this year, I'm not sure if there are too many more racers who would really want to take on this series Smile
  • 1 0
 @nolimit: Honestly this year I see a great racing, with doubt on winner until last race. In my opinion after the first two races camera angles and the whole video package was good and sometimes better than RedBull.
I used to watch races on Eurosport Player on TV, I had access to italian commentary and it was professional and clean on manners, I know most of complaints was about no Rob in english commentary, and I understand because it was a lot of fun also for me.
Next year we will have a race less, and not so much "World" Cup, but I think it's better for the teams as they have to face a strongly recessive market.
For the price to pay, come on guys we are speaking about one beer/month. PS I live in Domodossola if you are near the border we could ride together.
  • 1 1
 @nolimit: Thats because there is nothing in it for them that matters
  • 1 0
 Fantasticness!
  • 3 4
 Great start for Redbull hopefully replacing UCI in the future with the direction UCI is taking.
  • 3 1
 What with only 20 entries. Everyone was crying about semis being restricted to 60 at the beginning of the year. Now you want 20 only
  • 1 1
 A Take heart, at least they won't be having semis!
  • 1 0
 Kade for the w
  • 1 0
 UCI got robbed!
  • 2 3
 Yet no movement on a women’s category at Rampage.
  • 1 3
 Old news, scooped on Rotorburn days ago Smile
  • 3 1
 Was on Vital from the start of last week. Pinkbike is the last to "break" the news.

www.pinkbike.com/photo/25779343







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