George Brannigan Breaks Collarbone in Gnarly Red Bull Hardline Crash

Sep 9, 2022 at 15:10
by Sarah Moore  


George Brannigan just shared on Instagram that when he was attempting the new on-off feature at Red Bull Hardline, a 40ft gap to a 30ft landing pad before another 40ft gap out of the feature, he crashed and broke his collarbone.

He says the wind gusted just before the take off, picking his front end right up. He couldn't get it down in time before jumping the off and so he went straight over the bars, missing the air bag entirely.

bigquotesHeavy day today at @redbulluk #hardline. Had the most bizarre crash, I went into the new on off and the wind gusted just before the take off, you can hear it pick up last minute. Then was a little front end high, which would have been no worries, but then the wind picked my front end right up (I remember think WTF is happening here) then didn’t get it it down in time before jumping the off and went right out the front door. Broken collar bone, but could have been waaay worse!! Lucky I’ve got time to chill and heal up now. Hardline is no joke. REALLY wish I was still up there sending with the crew!!!—George Brannigan

George Brannigan is no stranger to collarbone injuries. He spent half of the 2017 and most of the 2018 season either with a broken collarbone or recovering from a broken collarbone after breaking the bone 4 times in one year, the first time in July 2017 and then the fourth time in July 2018.

We wish him all the best with his recovery!

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112 Comments
  • 204 16
 I know it's cool to watch but man every year I think maybe it's getting too crazy. Hope he heals up ok.
  • 124 11
 This year is actually concerning
  • 13 1
 @dkendy1: I think so, without the weather conditions it'd be awesome but the weather is just not playing ball.
  • 21 4
 @dkendy1: mate that section is almost too heavy... an on/off straight into two 90 footers...
  • 84 14
 Hardline or Rampage will kill someone eventually. Frown
  • 24 48
flag Matt115lamb (Sep 9, 2022 at 15:43) (Below Threshold)
 The last WC in Italy was more risky
  • 10 20
flag RedBurn (Sep 9, 2022 at 15:52) (Below Threshold)
 Time for Redbull Soft line ???? Its going more and more towards the hospital every year
  • 25 0
 Think the features for riders of this calibre aren’t the issue it’s more trying to hit them in less than perfect conditions. Not sure if the new jumps had been tested either to see if they were safe. Maybe if there were more testing days available and riders were only able to do full runs closer to race day then there would be less pressure to ride when conditions are no good?
  • 29 4
 @Prh: it's not exactly the Isle of man TT. Offcourse it's dangerous that's why it's impressive. It's not killing people every year like motorsports tho
  • 17 1
 @Matt115lamb: Not even close lol I've never seen a WC track with 90 foot doubles or massive road gaps like this and hard line is still full of rocks and steep sections.
  • 15 20
flag pisgahgnar FL (Sep 9, 2022 at 16:20) (Below Threshold)
 @Prh: Gee has already ridden it top to bottom a few times before this week. It was tested. The weather just is not great right now. Gee and Bernard were up scouting it out and deciding what could or could not be ridden. Still it is always risky in something like this and they all know it going in.
  • 32 0
 @pisgahgnar: Gee had not ridden it top to bottom. He clearly says in BKs LSD that he hadn't done the drop after the ramp. And it appears BK was the first to attempt the last jump after this on off section which ended in his big crash. The lip of the takeoff was then changed to make the jump jumpable. Doesn't sound like tested to me.
  • 4 0
 @pisgahgnar: Bernard had a pretty big spill on it.
  • 7 0
 @handynzl: I’m sleep deprived and heard Gee say in the LSD that he had a few timed runs under his belt. Now I realize he was probably totally joking… dumb me.
  • 7 4
 @nismo325: 90ft doubles are fine when you know what speed to hit them where as those steep bolder sections at full race speed are just a lottery !
  • 7 10
 maybe we should just call it redbull soft line and have the boys mime their way over the hits, or maybe do an interpretive dance of the line ??

heal fast george b...
  • 18 52
flag scott-townes (Sep 9, 2022 at 18:58) (Below Threshold)
 Remember when people weren't such wimps about the best riders in the world sending it and progressing the sport? Just stick to road racing if you can't handle watching it.
  • 11 2
 @redrook: BK Guinea pigged it for the crew, they flattened the ramp after he went crazy deep and crashed...doesn't seem like he'll be able to hold on with that wrist.....such a bummer.
  • 2 4
 @ChezzyDirt: shit accidental downvote my bad
  • 3 0
 @handynzl: in his LSD he said that Kaos had ridden every. In testing Dan took a big slam, so they shortened some of the features. They have chipped away rocks, built berms & smoothed out sections too.

Every one there is a world class rider capable of riding the track & doing the features. They are there for fun, doubt there's any sponsor pressure. I
  • 10 0
 @scott-townes: Thankfully I can't think of a death in this level of mountain biking; but three riders have died competing in the Tour De France visual.ly/community/Infographics/sports/deadly-turn-history-deaths-tour-de-france
  • 2 1
 @Matt115lamb: This!!
  • 1 0
 @chriss78: is Dan injured, thought i read that few weeks back and thought usual for hardline?

But googleing and pink bike search shows noting for me
  • 1 0
 @bikebasher: Just as likely to be a world cup though, the speeds and theres so many more of them and so much more fatigued riders.
  • 2 0
 @Prh: Not to mention most of these guys + girl just had Worlds, then Val di Sole, Now this mad event 3 weekends on the trot.
  • 1 0
 @rscreen: not sure if he's racing, but he's in lot's of the YouTube content.
  • 1 0
 @chriss78: ta (not as spottrd so far on Bernard/jono content)
  • 3 0
 some WCDH courses are more dangerous due to taping or wet conditions, Hardline they get more focus on practice through each section created by Dan and ridden by himself to see its big enough and safe enough.
  • 4 0
 @stubestrong: Created by the brothers who bought you: Gee rag dolling down a mountainside a year ago.

Seriously though, he's up and sending it after that, no hype at all like nothing happened. Dude is wolverine.
  • 1 0
 @ChezzyDirt: his front wheel exploding didn’t help much either
  • 1 0
 @RedBurn:
Rd Bull Flat Line
  • 1 0
 @bikebasher: Has to be, cause otherwise they won't learn. Won't watch neither of these two "races" because it is getting ridiculous.
  • 1 0
 @sr-34: Rampage isn’t a race dude !
  • 1 9
flag scott-townes (Sep 12, 2022 at 4:38) (Below Threshold)
 @sr-34: "Member since Jul 20, 2020"


LOL welcome to freeride and progression. I'll be your guide.
  • 1 0
 @Matt115lamb: that's what the quotes are for...
  • 3 1
 @scott-townes: sorry Mr. 2003. My pinkbike registration has to say a lot about my riding ... geez
  • 1 11
flag scott-townes (Sep 13, 2022 at 7:52) (Below Threshold)
 @sr-34: No, it has everything to say about your lack of understanding of the sport and the mentality of progression entirely. There's a trend of newer fans like you bitching about how gnarly things are and how their sensitive eyes cannot take it. Maybe traditional ball sports are more along the lines of what you're comfy with....
  • 9 0
 @scott-townes: You being consistently downvoted would indicate otherwise. And this "trend" is news to me. The inclusion of "newer fans like you" also edges into gatekeeping. Maybe if people like you weren't so unpleasant there could be an interesting thread, as it's a valid discussion point (i.e. how extreme is too extreme?).
  • 5 0
 @scott-townes: This debate has gone on about the TT for decades, this is nothing new. And other people's opinions are just as valid as yours. Also, road racing can be f*cking gnarly, especially when you're descending asphalt at 60mph.
  • 1 5
flag scott-townes (Sep 13, 2022 at 14:06) (Below Threshold)
 @rbeach: LOL using a pointless internet point system is a terrible way to prove a point. People complaining how they cannot handle the best riders progressing the sport or understanding why they do it and they should stop doing it is not a discussion. Its a bunch of clueless people complaining how they can't handle it and they want the sport to change for the worse just to conform to their sensitivities.
  • 9 0
 @scott-townes: you are the Karen of PinkBike
  • 2 0
 @scott-townes: Can you quote the comment(s) in this thread doing that? Because I don't see that anywhere. All I can see are "I think maybe it's getting too crazy" and "this year is actually concerning". There's also a couple of posts about whether the track was properly tested, but nothing about any of what you mention. These seem like pretty innocuous comments which precipitated a discussion until you came in all butthurt.

Where are the people saying the sport should change, or that people should stop doing it? Can you quote them? Because clearly I can't find them in this thread.
  • 1 3
 I just hate myself so much, I can't handle it when I think other people have different opinions.
  • 3 0
 @korev: Your reference states that 4 have died while participating, however, it includes a rider in 1910 that died while swimming on a rest day and a guy who had a heart attack on his bike. The reference only ID's two riders over greater than 100 years of the tour that died from injuries that happened while riding. There are a lot more people that ride the tour than HardLine and Rampage. If hundreds of people rode rampage and Hardline day in and day out like they ride the Tour de France, and had done so for over 100 years, there would be so many more deaths than 2. So I think your analogy is off.

I am not saying cycling is without dangers but Rampage and Hardline are at another level and it's only a matter of time before we lose a rider, especially as the features progress even bigger and bigger.
  • 62 3
 Red bull Hospitalline
  • 41 4
 Much as I absolutely love this years course, I do think it's not conducive to the weather in that area. It's just so wide open, every year they have issues with wind. And if that's the case... We don't really need massive jumps. Especially higher up, especially if there is less tree cover now.

I think the course definitely has enough big hits in safer areas that fill that role, and the course should stay more balanced at like 50/50 tech and jumps. Not a fest course with a timer and even worse, scheduling so they have motivations to practice and ride in the wind. Whereas fest series guys would simply call it if the wind was deemed unsafe.

I dunno. Just unlucky I suppose. Lotta boys riding totally fine. But wind inconsistency on anything with this amount of airtime is... It's never easy. Where as the tech and the drops into gulleys with more wind cover will usually be fine.
  • 10 1
 Time to form a riders union?
  • 2 0
 It's often bad weather in Wales and high winds are always an issue with big jumps/drops. Rampage usually has similar problems with wind. The thing is, there will always be one mtb event that is the most dangerous. The Val Di Sole race was considered the gnarliest track this year, but one of them has to be. In freeride events it was always Rampage but now we have Hardline and Fest series.
  • 4 0
 I miss the techny gnarly stuff. It'd be cool to go more janky tech I think. But eh, its good to watch and they are stoked with it. They're only there becuase they want to be.
  • 31 4
 Hardline may be gnarlier than Rampage this year. The features seems to be close to the same size but with the added complication of trying to ride everything at race speed.
  • 10 1
 Yeah I was actually surprised at the lack of freeride/big hit riders on the list. Most of the people on the list are racers and not every racer is used to 90 foot gaps and most definitely not used to back to back huge gaps in the wind.

I'm wondering if it's because most of them are at Proving Grounds this week.

I'd love to see some of these Rampage and former Rampage riders on the list at Hardline.
  • 3 1
 @onemanarmy: there is at least one former Rampage rider there and I think normally two former/current ones. I think some of the rampage riders may not be able to fully race some of the sections.
  • 4 1
 @mfoga: gee. Yes I’m aware. Dude is in a league of his own.

And I’d say you’re 100% wrong on thinking those dudes couldn’t race.
  • 7 0
 @onemanarmy: Ride it 100% they can do that but would doubt a number of them could race some of those sections. It's a complexly different skill. Very few of them every even tried racing at an elite level.
  • 1 2
 @onemanarmy: it’s a red bull thing. A lot of the riders are sponsored by redbull. anyone who is sponsored by another energy drink Will not be there (which many of the rampage riders are sponsored by monster)
  • 2 0
 @enduroNZ: www.monsterenergy.com/sports/mountain-biking/theo-erlangsen-1123.
Danny Hart and Brendog have also competed at Hardline in previous years. There's 3 straight off the top of my head, there are probably others if I could be bothered to look into it.
  • 3 4
 No denying hardline is big, but it's not Rampage. There's no maze of insanely exposed ridge lines at HL, the steeps and ungroomed features of Rampage make HL look more like a Fest line. Squeezing speed isn't going to make that big of a difference.
  • 1 1
 @commental: that’s actually two unless your counting Danny hart as two - but I get your point
  • 1 0
 @enduroNZ: Theo Erlangsen, Danny and Brendog.
  • 1 0
 @enduroNZ: u know rampage is also a redbull event right?
  • 27 0
 Needs a crocodile pit to be taken seriously Imo
  • 4 0
 Some lava too
  • 22 1
 ok that doest it, I'm not riding hardline this year
  • 18 0
 Hardline taking no prisoners this year. Heal up George
  • 1 11
flag lehott (Sep 9, 2022 at 16:36) (Below Threshold)
 "call an ambulance, but not for me"
  • 17 2
 Makes some of us appreciate being a weekend warrior... desk job may kill you. But you will die a slow death. This shit will just kill you for 50k a year and some free stickers.
  • 7 0
 And then there’s Jono Jones - weekend warrior (or ar least used to be) but also rides Hardline!
  • 12 1
 I prefer watching the tech stuff, the raw, natural rocks etc., even if they only go 10km/h. Those freeway jumps are for sure impressive, but then I could watch any other slope style event.
  • 9 1
 Agree. It should stay a DH course, not a Fest series event.
  • 13 0
 I think if I was Santa Cruz I’d pay Jackson NOT to do this event before his maiden elite season next year…
  • 4 4
 AGREE. How many times are you gonna rag doll in your career before the "magic" is gone?
But he's got the helmet, and this is an obligatory day in the RB hazing calendar... also Loic rode it as a kiddo and never came back.

Seriously, this is nuts... and IMO is has less excitement than a Vital Raw Thursday Practice.
  • 12 0
 Damn! that crash sent a chill through me. Heal up bro!
  • 12 2
 The spectacl society will finish by killing one rider.....
  • 10 1
 We need more big jumps and we need them untested and we need moar rain! Moar wind! We need lightning we need hair metal
  • 8 0
 Everyone loves the Fest series but then says this is concerning. Nobody has a gun to the riders heads forcing them to ride it
  • 4 0
 Do they ride at fest series when wind is so variable?
  • 7 1
 Really not digging the changes to the course. Seems they smoothed out a whole lot and then added these large ridiculous on off features.
  • 4 0
 Heal up quick Big Dog. Randomly, heart rate monitors on these riders would be interesting (not because of the crash, just in general)
  • 5 0
 At that size seems like they need wind socks and wind marshals near each feature making the call with time to stop.
  • 4 0
 Speaking of crashes… BK’s I was pretty gnarly and he’s still not wearing back protectors I just don’t get it… especially on courses like this
  • 2 0
 Think the fact that the lading was so smooth and he just slid to a stop rather than hitting anything was the only thing that saved him from some serious injuries.

Odd how the wheel imploded though as he didn’t really slam it down. Maybe it had been damaged earlier.
  • 3 0
 Wat a dik
  • 3 0
 BK was lucky to walk away from his crash off the 100 footer yesterday and now Brannigan gets blown off a jump. And Gee makes this his return to racing? Damn...
  • 3 0
 Maybe we should startup a gofundme page so he can get his collarbones replaced with titanium.
  • 1 1
 Knew as soon as I saw those jumps someone was going to get hurt. I sincerely hope that's the last one but I'm not sure that will be the case. Hope they both get better quick. Fair play to the guys for doing it but I'd be pulling a Sam Reynolds and politely declining.
  • 3 0
 Bummer for George. On the bright side at least he's not likely to kill himself rolling that Polaris ATV now.
  • 1 0
 Think I would have been tempted to build pads between the two big doubles which then would have given the option of completely jumping them or going on-off if the weather or the riders nerve wasn’t playing ball.
  • 3 1
 Dh tracks are getting too easy, hard line is too hard. Rampage is too crazy. Y'all should just get e-dh bikes and ride xc tracks or, make up your minds
  • 2 0
 How many collar bone breaks is that for George? Must be close to double figures !
  • 2 0
 ...Full George of the Hardline Jungle mode-enabled. ..Kiwis can fly after all \m/
  • 2 0
 Fuck Wind...... Similar thing happened to me in April.. just about 10 X smaller
  • 1 0
 Sounds like an air bag bodysuit should be made for this event, or just get Sam pilgrim there in a blow up santa-claus costume...
  • 2 0
 He was attempting the Super Bruni
  • 2 0
 Can feel that pain just looking at the thumbnail, damn
  • 2 0
 Old mate needs some reinforced collarbones installed
  • 2 0
 Healing vibes, brah. Lots of time until next season starts.
  • 2 0
 Healing vibes George! What a crazy way to crash (mega updraft).
  • 1 0
 No room for any mistake , which shows even more how these guys are strong to ride this track , get well soon !
  • 2 0
 Heal up George.
  • 2 1
 Hardline slowly turns more and more from a race to a send-it fest!
  • 1 0
 Poor guy. He's crashed a lot lately. Take care of yourself man.
  • 2 2
 Is Jess going to ride this?
  • 2 0
 She's working her way through the course ticking of features, and still had this section,one at the bottom and the road gap to go according to a brief chat Mr Jones had with her(if I remember rightly)
  • 3 0
 According to the latest BK vid she's done some of the jumps but not the bigger ones yet. If she rides she may take the B line I guess? (There are no B lines though.... )
  • 1 1
 All in the name of selling some garbage drink that causes poor health.
  • 1 0
 Speed and Power.
  • 3 3
 why you do this george
  • 5 1
 "No Mikey no, that is so not right"
  • 1 3
 that on off is so lame, lots of riders having scary moments on it
  • 2 3
 Red Bull Festline
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