Wednesday 17th May, 2023 - Red Bull Hardline, the world’s toughest downhill mountain bike race, is hard by name, hard by nature. Pushing the limits is necessary where mistakes can be costly. Red Bull Hardline requires absolutely everything from 30 of the most skilled downhill professionals.
The ninth edition of Red Bull Hardline returns in the middle of an action packed season and sees one of the strongest rider line ups to date. For a few of the competing world-class riders this year will be a Red Bull Hardline comeback, whilst others will send it for the very first time down the infamous Dyfi Valley course, built and designed by Dan Atherton since 2014.
2023 Red Bull Hardline Confirmed Rider List
Name |
Team |
Red Bull Hardline History |
Kyle Strait |
Vitus Bikes |
|
George Brannigan |
NS BIKES UR |
5th 2016 |
Adam Brayton |
Hope Tech |
4th 2015. 3rd 2016. 5th 2017. 7th 2021, 12th 2022. |
Josh Bryceland |
Cannondale |
2018 |
Rónán Dunne |
Continental Nukeproof Racing |
4th 2022 |
Kade Edwards |
Trek Factory Racing |
10th 2018. 13th 2019. 3rd 2021. |
Thomas Estaque |
Commencal IC Studio |
|
Craig Evans |
Airdrop Bikes |
6th 2015. 1st 2017. 15th 2021, 17th 2022. |
Brendan Fairclough |
Scott DH Factory Team |
7th 2014, 2018, 6th 2019, 5th 2021 |
Sam Gale |
10th 2021. 6th 2022 |
|
Thomas Genon |
Canyon |
16th 2021. |
Laurie Greenland |
Santa Cruz Syndicate |
8th 2019, 2nd 2021 |
Jackson Goldstone |
Santa Cruz Syndicate |
1st 2022 |
Gee Atherton |
Continental Atherton MTB Race Team |
DNF 2014, 8th 2015, 4th 2016, 1st 2018, 2nd 2019, 5th 2022 |
Thibault Laly |
Pinkbike Racing |
20th 2021, 9th 2022 |
Harry Molloy |
Madison Saracen |
12th 2019, 8th 2022 |
Charlie Hatton |
Continental Atherton MTB Race Team |
3rd 2018. 7th 2019, 2022. |
Sam Hockenhull |
Cannondale |
18th 2021, 2022. |
Matteo Iniguez |
Commencal Vee |
6th 2021.. |
Gaetan Vige |
Specialized |
5th 2018, 9th 2019, 21st 2021, 15th 2022 |
Bernard Kerr |
Pivot Cycles |
3rd 2015. 1st 2016. 2nd 2017. 2nd 2018. 1st 2019. 1st 2021, 14th 2022 |
Josh Lowe |
YT Industries |
11th 2021, 2022. |
Brook Macdonald |
MS Mondraker Team |
10th 2016. |
Jim Monro |
Continental Atherton MTB race team. |
13th 2021. 7th 2022 |
Florent Payet |
Scott Factory Racing |
7th 2018. 11th 2019, 10th 2022 |
Johny Salido |
19th 2021 |
|
Kaos Seagrave |
FMD Racing |
7th 2017. 14th 2019. 8th 2021. |
Joe Smith |
Vitus Bikes |
4th 2014. 2nd 2015. 8th 2016. 2018 4th. 3rd 2019, 2nd 2022 |
Theo Erlangsen |
Computer Mania MTB Team |
6th 2018. 4th 2019. 4th 2o21, 13th 2022. |
Taylor Vernon |
9th 2016, 8th 2017, 3rd 2022 |
Thousands of spectators are excited to enjoy watching Junior DH world champ and 2022 Red Bull Hardline winner Jackson Goldstone fly down the course once again to defend his title. The youngest Red Bull Hardline winner to date says: "The course at Red Bull Hardline is like no other. To take the win last year with such stiff competition was an epic feeling. I'm stoked to get back out to Wales for Round 2".
Last year’s second place Joe Smith and Taylor Vernon in third are known to carry great speed and are hoping to deliver successful full runs again, putting pressure on the competition. Bernard Kerr, whose race run ended in the rock slab section high on the course last year, will be returning with vengeance.
New to Red Bull Hardline will be Kyle Strait. The US mountain biker fractured three vertebrae last year while competing in Red Bull Rampage and has been on a steady road to recovery since. Safe to say it will be an epic return to racing for Kyle.
Linking the technical sections with gnarly jumps and massive drops with precision has Gee Atherton’s name written all over it. The Red Bull athlete celebrated his return to racing at Red Bull Hardline last year. He knows the Welsh mountains better than no other, so spectators are in for a treat seeing the two time world champion fly through the finish line. The Red Bull Athlete says: ‘The legacy of Red Bull Hardline speaks for itself. To hold the event for a ninth year is just a dream. The world's best riders continue to push their own limits here in Machynlleth and the boundaries of the sport continue to be exceeded. I'm excited to see what the crew pull out the bag this year’.
Josh Bryceland, also known as Ratboy, is one of the very gifted riders in the line up this year and keen to tackle the Dyfi valley course he last rode in 2018. "I've been off the race circuit for a couple years now, last time I rode Red Bull Hardline was 2018. These days I've mostly been riding with mates for the fun of it, but I'm ready to get stuck back in this year and take on Red Bull Hardline for the second time".
Crowds can expect to see the strongest calibre of riders this year with Kade Edwards, George Brannigan, Craig Evans, Thibault Laly and Kaos Seagrave also ready to throw themselves down the toughest downhill mountain bike course.
Red Bull is working again with Trash Free Trails (TFT), for the third year in a row. The community-focused, non-profit organisation made it their mission to educate people on how to protect our trails and the wild places they take us.
Red Bull Hardline will be broadcast live globally on Red Bull TV on Sunday 16th July. Ahead of the event, fans can enjoy the week’s best action from course walk and practice on Red Bull Bike YouTube ahead of the main event.
Across the country, bike fans can enjoy live screenings of Red Bull Hardline at local bike parks and live venues on 16th July, including:
- Brink, London
- No Limits, Leeds
- Adrenaline Alley, Corby
- FlyUp 147, Gloucestershire
For further Red Bull Hardline rider updates and for more information visit www.redbull.com/hardline.
View replies to: Red Bull Hardline Returns on July 16, 2023 - Rider List Confirmed
Comments