The Toughest Downhill Race of the Season
Last Sunday saw the 6th edition of Red Bull Hardline, run on Dan Atherton's purpose built creation in the Dyfi Valley, north Wales. Every year the course follows the same line from top to bottom of the Welsh mountainside, but the features along the way seem to get bigger and more technical. 2019 was no exception, and with the UCI Downhill season out of the way, riders were able to push hard and fully send it!
Of the 14 riders that made the final start sheet, 4 of them were WTB supported athletes so we were stoked to get the invite to head over and check out the action first hand.
Here's the story in images, courtesy of the Red Bull content pool...
with so many technical features, riders broke the course up into sections and got each one dialled in before linking it all together
with an abundance of gnarly sections linking the jumps, it was clear the race was going to be won or lost in the turns
slotting through the slate
epic features in epic surroundings
running the number 1 plate, Gee was keen to back up his 2018 victory and make it two in a row
but he still had time to through in a few backflips... well I guess Rampage is looming...
Charlie Hatton managed a stormer in qualifying and was sitting 3rd going into the finals
but a few mistakes in his race run would see him finish a little further back
the iconic 'Hardline Road Gap' was a popular location for spectators
as was the metal step-up, a rider favourite for big whips and flips
Gee Atherton was the penultimate rider down, and after a solid run he went straight into the top spot with just the man from the Pivot Factory DH team left to go
the atmosphere in the finish area was electric as Bernard Kerr made his way down the mountain
the lights went green as Kerr crossed the line, making it a record second Hardline victory for the Pivot rider
in the end it was an all British podium, with Kerr taking the top spot, Gee in second, and Joe Smith rounding it up with third
