American great downhill hope Asa Vermette was the last rider down on Sunday and was crowned the youngest ever Red Bull Hardline winner in North Wales as Louise Ferguson – after becoming the first woman to do a top-to-bottom and qualify at Red Bull Hardline UK – made history as the first to win the women’s category.
Red Bull Hardline has been a standout stop on the global mountain bike calendar since 2014, where it has solidified itself as mountain biking’s most highly anticipated progressive downhill race.
From day one, the motivation for hardline was progression – progressing not only the riding and how hard the riders can push but also what’s possible in terms of course building.”
Dan Atherton
After Canadian duo Jackson Goldstone and Gracey Hemstreet triumphed at the second Red Bull Hardline Tasmania edition back in February, 32 of the world’s best riders descended on the Dyfi Valley this week to try and conquer a brutal course with massive jumps, drops and technical challenges. Over 3,000 spectators turned up to the sold-out event in changeable weather conditions to see the riders tackle features such as the infamous ‘Road Gap’ jump and spirits were high on practice day.
Eighteen-year-old Vermette from Colorado – considered one of the fastest and most exciting prospects in the sport – finished second in Tasmania and he looked calm on Friday down the compact and dry course that allowed the talented field to pick up top speeds with good grip on the ground.
Saturday’s qualifying session was a different day altogether after overnight rain led to slippery conditions with UCI Mountain Bike Junior World Champion Vermette topping the timesheet with 2:29.063 from Kiwi racer Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, British duo Charlie Hatton and Laurie Greenland close behind.
The run was probably one of the sketchiest ones that I have done all week, honestly. Felt like I was all over the place. I’m stoked. Through the bottom, I was just pumping as hard as I could through the jumps. On top of the world. It is pretty sick. The track is insane.”
Asa Vermette
I feel so much pride and it’s not going to take long before there’s more of us completing the course.”
Louise Ferguson
Scottish star Ferguson, originally from Fort William – also made history by becoming the first female rider ever to make it to the Red Bull Hardline UK finals.
Sunday’s race day was another thrilling spectacle for fans on site or watching on Red Bull TV around the world as Ferguson got down the course in 3:44.593 to finish 18th on the day and become the first to win the women’s category in Wales. After failing to post qualifying times, British veteran Bernard Kerr and Irishman Rónán Dunne; 2024’s Red Bull Hardline champion in both Tasmania and Wales – put down brilliant runs that the rest of the field could not better as the leading qualifiers started to snake their way down the course.
2023 UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Champion Hatton got the better of them with a superb time of 2:26.158 that New Zealander Pene failed to beat, leaving Vermette with a tough target to triumph. He got into the green at the second split and never let up to win with a time of 2:24.477 that saw him become the youngest ever Red Bull Hardline champion by 1.681s from Hatton as Dunne completed the podium.
You can watch the full replay below.