Just about everyone invovled with DH riding is currently waiting to drop in on the Red Bull Hardline event in Tasmania. If they aren’t there, maybe they’re about to drop into the Downmall event in the Czech Republic. Which means there are bunch of riders (riders you’ve probably never heard of) lining up for the rainbow jersey in, yep, you guessed it; snobiking.
Bikes on snow. Let’s be honest—this probably wasn’t what the engineers had in mind when designing a downhill rig. But here we are, gearing up for the 2025 UCI snowbike world championships, where riders will once again send it down icy slopes.
Looking back: 2024 proved it’s just as ridiculous as it sounds
Last year’s inaugural event in Châtel, France, had everything: elite mountain bikers, super-g ski-style racing and the constant threat of wiping out in spectacular fashion. With Danny Hart and Sabrina Jonnier leading the charge, the event delivered two days of high-speed, white-knuckle racing. Fifty brave (or slightly unhinged) riders from eight countries lined up to battle it out on a course that was definitely designed for skis, not bikes.
The format? Alpine skiing, but on bikes
Super-G (because straight-line terror is fun): Riders hurtled down nearly two km of piste, dropping 600m in vertical elevation at speeds that made studded tires a very good idea.
Dual slalom: A parallel slalom format where two riders went bar-to-bar, switching courses for the second heat. Thirty seconds of pure chaos on a course built for snowboards.
2025: More speed, more carnage, more “but why?”
The 2025 edition promises to be even bigger, with more riders, more countries, and probably more hilarious near-misses. 30 men and 30 women are ready to drop in, and no surprise here; it’s a seriously european-heavy contingent. In fact, they’re all european. Be that as it may, someone will win the rainbow jersey that they won’t be able to wear anywhere else until the 2026 snowbike world championships (if the UCI hasn’t come to their senses and killed this race by then.)
Where to watch in Canada
That’s a great question. This event is so overshadowed by just about every other event going on this weekend. And even non-events. There is not even much footage of the 2024 race, so unless you’re currently on a plane to Chatel, France, your chances of seeing this event live are pretty non-existent. But let’s cut the crap; if you’re into DH riding, you’re already making guac for the Hardline…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…