Red Bull Hardline Tasmania 2026: Everything You Need to Know
One of the toughest downhill mountain bike races on the planet is back and headed to Australia in just about 24 hours. Red Bull Hardline Tasmania 2026 returns to Maydena Bike Park in Lutruwita/Tasmania, Australia, on February 7–8, bringing the kind of speed, scale, and consequence that only a race like Hardline can deliver.
Part race and part proving ground, Hardline remains one of the few events in mountain biking where simply reaching the finish line is an achievement. For riders and fans alike, it is a raw reminder of what downhill racing looks like when course builders can dream big and the terrain is purpose-built to put riders to the test.
What Is Red Bull Hardline?
Red Bull Hardline sits at the extreme edge of downhill racing. Designed to challenge the world’s fastest riders with oversized features, high-speed sections, and technical terrain that is normally deemed “too much” for World Cup events, Hardline strips racing down to its most uncompromising form and amplifies the intensity.
Originally launched in the forests of Wales in 2014, Hardline quickly gained a reputation as the most demanding downhill event in the sport. Ten years after its initial introduction, the event expanded to Australia, making Tasmania the first Hardline held outside the UK. Tasmania has since become a second permanent home for the event, offering terrain that matches the race’s no-compromise identity.
A Brief History
Hardline was created to push downhill racing beyond traditional race courses. Instead of manicured tracks and race-ready lines, Hardline introduced a format that combined familiar staples of downhill racing while turning the dial up to 11. Massive jumps, exposed rock features, steep fall lines, and speeds rarely seen in competition are all par for the course at an event like Hardline.
After a decade of racing in Wales, the addition of Tasmania marked a new chapter for the event. Maydena Bike Park’s steep gradients, raw forest terrain, and long vertical drop proved to be a natural fit. The Australian edition has quickly established itself as a fixture on the Hardline calendar and a defining early-season test for elite gravity riders.
The Riders
Hardline Tasmania is an invite-only event, with a limited field selected from the top tier of downhill and freeride talent. The 2026 roster blends past winners, World Cup standouts, fan favorites, and rising stars, creating one of the most competitive start lists of the year.
Men’s field highlights include:
- Jackson Goldstone (Canada), defending Hardline Tasmania winner
- Aaron Gwin (USA), five-time World Cup overall champion
- Troy Brosnan (Australia), racing on home soil
- Asa Vermette (USA), junior world champion turned elite threat
- Sam Hill (Australia), Hardline veteran and fan favorite
- Bernard Kerr (UK), Charlie Hatton (UK), Luca Shaw (USA), and more
Women’s field:
- Gracey Hemstreet (Canada), undefeated at Hardline Tasmania
- Lou Ferguson (Scotland)
- Mikayla Parton (Scotland)
- Mille Johnset (Norway)
- Jess Blewitt (New Zealand)
The field is small by design, but the depth of talent ensures every run matters.
The Course
The Hardline Tasmania course stretches approximately 3.4 kilometers and combines high-speed sections with some of the most imposing features ever raced in downhill competition. Riders face jumps as large as 30 meters (roughly 100 feet), exposed raw rock rolls, and drops exceeding ten meters, all linked by sections where speeds regularly surpass 60 km/h.
For 2026, the course receives updates to the upper section, opening faster lines and increasing overall speed. Some sections are expected to approach 80 km/h, making line choice, confidence, and precision more important than ever in this year’s event.
One of the major updates this year is improved spectator access. Fans can now reach the entire course via mountain shuttles, offering rare, close-up views of every major feature from top to bottom.
Format and Event Schedule
Saturday features practice sessions followed by seeding runs, which determine the start order for finals. Sunday is reserved for race day, with riders taking on the course one final time in pursuit of the fastest run.
When and Where
Dates: Saturday, February 7, and Sunday, February 8, 2026
Location: Maydena Bike Park, Tasmania, Australia
The weekend format follows the traditional Hardline structure, with practice and seeding runs taking place on Saturday, followed by race finals on Sunday.
How to Watch
Fans around the world can watch Red Bull Hardline Tasmania live on Red Bull TV, with free global coverage of Sunday’s finals. Broadcasts begin in the afternoon local time, with replays available on demand through the Red Bull TV app and online platforms.
Why Hardline Still Matters
Hardline exists outside the rules of conventional downhill racing. It is not a World Cup round, and it doesn’t try to be. Instead, it highlights what downhill can become when riders are pushed to ride terrain that prioritizes speed, scale, skill, and consequence over raceability.
Hardline Tasmania continues to build its reputation as one of the most demanding stops in mountain biking. It is a race where everything that makes downhill exciting collides and where riders can expect to be pushed to their limits by one of the sport’s most demanding tracks.
For riders, it is a proving ground. For fans, it is one of the most compelling weekends of racing on the calendar. Make sure to tune in to watch all the action unfold!