Red Bull TV was up close and personal on 18 September at 8.00 pm when the best downhillers in the world hit the slopes. Dan Atherton tells us what "hard" means to him.
What makes Red Bull Hardline the toughest downhill race in the world?
DanThe Welsh weather! And: Many tracks are not necessarily difficult to ride, or only if you ride them fast. Red Bull Hardline is always difficult - no matter what speed. There's really only one speed to hit some of these jumps properly and you need a lot of commitment, especially during the first run.
Why on earth do you need such a tough downhill race ;-)
Dan: I'm all about challenging the riders. At the same time, I want to push the sport we all love by coming up with features inspired by all sorts of different disciplines - we've taken ideas from motocross to BMX, dirt jump and downhill. You have to push the boundaries to get the best out of yourself.
What makes the difference between Red Bull Hardline and a UCI Mountain Bike World Cup race?
DanThe World Cup is all about speed. No matter what the track looks like in terms of features - it's always totally awesome because of the speed. Red Bull Hardline is really technical in some places and has to be tackled slowly. It's more about who can drive down the track the cleanest and not just about sheer speed.
What is the toughest feature on the course?
Dan: All of them! I'm excited about the whole track, not about one particular feature. In the race, this combination is really intense, you have to think about a lot of things.
What was the most difficult part of building the course?
DanThe fact that the course is on the mountain. If you want to build something on a mountain, there are always challenges - whether it's access tracks, hidden rocks or drainage... Every obstacle is a headache. Logistically it's really tough - a machine breakdown at the top of the mountain is a back-breaking job!
What was your worst Red Bull Hardline experience in the past two years?
When I had to sit out last year due to a shoulder injury. After putting in so much work, it really sucked not being able to drive myself.
Your line-up is a colourful mix. Why did you invite these riders in particular?
There is definitely a certain type of rider who can ride Red Bull Hardline. They are not necessarily the fastest riders in the world and they come from very different disciplines, but they are all good all-rounders. Besides the many jumps and drops, this downhill track is quite technical, so it's a mix of different disciplines. However, I believe that the downhill riders will be the fastest.
Who is the toughest driver?
Dan: They all are! Gee? Mick Hannah? Anyone who takes on the course, I'd say.
Will Rachel drive the track if she gets the chance?
Rachel gets involved: Yeah, I've ridden the track, but I skipped the jumps.
DanOur dad has already driven it!
