Getty Image / Matthew Lewis
The 2024 Red Bull Hardline extreme downhill mountain biking race in Wales wrapped up last weekend with Ronan Dunne of Ireland besting the field and winning with a time of 2:23.045, just a hair faster than Bernard Kerr’s 2:24.327.
For those unfamiliar with the Red Bull Hardline, it is an annual mountain biking race held in Wales that is widely believed to be the toughest race on earth each year. Unlike the Red Bull Rampage in Zion, Utah where riders map out their own runs and bust out tricks going down the mesa, at the Hardline racers all ride the same course and many don’t make it down the mountain.
This year’s Hardline winner, Ronan Dunne, had a camera attached to his helmet and Red Bull just published the first person view footage of Dunne ripping it down the mountain. It is borderline impossible for someone outside of the upper echelons of this sport to watch this video and think ‘yeah, I could do that’ because this insane mountain biking footage really puts into perspective how difficult it is:
Red Bull is actually streaming a full replay of the 2024 Hardline on their Bike channel on YouTube. Anyone out there with two hours to kill or who is looking for something to throw on in the background while working, this is perfect.
Over 1 minute and 20 seconds separated the last place finisher, France’s Thibault Laly in 24th place, and Ronan Dunne’s winning time. I’m still in disbelief that anyone can make it down the mountain after watching that video.