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Red Bull Formation is exactly what freeride needs right now and here's why
Now in its second edition, Red Bull Formation is paving the way for female riders in the discipline of mountain bike freeride. Here, one of the sport’s best riders explains why that’s so important.
Born in Oregon in the United States, 24-year-old Hannah Bergemann may be an up-and-comer in the world of mountain bike freeriding, but she’s already doing her bit to ensure there's a way forward for the next generation of female riders in freeride.
Bergemann was an integral part of 2019’s women-only Red Bull Formation freeride event and she's returning to Utah this year for the second edition alongside fellow visionary female athletes including Casey Brown, Vaea Verbeeck and Vinny Armstrong.
What is Red Bull Formation
Formation takes place over the course of one week and sees eight of the top female mountain bike athletes in the world (along with industry mentors) travel to the desert in Utah, where they’ll work together to create and then ride top-to-bottom lines on a steep section of mountainside. With the aim of progressing and developing women’s freeride and creating a future path for women in freeride mountain biking, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for Red Bull Formation in 2021.
Find out more about Red Bull Formation and view more content from the event.
Hannah Bergemann
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
Sam Soriano
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
Casey Brown
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
Chelsea Kimball
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
Before heading off to catch her flight to Utah, we caught up with Bergemann to discuss Red Bull Formation, women in freeride and the importance of investing in the future.
Why are events like Red Bull Formation so important?
Events like this are so important for progressing the sport of women’s freeride mountain biking. It’s the first of its kind in that there hasn’t really been a female-focused freeride event before.
It’s comparable to Red Bull Rampage in that it’s in a similar venue with similar goals of riding that style of mountain biking, but it’s not as competitive as Rampage, it’s more collaborative. We all get together to work on what we’re building and riding and really focus on that aspect of the sport. The event is super-important for pushing women’s freeride in a new direction it provides the up-and-comers with something to look up to and get excited about.
Events like Red Bull Formation are so important for progressing the sport of women’s freeride mountain biking
Why is it so important to focus on inspiring the next generation of female riders?
It’s been pretty rad to see all the positive feedback we got from the 2019 event. All my male friends have been stoked on freeride for a long time, because they grew up watching Rampage, but there hasn’t really been an event like that for women.
Supporting the next generation is one of my biggest goals. Having this opportunity to have sponsors and have this platform, I just want to use that to pass on what I've learned. The girls I work with are progressing at a crazy rate and are super-excited and proving that the up-and-coming female riders are going to be charging super-hard. I think there are going to be lots of women who have the skill set to participate in these freeride events.
Athletes are allowed to bring a dig team of two to help create a line
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
Why is investment at this level so important?
It benefits everyone; the more brands want to invest in women’s freeride, the more women riders want to participate and the more return the companies will get. But companies need to put the support in to get it going and start building a platform. Which is what Red Bull has started to do with Formation. It seems to me that Formation has had quite a big impact already. I’m seeing a lot more girls being stoked on freeride and a lot more media of women riding.
I’m lucky to work with Transition Bikes in Oregon. They brought me in last year in this really cool role, where I'm an employee and an athlete, which is pretty unique and cool because I get the flexibility and support of an athlete’s schedule, but I also get the resources of working directly for a bike company. I get to have a voice in decisions that the company makes and that’s great.
What’s your plan for Red Bull Formation 2021?
This year there are more female riders participating and we also have a full female-led media team, which is pretty cool. My plans are to go with the same goals in mind as in the first year; building a line that challenges me and hopefully getting to collaborate with other athletes to build and ride some really cool stuff.
The women of Formation 2021 will be riding down this mountainside
© Re Wikstrom/Red Bull Content Pool
The athletes and diggers attended a kick-off meeting before the course walk
© Re Wikstrom/Red Bull Content Pool
Passing on knowledge is vital to encouraging more women into freeride
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
Sam Soriano and Casey Brown test whether this ridge line is rideable
© Re Wikstrom/Red Bull Content Pool
Which riders should we be looking out for this year?
The first year I was looking forward to riding with Casey Brown, but she was injured, so I’m especially looking forward to riding with her this year. Last year I had a lot of fun working with all the girls who came, but Vaea Verbeeck is also coming back this year and I’m excited to work with her.
Tahnée Seagrave is someone I loved working with and have worked on other projects with, but she couldn’t make it back this year because the UK travel restrictions were too strict. I’m also excited to work with a bunch of new girls.
Bergemann will look to go harder at this 2021 edition of Formation
© Catherine Aeppel/Red Bull Content Pool
What’s next?
I do quite a bit of coaching and it’s cool to see girls take inspiration from events like Red Bull Formation and I have some plans to hopefully host more events in the same style. I want to hold a female-focused jump jam conniving this direction of providing opportunities for more women to pursue riding as a professional career.
