MTB
Gravity riding isn't just restricted to spots in the mountains. There's a whole world of street-based downhill mountain bike action and it makes for some of the most exciting racing around.
Although you might not have been aware of it, urban downhill mountain bike racing has been wowing crowds for years. The gravity discipline is held on an array of wild, street-based courses across Europe and South America, and the sport got even bigger with the launch of the Red Bull Cerro Abajo series in 2023.
Unsure what urban downhill is? Expect high speeds, narrow courses, lots of stairs, massive jumps, thousands of spectators and quite possibly a stray dog or two on the track. If this has piqued your interest, read on to find out more.
Want to catch the downhill madness from Chile's Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo, the first race in the 2024 Red Bull Cerro Abajo urban downhill series? Watch it live from 6.15pm UTC on Red Bull TV on Saturday, March 3.
01
What is urban downhill?
Urban downhill is raced in the same format as a UCI Downhill World Cup: competitors race individually and are timed from start to finish, with the fastest time winning the race. There's usually only a small amount of practice allowed on the course, followed by a qualifying run and one race run.
The sport took off in the early 2000s with the Red Bull Lisbon Downtown race that sped through the tight alleyways and stair sets of the Portuguese capital. This started a craze and a growing of urban race, and even an entire race series, sprung up across the world.
While there are still plenty of events in Europe, the best-known urban races are those in Central and South America, including races in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Colombia. Of these, the most well-known is Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo in the port city of Valparaíso, Chile. These urban downhill races are truly spectacular races that attract global coverage.
Courses are mostly through closed streets and down flights of steps, but sometimes organisers throw in sections of off-road where possible and at the bigger events there will usually be man-made jumps, wall rides and drop-offs. Courses are sometimes made even more thrilling by sending riders off rooftops, down tight alleyways and even through buildings.
02
Why should I watch urban downhill races?
If the explanation of what is urban downhill hasn't whetted your appetite for this type of racing, then maybe watching POV footage of flat-out runs that literally pass through houses will help persuade you a little bit more. It's little wonder the videos go viral every year.
03
When is the urban downhill season?
Urban racing in South and Central America takes place during what is the off-season for the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup and Enduro World Series - around February and March. Summer is in full swing in the southern half of the continent and the timing allows some of the best mountain bikers from all disciplines to try their hand at what's much more than a show event – urban downhill is serious business and can draw some of the biggest crowds of any mountain bike race given races finish in city streets.
In 2023, two new urban downhill races on the American continent were added to the calendar – Red Bull Medellín Cerro Abajo in Columbia and Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo in Mexico. Alongside Chile's Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo they formed a defined series for urban downhill racing for the first time – Red Bull Cerro Abajo.
For 2024, the Red Bull Cerro Abajo series will continue to be a three-race series. Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo happens first on March 3 to be followed by Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo on March 23. The race in Medellín won't run this year, but there will be a new Red Bull Cerro Abajo race taking place in Italy in October that will conclude the season. Further details of where that race takes place will be revealed soon.
European urban races perhaps aren't as spectacular as their South American counterparts, but they still garner a lot of attention from the public and occasionally take on unique formats, with races through shopping malls or a dual slalom in town centres.
04
Who are the best urban downhill athletes?
With races taking place in the heart of cities, in front of thousands of vying spectators, it's no surprise that many of the world's best downhill and enduro racers are attracted to urban downhill races.
Many top downhillers and enduro racers have raced in the big events in South America, including Pedro Burns, Filip Polc, Brook Macdonald, Wyn Masters, Johannes Fischbach and Tomáš Slavík. Many events are open to all (some requiring pre-qualification) however and the South American races showcase talented athletes that aren't often seen on the global circuit.
For example, Chile's Pedro Ferreira won Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo in front of stacked fields in 2019 and 2022, while Colombian Camilo Sánchez won the 2022 edition of Red Bull Monserrate Cerro Abajo in his home country. The Red Bull Cerro Abajo series in 2023 brought a new name to the fore, Colombian Juanfer Vélez, won the first ever Red Bull Cerro Abajo overall series after winning the race in Medellín and finishing second in Valparaíso.
Times can be extremely tight at the top and the tracks are long and physical enough to test even the best. As with all the fastest DH race tracks, it's the riders who can balance stamina and skill with the bravest line choices who come out on top.
05
What bikes are used for urban downhill?
With racers hurtling at breakneck speed down ridiculously technical courses, a sturdy bike is needed for street racing. In the past, this meant downhill bikes only – the triple-clamp forks, 200mm suspension travel, strong wheels and big disc brakes were the only available bikes that could stand up to the punishment. However, modern enduro bikes are robust, incredibly capable and work well for the flat sprints that often link sections of a course, so now you'll find a mix of downhill and enduro bikes on the urban scene.
Suspension is set up firm in order to take the hits of bigger jumps, for ease of sprinting and to keep the bike stable when hitting stair gaps at speed. Riders might opt for custom modifications, such as specific suspension tunes, low-profile rear tyres, narrower handlebars and higher front ends. They might also remove the dropper seat post on enduro bikes. All these changes aim to make the bike stable down stair sets, nimble and easy to sprint.
06
What are the biggest urban downhill races of the year?
As mentioned above, last year saw the launch of Red Bull Cerro Abajo, a three-race urban downhill series. Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo, which takes place on March 3, is one of the longest-running urban downhill races in the world, having been first been raced in 2010. The race takes place in Valparaíso, a port city on the Chilean coast that's a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the brightly coloured homes that litter its cliffs. The course, as you'd imagine, is incredibly steep and the length is around 1.8km to 2km, depending on where organisers decide to place the start hut at the top of the cliffs.
Relive the 2023 Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo race below:
Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo then follows in Guanajuato City, Mexico, on March 23. Guanajuato City has narrow, winding streets and long staircases that take you up to good vantage points and hillsides that overlook the city – all the right ingredients make it perfect for urban downhill racing.
Relive the events of the 2023 Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo race below:
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