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We’re conducting a survey and would appreciate your input. Your answers will help Vital and the MTB industry better understand what riders like you want. Survey results will be used to recognize top brands. Make your voice heard!
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Nice gesture by WBD, but not sure it'll do any actual good. I personally think the both genders have pretty tight racing so both are very much worth watching, and the ordering of them doesn't factor into my decision of watching either.
Downhill Southeast #1 Race Replay
Rachel Atherton had a perfect season and never got to drop in last…I think it’s going to be huge. Stoked for it.
With the men down in the finish corral too, cheering their teammates on?
I swear we’re all gonna cry and the tuff guys will be claiming they were always for it.
Wyn put out a great video talking about earnings throughout his career and also just going over the wild ride he had through it all.
Vali Höll last rider down the hill on the day at her home track makes for some perfect racing and drama.
Pan-american last weekend and Roger Vieira is the champion!
My doubt is, why north american just avoid the continental races as almost all the time?
Americans don't bother too much with work or tourism VISAS to South America unless a race promoter reaches out directly. Plus, you can drive most anywhere in North America to race.
Pretty sure most of us, if we're going to pack a bag & bike to come south of the equator, we want it to be for vacation riding. Too beautiful a continent to drop in & leave for race only. 😍
Vital RAW from DHSE 1
hell yeah. its race szn
There's something about that TTC!
Canyon joins as sponsor to Hard MTB League - PR below
CANYON BICYCLES JOINS HARD MTB LEAGUE AS OFFICIAL SPONSOR FOR 2026 SEASON
Strengthening Its Global Leadership in Mountain Bike Innovation, Canyon Invests in the Growth of a Bold New Multi‑Discipline Racing Format
BOISE, IDAHO – Hard MTB League announces Canyon Bicycles as an Official Bike Partner for the 2026 season, bringing together one of the most innovative bike brands on the planet with the sport's most progressive racing format.
Canyon's partnership with Hard MTB League represents a natural evolution of the brand's long-standing relationship with founder Braydon Bringhurst. Having previously collaborated on major media projects and events, Canyon recognized in Braydon the same innovation-driven approach that built their reputation: questioning the status quo and pushing boundaries.
Hard MTB League differentiates itself by rejecting traditional specialization. Rather than separating riders into Downhill, Enduro, or Cross-Country categories, the league demands mastery across all disciplines in unified competition. Canyon's engineering philosophy aligns perfectly with this approach—creating bikes that perform at the highest level across varied terrain and challenges.
Two Canyon athletes will compete at the 2026 qualifier, each embodying the versatility and progression that defines both brands:
Olivia Silva — A slopestyle and dirt‑jump specialist who's been part of Hard MTB League since day one, competing in both the Test Event and the Pro Invitational while bringing her creative, aerial style to the roster.
Luca Cometti — A two‑time Dual Slalom National Champion with World Cup Downhill roots, bringing seasoned insight and a creative approach to the sport's progression.
"Canyon has been part of my journey for just over 7 years, and they understand what we're building here," said Braydon Bringhurst, Hard MTB League Founder. "They don't just sponsor events—they partner with movements that push the sport forward. This format represents what I believe to be the future of all-mountain bike racing, and Canyon gets it.”
The partnership extends beyond race-day support. Canyon will provide technical expertise, athlete support, and strategic collaboration as Hard MTB League expands internationally with events planned in North America, Australia, and Europe.
Canyon Bicycles has a proven track record supporting boundary-pushing events and athletes worldwide—from World Championship-winning riders to grassroots racing initiatives. Their direct-to-consumer model democratizes high-performance technology, making world-class equipment accessible to riders at every level.
About Hard MTB League
Hard MTB League is the ultimate test of complete mountain biking ability. Founded by professional rider and filmmaker Braydon Bringhurst in 2023, Hard MTB fills a void in the sport by crowning riders who can do it all—climb, descend, jump, and navigate technical terrain at the highest level. While traditional competitions force specialization into strict disciplines, Hard MTB League celebrates versatility, pushing modern trail bikes and their riders to the absolute limit in a spectator-friendly format where fans witness every moment of the action. The league debuted as a Pro Invitational in 2024, showcasing elite athletes alongside community events that welcome riders of all abilities. Hard MTB League is the next evolution of competition—where the most complete all‑around rider shows what mountain biking is truly capable of.
About Canyon Bicycles
Canyon Bicycles is a world-leading manufacturer of road, mountain, triathlon, fitness, urban, and e-bikes. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Koblenz, Germany, Canyon works hand-in-hand with elite athletes worldwide to produce award-winning bikes that embody pure passion for riding. Canyon's direct-to-consumer model delivers cutting-edge technology and performance directly to riders globally.
For more information about the 2026 Hard MTB Challenge series, visit our Press Room at www.hardmtbleague.com/pressroom and follow @hardmtbleague on social media.
Media Contact: Scott Hart at Hard MTB League scott@hardmtbleague.com
I thought Ari was announced last week as the frame sponsor for Hard MTB League?
I think Vali taking the win on her home mountain will always get the fans cheering..
Ummm...we just gonna ignore that @owl-x threatened @bulletbass man with a "menzie simulator by mail" threat with the sole goal of making him more appreciate of the struggle of female downhillers? 🤣
I mean...y'all get on me for my random unintelligible posts but we're gonna just walk right past that kook show?
"threatened"
Edit: I'm removing what I just said because it's not helpful.
This was such a great listen. Thanks @WynMasters for the download. The fact that Bulls asked you to pay them your full 2016 salary at the end of 2015, to get out of your 2016 contract, is crazy to me.
That kind of thing happens in a lot of sports, but often it's the new team buying out the contract. Without knowing anything about the situation, I imagine the alternative option might have been to sit out the season (i.e. a bit of a Hobson's choice).
I don't think that sort of contract clause is enforceable at all. If a company can drop a rider or close a team mid-contract without penalty (which happens all the time, i.e. Norco, YT, etc), then a rider can exit a contract too.
I don't think these contracts are worth much in terms of future deliverables. I think they have much more teeth in terms of enforcing payment for services that have already been rendered, but even that would be a real pain to litigate across international borders if one of the parties wanted to dispute services or payment. Having said that, I understand Wyn's desire to be careful with relationships in our very small bike industry. But even to that end, I imagine a conversation with Bulls could have arrived at a lower number than reimbursing 100% of his 2016 salary. My hunch is that this is a case of a company screwing over a young and underinformed athlete. Especially if Wyn tried to negotiate the number down and they said no.
That’s why I said Andi, Vali, and Oisin might go into their next contracts wanting that yearly salary put into escrow.
They were straight up robbed.
It must've stung even more considering what happened with Bulls the following season.
I think this happens more than you might expect in MTB. I know of a pro rider that didn't properly understand his contract and ended up having to personally buy out of his contract to leave a year early. The real scummy part was that the contract was with the team manager directly, acting as his "agent". So just one shady dude skimming off the top.
As Robot said I'm pretty sure if a lawyer got involved none of this would have flown (just like non-compete clauses in regular jobs), but when you have some kind of authority figure pressuring you and the implication that your next team might get a bad impression and cancel the deal most 20 somethings will probably pay up.
Contract buy-outs are very real and enforceable by law, not just in sports but in business in general. The NBA is probably where it's most commonly in the public. People need to read contracts and termination clauses really, really, really carefully, and do their best not to be intimidated as they lawyer up.
Check out some of the fun stuff happening in the NCAA with NIL. A few top players leaave schools for better offers and try to justify not paying the buyouts/penalties for leaving early, even though there's a legal document.
It wasn't even the following season it was literally following me paying to get out that they then pulled out of racing all together
I had a phone call with the CEO and there were no other options on the table than that to leave. Worst part was that then following that they folded the team but I guess if I had of kept racing they wouldn't have. Anyways I think it happens more often than you think I know personally of some other riders who went through the same thing unfortunately.
Jess mentioning that a fellow rider went down during practice before seeding for the DH (qualifying doubled as the NZ national Champs) at Crankworx.
Erice was a DNS in the seeding/national champs. If it was her it would be bad luck after her 2025 season was written off after her massive Tas Hardline crash.
I regret to inform you that, legally speaking, such penalties for a breach of contract are in fact enforceable (- in the jurisdiction and scope of the German civil code anyways, which would probably have been applicable because Bulls is a German brand owned by a German company and the place of jurisdiction would very likely have been a German court.)
dafuq you doing dude? You calling your only fan (ayo) on here a kook?
Keep up, my message wasn’t cryptic or without introduction: the dude said something that made him sound like he’s not a feminist and I doublechecked (hint: we should all identify as feminists, the bar is super low and easy to achieve. It doesn’t make you less of a man to gas up the women, or to understand why that’s important).
He said “oh no this is what I meant” and that was good.
Every man should try the period zapper. It’s insane how uncomfortable it is.
+20 empathy
I am such a bizutch fan I’ll hand deliver it in one of our Volkswagens for real
Also there should be a MTB union.
HARD MTB LEAGUE LAUNCHES 2026 CHALLENGE SERIES: FREE COMMUNITY RIDES UNITE MOUNTAIN BIKERS NATIONWIDE
BOISE, IDAHO – Hard MTB League is built to develop elite all-mountain racing, but the mission doesn't stop there. The 2026 Hard MTB Challenge is a free community group ride series that brings riders of all abilities together on local trails, supporting local causes, and giving back at the grassroots level too.
WHAT IS A HARD MTB CHALLENGE?
The Hard MTB Challenge is a free, group ride series under the Hard MTB League banner. No race. No podium. No registration fee. Just riders, trails, and a local cause worth supporting. Each stop is led locally by a host who knows their trails, and backed nationally through Hard MTB League's sponsor network, media platform, and growing rider community.
THE HARD MTB CHALLENGE IS NOT:
The Hard MTB Challenge is not part of the race series and is not a qualifier. It's simply our way of giving back, and encouraging riders and communities to build and explore challenging trail systems together. The series launched Friday, February 7 at 10:00 AM at the Church Rocks trailhead in St. George, Utah, bringing together the local MTB community on one of the area's most beloved and challenging trails.
"Our goal with these challenge events is to create something where any level of rider can come out and experience an environment where they push themselves, and we cheer each other on," said Braydon Bringhurst, Founder of Hard MTB League. "These aren't races. This is about rallying together, pushing your limits, and sharing the trails with riders who live for this sport.”
WHAT TO EXPECT:
The Hard MTB Challenges welcome everyone from first-time riders to seasoned pros. Each event features guided group rides on local trails that showcase the best of each region's terrain. At each stop we will adopt a local charity and simply ask you to donate to the cause.
2026 CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:
• Stop 1: St. George, Utah – February 7, 10:00 AM, Church Rocks Trailhead
• Stop 2: San Diego, California – March 28, 10:00 AM (exact meet location TBD)
• Stop 3: Boise, Idaho – April 11, 10:00 AM (exact meet location TBD)
• Additional stops announced soon, including East Coast and International locations
Ellie was in a knee brace on crutches at Skyline today.
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