2026 Race Talk

At least it'll be back in 2032, give them time to fix the bottom of the track after crank worx

Another vote from me for never ever bringing back protected riders. This way is so much more interesting.  As a hardcore Canadian DH head, I was bummed Finn and Jackson didn't get in, but that's racing.  The fastest guys on the weekend qualified.  Having all the other Canadian dark horses get in made it extremely exciting.

As far as the track marking goes, you go outside the marking, its a DQ.  Simple as that. The thought of having a UCI official making a judgement call about whether or not someone "gained an advantage" by leaving the course sounds like a nightmare scenario that I don't even want to contemplate.

Your hard work is getting overshadowed by race tape, pole, and protected talk, so I’m going to give you the props for doing this for us 🤙

Mille Johnset stepping away from World Cup racing. 
 

Hard MTB announces rider roster for finals. PR below.

HARD MOUNTAIN BIKE LEAGUE 2026 FIELD

One Bike, Four Stages, No Clear Favorite: The Sport's Most Complete Riders Race for Equal Prize Money on a Never-Before-Raced Course

BOISE, IDAHO – Hard MTB League today announced the field for its 2026 Finals, taking place Saturday, October 24, at 2 p.m. MT on the league's new track in Boise, ID. Asa Vermette, Anna Newkirk, Nik Nestoroff, Kailey Skelton, and Tegan Cruz headline a field competing for equal prize money in the men's and women's divisions: $20,000 for first, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third. Fans can watch in person on a course built for spectators or stream the Finals free on YouTube.

What Is Hard MTB League?

Hard MTB League is built to answer one question: who is the most complete rider in mountain biking? Every athlete races four stages on a single bike, with no swaps allowed:

Tech Rhythm: A tight, feature-packed segment of jumps and drops.

Raw Slalom: Gates, steep off-camber, and natural-style obstacles.

Tech Climb: A steep uphill challenge with bonus sections, ranked separately for e-bikes and traditional bikes.

Downhill: A fast, condensed finale on World Cup-level terrain.

A Race Built for Spectators

Hard MTB League is designed to be watched, with its purpose-built Boise track giving fans a front-row view of the action from start to finish.

With music, food trucks, and more, the Finals are built for everyone, from diehard racing fans to families and first-timers. For fans who can't make it to Boise, ID, the Finals will stream live and free on YouTube at @hardmtbleague.

"This has been years in the making, and it has taken so much energy from so many people to get here," said Braydon Bringhurst, Hard MTB League founder. "It's incredibly exciting to see the Finals come together to crown the best all-mountain rider. I'm so grateful for the riders, fans, and partners who have come together to make this happen."

The Field

All eyes will be on Asa Vermette, who returns to Hard MTB League fresh off a dominant World Cup downhill win in Whistler. Kyle Strait and Jordy Scott also head to Boise, ID, after winning national championships in dual slalom. With a start list drawn from downhill, dual slalom, and enduro racing, and four stages that each reward different strengths, no one goes in as a clear favorite.

Male Riders: Alex Blanar, Max Clark, Luca Cometti, Tegan Cruz, Jacob Jewett, Cody Kelley, Tristan Lemire, Nik Nestoroff, Eddie Reynolds, Mitch Ropelato, Kyle Strait, and Asa Vermette

Female Riders: Sophie Allen, Rebecca Baraona, Maddie Lloyd, Anna Newkirk, Taylor Ostgaard, Ffion Pickstock, Jordy Scott, Olivia Silva, Kailey Skelton, Chloe Taylor, Mayumi Wakefield, and April Zastrow

The Stakes

The men's and women's divisions pay out equally at the Finals, with $20,000 for first, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third. Riders will also contend for Tech Climb prizes in both e-bike and traditional categories, plus a $5,000 feature award. The Finals cap the first full Hard MTB League season, with the May qualifier in Boise feeding into October and more than $125,000 in combined prize money on the line across the 2026 season.

How to Attend and Follow

Race Start: Saturday, October 24, at 2 p.m. MT, Boise, ID

Tickets: The first 500 general admission tickets are free. Claim yours at www.hardmtbleague.com

Livestream: Watch free on YouTube at youtube.com/@hardmtbleague

Instagram: @hardmtbleague

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 Mountain Bike League 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.

For more information about the 2026 Hard MTB League Finals, visit www.hardmtbleague.com/pressroom and follow @hardmtbleague on social media.

Siiiiiick!

I think Hard MTB League is super cool. It's sort of the riding I do every time I'm on a ride.

Also, I'm stoked about the added riders. Gowaan (with Bex and Chloe) and Anna Newkirk are good additions for the women's side while Jake Jewett is a great addition to the men's list. I'm kinda surprised there aren't more bigger-name folks clamoring to be a part of this. Or, maybe there are and this is intentionally the list (a specific selection of riders rather than taking the biggest names at the cost of some of the people that helped Hard MTB get off the ground).

If I were an enduro-adjacent rider in North America, I'd be looking at this as a great way to make sure my sponsors were visible and happy to have me promoting their product.

started a Lake Placid WC thread here - https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/lake-placid-world-cup-downhill

I always enjoyed the course preview videos she and Lou Ferguson made together. They're two riders it's easy to root for. 

I wish her all the best.

Maybe Mille is retiring so she can have a baby

I may be late to this but did anyone finda video of Lachie missing a gate besides the broadcast that was blocked by a tree? It looked like maybe it was only his rear that did? Either way, I am with Troy, bring back tape, its probably less of waste as 1/4 of a mechanic flying to a single round.

Biodegradable tape exists so why don't they use that  https://www.uktapes.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=UKT137RW250

I’ve gotten used to the poles now. There’s still details to get worked out (I think they should be fluorescent orange). Tape has its own set of problems. If someone crashes into it, the tape breaks or gets stretched out and can get  blown in the wind and can end up on the course.  Riders can get tangled in it and have their runs ruined because the rider in front of them broke the tape. 

I didn’t like the poles at first, but I’m ok with it now. 

Dude right??? 

Ahahahaha I’m laughing out loud at 10U soccer practice! Best comment on the board in years! Maybe ever!

2027 race talk but throwing it in here

I think family formation is the most important thing for any society, and should be the main consideration for any societal or government policy no matter the topic or field. 

I also think it's a bit creepy to discuss a specific public person's fertility and fertility choices. 

Agree with you 100%.

I couldn't figure out the words to say it...but it's fuckin' wild that someone was like "oh, yeah, I wonder if she's quitting her job in order to put in some work with her reproductive organs and spawn?" Especially when women in society are looked at by a portion of folks as more useful for breeding than any other societal contributions they might have.

My first thought was she's had two tough injuries this year and seems to not be making the continual improvement in results she had been making the last few years. She might be cutting losses rather than spending time pushing for a result she might not be confident is coming.

Or she might be looking for a way to parlay her current skills into a job that uses those skills and doesn't require taking high-consequence physical risks. Also, sometimes people want to change jobs. Also, sometimes people change jobs because they don't like their co-workers. Also, sometimes people quit their jobs when someone else on the team is let go in an unfair fashion. Also, sometimes people change jobs if the whole environment and mindset needed for a particular sort of job doesn't fit with how the person wants to live their life.

Hell, I quit a job at an advertising agency when I realized that the things that particular agency was shifting focus to specialize in were things that were doing more harm than good. I started when we were doing much more positive things and I quit when the scale tipped beyond neutral and started leaning negative.

There are lots of reasons Mille could want to switch her focus. I'm glad she's made the choice early enough in her life that she has plenty of time to find a new focus and attack it with as much dedication and energy as it took to become a world-class athlete.

Maybe you're one of the few who gets that I was making a jibe about the drama over tahnee retiring

It was a joke. I was alluding to the drama about tahnee that went on here a few weeks ago. 

You guys need to chill out trying to educate everyone with your beliefs and opinions. Seriously get a life and have a bit of fun. 

Second guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about

I loved the cutting sarcasm of the post which clearly went over the heads of many of the down voters you got.