Format
Format
01
Red Bull Cerro Abajo event series overview
The Red Bull Cerro Abajo series is an urban downhill mountain biking championship featuring multiple high-speed races through some of the steepest and most challenging city streets in the world. Each season of the Red Bull Cerro Abajo series consists of three main events in different locations. For the 2024/5 season this includes:
- Red Bull Genova Cerro Abajo – October 20, 2024 (Genoa, Italy)
- Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo – March 2, 2025 (Valparaíso, Chile)
- Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo – March 29, 2025 (Guanajuato, Mexico)
Riders compete in each race, accumulating points toward the overall Red Bull Cerro Abajo Championship.
02
Event format
Each event consists of two main stages:
Qualification Round (Qualy): All riders compete in an individual time trial, with the fastest 15 riders advancing to the finals. The starting order for the qualification run is determined in reverse order of the previous year's series rankings. Some riders are protected and can advance to the finals even if they fail to qualify due to a mechanical issue or crash.
Finals: The top 15 qualifiers race in the final round. Riders start one at a time, with the slowest qualifier going first, and the fastest qualifier going last. The rider with the fastest final run time wins the event.
03
Points & rankings
Race Points System (Per Event): Riders earn points based on their final placement in each race:
Position
Preliminary Stops
Preliminary Stops
Final Stop
Qualification
Finals
Finals Only
1st
10
60
70
2nd
7
39
46
3rd
5
29
34
4th
3
22
25
5th
1
16
17
6th
0
12
12
7th
0
9
9
8th
0
7
7
9th
0
5
5
10th
0
4
4
11th
0
3
3
12th
0
2
2
13th
0
1
1
14th
0
0
0
15th
0
Throughout the season, competitors earn regular points from the Finals, as well as qualifying points based on their performance.
In the final round of the season, no qualifying points are awarded. Instead, all points earned go directly toward the finals, impacting the final standings.The rider with the most points at the end of all three events is crowned the Red Bull Cerro Abajo Champion. In the event of a tie, the rider with the best single-race result wins the title.
04
Race rules & regulations
Protected Riders: Some riders receive protected status, meaning they automatically qualify for the finals if they fail to make the top 15 due to a Did Not Finish (DNF) or outside qualification ranking. Protected riders include:
- Top-ranked riders from the previous year’s Cerro Abajo Series.
- Past winners of the event
- Best-ranked UCI downhill riders currently competing
Protected riders are not, however, saved from a Did Not Start (DNS) scenario – they must still complete the qualification run to race in the finals.
Mandatory Obstacles: All manmade obstacles (e.g., jumps, wall rides) must be executed correctly. Any incorrect execution results in a 5-second penalty per violation.
Re-Runs & Special Circumstances: The event follows UCI downhill regulations where applicable. If a rider is flagged or obstructed during a qualification run, then the organisation may grant a bye to the finals. Animal intrusions (eg stray dogs on the track) will not, however, result in re-runs being awarded.
05
Timing & speed tracking
The official timing system includes four intermediate time splits and a speed trap to track maximum speeds. Past Red Bull Cerro Abajo events have seen riders reach speeds up to 40 km/h (25 mph) on average!
The Red Bull Cerro Abajo event series is the ultimate test of speed, skill, and precision in urban downhill mountain biking. With high-stakes races, a challenging course format, and valuable championship points on the line, only the boldest and fastest riders can claim the title of Red Bull Cerro Abajo champion.