Hannes Alber takes on an epic wallride during Red Bull Cerro Abajo at Teatro Nazionale Genova, Italy, showing off gravity-defying skills needed to conquer the course
© Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool
MTB

The most exciting mountain bike events in 2026

Mark these must-see mountain bike events happening across the world in 2026 in your calendar - you won't want to miss them.
Written by James McKnight
4 min readUpdated on
Here are seven of the most exhilarating mountain bike events taking place around the globe in 2026. Follow them online, on live feeds and broadcasts, or, better still, get yourself out to one of them and witness the action first-hand.
01

Natural Selection Tour Bike

Aaron Gwin rides his mountain bike at the UCI DH World Cup in Loudenvielle, France, on September 08, 2024.

Riders from all disciplines meet in Queenstown

© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

Where: Tāhuna Queenstown, New Zealand

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When: May 5
Natural Selection Tour Bike 2026 is the latest edition of the freeride mountain bike event held on the dramatic ridgelines of Mt. Dewar in Tāhuna, Queenstown, New Zealand. It brings together some of the world’s most progressive riders from disciplines such as freeride, downhill, and slopestyle to tackle a custom-built course that blends natural terrain with creative features, emphasising individual line choice, style and creativity over a traditional race format.
02

Swatch Nines Bike

Sam Hodgson and Szymon Godziek performing at SWATCH Nines MTB 2025 in Sölden, Austria, on September 12, 2025.

Mountain biker Szymon Godziek gets some air on the Swatch Nines course

© Swatch Nines/Red Bull Content Pool

Where: Sölden, Austria
When: June 15–20
Swatch Nines MTB 2026 is part of the globally-known Swatch Nines action-sports festival, where top freeride and slopestyle mountain bikers are invited to ride creative, non-competitive courses designed to push the limits of progression and style rather than lap times or rankings. In 2026, the bike segment returns to Austria’s Bike Republic Sölden with a festival vibe celebrating athletes' creativity, inventive terrain features, and a collaborative atmosphere between riders and builders.
03

Red Bull Genova Cerro Abajo

Roger Vieira performs at Red Bull Cerro Abajo in Genova, Italy on August 24, 2025

Roger Vieira flies through the streets of Genova at Red Bull Cerro Abajo

© Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Where: Genova, Italy
When: June 27-28
At Red Bull Cerro Abajo, downhill MTB riders tackle osbtacles only a historic city centre can provide. In Genova that means narrow alleyways, steep stairways, tight corners, hairpin bends and ancient buildings must be skillfully navigated... at great speed. The 2.2km course drops 279m from Genova's Monte Peralto all the way down to Largo della Zecca and the sea, providing riders and spectators with a thrilling, scenic ride.
04

Red Bull District Ride

1 min

Red Bull District Ride comes to the Netherlands

Red Bull District Ride comes to the Netherlands

Where: July 24–25
When: Groningen, Netherlands
Red Bull District Ride 2026 is the newest edition of one of the world’s most iconic urban slopestyle mountain bike competitions. Unlike traditional races, riders tackle a custom-built city course with stair sets, wall rides, drops and big jumps woven through different 'districts', choosing their own lines and being judged on difficulty, style, creativity and overall impression. The event, a Diamond level stop on the FMB Slopestyle Super League, brings the world’s top freeride and slopestyle athletes together and, for the first time in its history, includes a full women’s competition.
05

Red Bull Stuttgart Cerro Abajo

Tomáš Slavík launches into action at Red Bull Cerro Abajo in Genova, Italy, August 2025, showcasing fearless downhill biking and Red Bull's iconic branding

Tomáš Slavík defies gravity at Red Bull Cerro Abajo

© Gabriele Seghizzi / Red Bull Content Pool

Where: Stuttgart, Germany
When: September 5-6
Making its German debut in 2026, Red Bull Cerro Abajo lands in the Stuttgarter Kessel for the series' season finale. The city's streets will be transformed into a mountain biking obstacle course only the urban landscape of Stuttgart can deliver. Hillside stairways, steep cobbled alleys and tight urban corridors combine to create a full-throttle action zone. With the Red Bull Cerro Abajo world championship title on the line at this stop, expect flat-out, full-throttle riding from the world's best urban downhill MTB racers.
06

Red Bull Hardline British Columbia

Aaron Gwin performs practices at Red Bull Hardline in Maydena Bike Park, Australia on February 6, 2026

Aaron Gwin tackles the forest of a Red Bull Hardline event

© Graeme Murray / Red Bull Content Pool

Where: Cypress Mountain, British Columbia, Canada
When: October 16-17
Red Bull Hardline is heading to Canada's British Columbia for the first time in 2026. Just like in Wales and Tasmania, riders will tackle the world's most extreme downhill race – this time in the beautiful landscape of Cypress Mountain, just north of the city of Vancouver. With elements borrowed from dirt jumping and BMX that aren't permitted in the World Cup and other UCI races, the BC course includes massive jumps and gaps, steep drops of 10m-plus, 'rock gardens', and steep descents. It’s going to be an unmissable showdown as the world's most progressive male and female MTB riders push the limits of what’s possible on two wheels
07

Red Bull Rampage

52 min

Red Bull Rampage: Men's highlights

Watch the 18 male mountain bike athletes showcase skill and creativity in this invitation-only freeride event.

English

Where: Utah, USA
When: October
The 2026 edition will again take place in October with the expanded two-day schedule covering the women's and men's events. It’s an invitation-only competition where the world’s boldest freeride mountain bikers carve their own lines down steep, technical terrain – linking massive drops, natural features and creative man-made elements – and are judged on difficulty, creativity, fluidity and style rather than speed or time.

Part of this story

Natural Selection Tour Bike

Top freeride mountain bikers return to Tāhuna Queenstown to compete at the stunning Mt. Dewar venue.

New Zealand

Red Bull Genova Cerro Abajo

For the third consecutive year, the Superba hosts one of downhill mountain biking's most electric spectacles.

Italia

Red Bull District Ride

The world's best mountain biking tricks are brought to you right in the heart of the city of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Netherlands

Red Bull Stuttgart Cerro Abajo

The world’s best riders in the most extreme urban downhill MTB race conquer steep staircases, narrow streets, parks, monuments and obstacles only Stuttgart can offer.

Germany

Red Bull Hardline British Columbia

Red Bull Hardline heads to British Columbia for its first-ever event in Canada, as riders prepare to take on this iteration of the world's most extreme downhill race at Cypress Mountain.

Canada