Red Bull Formation 2022 Course Map
© Red Bull Formation
Red Bull Formation returns to the red dirt of the southwestern Utah desert from May 8-15 for the third edition, marking the continued evolution of women’s big-mountain freeride mountain biking.
Formation’s roots go back to 2017, when Red Bull endurance mountain biker and decorated athlete Rebecca Rusch took notice of the lack of women’s representation at Red Bull Rampage. While the event had never excluded women, none had qualified either. Alongside Katie Holden, Formation’s eventual co-founder and mountain biking pioneer in her own right, they began to ask the hard questions and map out a future for what diversity and inclusion looked like in the sport. Holden then sketched outlines for what a women’s freeride camp could look like and Red Bull Formation was born.
Fast forward to 2022, and the event has become the premiere event for women’s big-mountain freeriding. Only the most skilled mountain bikers in the world are invited to this venue, one of the sport’s most challenging locations, just outside Virgin, UT. Red Bull Formation is not a contest, but rather a progression session designed to provide the tools and resources to enable the top female freeride mountain bikers in the world a space in which to advance the women’s field of the sport.
This year, the event returns bigger and better than ever with an expanded rider field. In 2021, the athlete roster consisted of eight athletes and two alternates. This year, the event will welcome twelve participating athletes, with four new faces joining for the first time.
The twelve athletes were hand-picked by a selection committee made up of four professional female athletes, members of the media, and industry veterans. Invites were based on several factors such as experience, big bike handling skills and control, air awareness, overall style, mental strength, and potential in the sport.
“I’m excited to welcome the world’s top freeride athletes in the women’s field to Red Bull Formation,” says event co-founder Katie Holden. “This segment of the sport is rapidly evolving, and we’re excited to see the blend of veterans and Formation first-timers push the sport to new limits this year.”
Exclusive content from the event will be made available through the Red Bull Bike YouTube and social channels. To stay up to date on the latest event info, follow @RedBullBike and #RedBullFormation.