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MTB
Why Valparaíso is one of the best urban downhill tracks in the world
With its winding streets and steep hills, Valparaíso’s hugely demanding course requires the world’s best downhill mountain bikers to combine pinpoint precision with unwavering nerve.
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The 2025/26 Red Bull Cerro Abajo urban downhill season will return to Valparaíso on February 15, when some of the world's best mountain bikers tackle the renowned urban track that descends through the steep streets and alleys of the Chilean city.
The second stop of the season, with riders having already taken on a testing course in Genoa last August, Red Bull Cerro Abajo Valparaíso will see the fastest rider to conquer the super-technical course crowned the new ‘King of the Port’. They will also have the distinction of winning one of the most notoriously tough urban downhill races on the planet.
But just what makes Valparaíso the perfect location for such a demanding event? Read on to find out.
01
A maze of colorful urban architecture
The colourful, winding hillside streets of Valparaíso
© Jan Kasl
A port city to the west of Chile’s capital, Valparaíso boasts a rich 500-year history and is now a UNESCO Heritage Site. However, it’s the city's unique landscape that makes it ideal for urban downhill racing. Built across approximately 44 steep hills, its narrow, twisting streets cascade down toward the Pacific Ocean, creating the perfect setting for high-speed racing.
Vibant, graffiti-covered buildings line the steep hills and labyrinth of narrow streets, with the unpredictable urban environment adding a layer of complexity as riders must dodge unexpected obstacles.
Combine this with extreme gradients, relentless star sections, sharp corners and sizeable rooftop drops, and you have a course that demands riders push themselves to the absolute limit.
A fifth win would be something truly special.
02
Stairs aplenty at the top
There are plenty of stairs to be navigated
© Luis Barra/Red Bull Content Pool
Thanks to the city’s unique layout, riders face a plethora of challenges throughout their runs. The start line is high in the hillside neighborhoods and immediately requires athletes to navigate narrow streets and no shortage of stairs.
Here, riders can showcase their creativity as they jump or roll down the series of stairs. They also have to decide whether or not to go all out, with the stairs proving particularly slippery due to a lack of grip. Despite this being the first section, it can be make or break as you don’t want to lose time in the early going.
Then comes a fast straight that demands riders complete three or four jumps to connect staircases. Get this right, and confidence grows. Get it wrong, and it’s a bump into an unforgiving wall or a rail.
03
Building speed in the right areas
Wall rides require power and technique
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Once the opening sections have been successfully navigated, the next challenge doesn’t get any easier as riders are asked to combine raw speed with technical skill. There are yet more stairs and tight corners that require control, commitment and precision.
There are also man-made obstacles to tackle, such as ramps and wallrides – all of which are non-negotiable. Requiring technique and power, this section provides an opportunity to make up some time as there are sections of road that are great for sprinting and lots of big drops that favour the brave.
04
Arms and legs begin to burn
Full power on the tarmac
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
There's still more to come from this track, as riders come into a section where the majority of the spectators are watching. At Plaza Bismarck, there is an infamous drop that is considered one of the most demanding obstacles on the 1.65km course.
A highly technical drop that measures approximately four metres in vertical height and eight metres in distance, speed must be built up to successfully cover the jump. However, at this stage, the body is already starting to feel the strain, making it even more challenging.
05
Stings in the tail as the course reaches its finale
The demanding Atahualpa Wallride
© Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool
The final stretch does not get any easier, with the closing stages at Plaza Aníbal Pinto demanding intense concentration. Not only are there a series of quick turns, jumps and step-offs, but there’s the Atahualpa Wallride – a dramatic 120° curved feature that must be approached with absolute confidence.
Even a moment's hesitation can cost valuable seconds, so expect to see riders going flat out as they tackle the wallride and then power to the finish line.
06
Who's riding at Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo 2026?
Tomáš Slavík on his way to another win
© Alfred Jürgen Westermeyer/Red Bull Content Pool
There are currently 34 confirmed riders taking part this weekend, including four-time winner Tomáš Slavík, who will be looking to go out on his own as the most successful rider in the event's history by taking a fifth victory,
"When I stand at the start gate I always race to win. Not just for the P1, but for the performance, for pushing the limits and for the people. A fifth win would be something truly special. It would mean writing another chapter in the history of a race I deeply respect. But nothing here is guaranteed. Every year is different, every year I'm older and winning gets harder", says Slavík.
Rider Name
Country
Rider Name
Country
Sebastián Holguín
Colombia
Harry Molloy
UK
Roger Vieira
Brazil
Facundo Descalzo
Argentina
Johannes Fischbach
Germany
Lucas Vega
Italy
Felipe Agurto
Chile
Marius Perraudin
Switzerland
Czechia
Matías Nuñez
Chile
Pedro Ferreira
Chile
Phil Atwill
UK
Lucas Borba
Brazil
Socratis Zotos
Greece
Jerónimo Paez
Argentina
Chris Hauser
Italy
Bernard Kerr
UK
Wyn Masters
NZ
NZ
Adrien Loron
France
Sam Blenkinsop
NZ
Hannes Alber
Italy
Alex Rudeau
France
Alex Marin
Spain
Augusto Wening
Brazil
Daniel Castellanos
Spain
Bruno Lavagnino
Chile
Pedro Burns
Chile
Camilo Sanchez
Colombia
Hans Pulgar
Chile
Fabian Alcantar
Mexico
Gabriel Giovannini
Brazil
Felipe Benavides
Chile
Alberto Nicolas
Chile
07
The 2026 course in numbers
The famed La Pérgola gap jump
© Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
This is how the 2026 version of the legendary urban downhill track will shape up:
- Lemon Tree Drop – Vertical: ~2.5m / Distance: ~6m
- Pacific Ocean Step Down – Vertical: ~4m / Distance: ~6m
- Garage to Garage Jump – Distance: ~7.5m
- Angelica / Ski Jump – Vertical: ~3.5m / Distance: ~10m
- Jovellanos Wallride + Jump – Max altitude: ~4m / Distance: ~8m
- Chevy Truck Jump – Distance: ~10m
- Bismarck Drop – Vertical: ~4m / Distance: ~8m
- Atahualpa Wallride – Turn angle: 120° / Distance: ~6m
- City Square Jump – Distance: ~4m
- Whale Tail – Distance: ~3m + 4m
- Container Jump – Distance: ~8m
- Pergola Jump – Vertical: ~4m / Distance: ~9m
08
How to watch Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo?
Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo livestream
MTB riders fly down steep, narrow streets, navigating ancient buildings in an insane urban downhill race.
You can watch all the action unfold from Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo on Red Bull TV on Sunday, February 15.
While you wait, look back on some of the highlights over the past 20 years of Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo in the video below:
32 min
20 Years of Red Bull Valparaíso Cerro Abajo
Relive 20 years of the largest urban downhill race in the world that began as an idea among friends.
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