On May 24, the Red Bull Bike Downhill Race concluded successfully at Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park. Fifteen internationally renowned riders from eight countries and regions delivered a breathtaking performance. Canadian rider Garrett Buehler won the speed race with a time of 29.940 seconds, and American rider Mike Montgomery took the skills race title with 87.66 points.
Speed Race:30Seconds to descend999Steps
Due to rain, the originally scheduled speed race was postponed to the 24th. In the speed race, competitors raced down 999 steep steps with a vertical drop of 150 meters and an average gradient of nearly 42 degrees.Garrett Buehler of Canada, who ranked first in the qualifiers, won the championship with an astonishing time of 29.940 seconds—the only rider to break the 30-second barrier that day. New Zealander James McConkey and Germany’s Johannes Fischbach secured second and third places, respectively.
In the earlier qualifiers, due to injuries and other reasons, only nine riders ultimately competed. Garrett Buehler, New Zealand mountain biking legend Kelly McGarry, and the elder of the brother duo James McConkey ranked in the top three and advanced directly to the six-rider finals. The remaining six riders competed in head-to-head knockout matches in the first round of the main event, advancing based on their rankings to fill the last three spots.
The first round of knockout matches was full of incidents, but fortunately, all six riders finished safely. In the first match, Germany’s Johannes Fischbach defeated America’s Mike Montgomery with a time of 42.956 seconds to advance. In the second match, New Zealander Nick McConkey accelerated throughout, fell off his bike while jumping over the Incense Burner and landing on the stair slope, yet still crossed the finish line with a first-round best time of 36.410 seconds—but later withdrew, allowing Britain’s Bernard Kerr to advance by luck. In the third match, Italy’s Stefano Dolfen lost control with one foot off the bike shortly after the start, and despite holding on with sheer willpower and superb control under the gasps of the crowd, he managed to land steadily with a time of 43.968 seconds. Unfortunately, he finished two seconds behind America’s Andrew Taylor and did not advance.
In the subsequent championship round, the competition became increasingly dramatic, pushing the excitement to new heights. First to ride, Johannes Fischbach continued his strong form, improving his first-round time by nearly 10 seconds with a 33.572-second finish. Next, Garrett Buehler, under pressure, repeated his qualifier magic with a flawless run, setting an astonishing 29.940-second time—the first to break 30 seconds—and essentially sealing the win. Bernard Kerr, who advanced in the first round, rode third and finished with a time of 34.347 seconds.
Facing immense pressure, fourth-place rider Kelly McGarry of New Zealand, a mountain biking legend, lost brake control during the descent, unable to manage his speed. Amid the crowd’s gasps, after jumping over the curved wall and skidding across the anti-slip section, his front tire burst and severely deformed, causing him to crash heavily off the track and withdraw. Fortunately, he was unharmed. Affected by Kelly’s injury, America’s Andrew Taylor also chose to withdraw. Last to ride, James McConkey—ranked third in qualifiers—remained unfazed by his fellow countryman’s crash. Under immense pressure, he delivered a near-perfect run with a time of 31.652 seconds, claiming second place.
“This is a truly ‘magical’ track—it’s incredible. Just standing at the start felt like an achievement. So I told myself, just aim to do better than the last run. I didn’t think too much about the time,” Garrett said when reflecting on the experience. “I love sports—in addition to biking, I also enjoy skiing, surfing, and rock climbing. Sitting in an office every day? I’d rather not.”
Dave, the British head judge of the Red Bull Bike Downhill Race, said: “In my eight years as a judge, this is the ‘most unique’ track I’ve seen. On one hand, the natural scenery is stunning, making it perfect for photos and videos—every rider found it amazing. On the other hand, the track requires full-speed commitment with zero room for error, making it extremely challenging and demanding. The riders’ performances today were truly unbelievable.”
Skills Race: Aerial “No-Hands” Stunt
In the final skills race, American rider Mike Montgomery pulled off a “no-hands” (suicide no hand) stunt in the final round, scoring 87.66 points to stage a comeback and claim the championship. America’s Andrew Taylor and Canada’s Garrett Buehler took second and third places, respectively.
Four riders advanced to the final skills race, which consisted of three rounds. The best score from the three rounds determined the final rankings. Riders had to take off from an acceleration ramp above the Incense Burner, jump over it, and land on the Tianmen Square platform. Three judges scored each rider based on the difficulty, amplitude, style of aerial maneuvers, and landing execution, with the average score determining the final result. By draw, speed race winner Garrett Buehler (Canada), Britain’s Bernard Kerr, America’s Mike Montgomery, and Andrew Taylor would compete in order.
In the first round, riders opted for relatively conservative moves. Aside from Mike Montgomery’s one-hand (one hand) stunt, the other three performed simple aerial jumps (air jump). Ultimately, Garrett Buehler scored 66 points; Bernard Kerr scored 68.33 points; thanks to the difficulty of the one-hand move, Mike Montgomery earned 74 points; Andrew Taylor scored 67.33 points.
In the second round, riders increased the difficulty. Andrew Taylor pulled off the Superman stunt—a high-risk move—and though he overshot the landing, he scored 85.33 points for the move’s difficulty, taking the lead after Round 2 and subsequently withdrawing from Round 3. Garrett Buehler performed a tabletop (table top) maneuver, scoring 71 points; Bernard Kerr executed a toboggan, earning 79.33 points; Mike Montgomery hesitated and only did an air jump, scoring 65.66 points.
In the final round, riders went all out for the championship. Garrett Buehler stuck with the table top but with greater amplitude, scoring 81 points. Bernard Kerr played it safe again with an air jump, scoring 69.66 points. Mike Montgomery performed the suicide no hand flawlessly and landed smoothly, scoring 87.66 points to stage a stunning comeback and win the championship.
“This is an amazing track. I even helped tune it. When I told my mom and wife I was coming to China for the Red Bull race, they decided to come with me. They thought it was incredible too,” Mike said. “I love challenges, thrills, and that first-time feeling—it makes life exciting. I treat this sport as my career, and it feels amazing.”
Dave, the British head judge of the Red Bull Bike Downhill Race, said: “It’s incredibly difficult to pull off moves like suicide no hand and Superman on such a high-difficulty track. I think anyone brave enough to come here and compete in the Red Bull event is truly exceptional.”
There is still a significant gap between the overall skill level of domestic riders and international competitors in the field of extreme bike downhill racing, and this gap cannot be bridged in the short term. However, in recent years, the sport has seen rapid development in China. The hosting of the Red Bull Bike Downhill Race has drawn more attention, understanding, love, and genuine participation in the sport, allowing people to experience its charm and wonder, thereby driving its growth.