The 2025 downhill season kicked off in spectacular fashion with Red Bull Hardline in Tasmania. While all riders on this course must fight off their fears just to complete it, some, like Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), have even more on their minds: Goldstone had a season-ending crash exactly one year ago on this course. Even the best downhill athletes are challenged by Red Bull Hardline, so fans were in for a treat with 2025’s tremendous race. 

Practice and qualifying were brutal on the bodies of many riders, with last year’s winner Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory DH) and newcomer Erice Van Leuven (Norco Race Division) both taken out of the finals competition by crashes. With dust scattered over hard pack conditions, most Maxxis athletes chose the Assegai and DHR II combo for their race runs. 

The finals of Red Bull Hardline 2025 might be one of the best in recent memory. Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division), the only woman to put a run down the full Hardline course during finals, impressed with an incredibly smooth ride to the finish, taking the win in the women’s category.  

In the men’s competition, Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV) took his first–ever Red Bull Hardline Tasmania finals run and laid down an absolute scorcher, landing himself in third place on the day. However, it was Jackson Goldstone after his terrible crash just a year ago who would go on to take the win and start his 2025 campaign on the best possible note. 

What a start to 2025 for Maxxis athletes! We can’t wait for the rest of this year.