MTB downhill: Beyond Gravity at Maydena, AU$190,000 prize pool

Beyond Gravity, a new downhill mountain bike race at Maydena Bike Park in Tasmania, will be held on 26 and 27 February 2027. It replaces Red Bull Hardline, which will not return to the island next year, and aims for the biggest purse ever seen in downhill if the paid livestream sells well.

A Hardline-based track, built for racing

Maydena has hosted Enduro World Cup rounds and, for the past two years, Red Bull Hardline. For 2027 the organisers (Maydena Bike Park and Elevation Events) start from the Hardline course but make it more of a race track: more technical demands, less airtime and slightly safer features. Seeding runs on 26 February and the final on 27 February.

The field is invitation-only, with no qualification, and looks close to a World Cup line-up: freeriders are almost absent. The men's list includes Aaron Gwin, Troy Brosnan, Henri Kiefer and Andreas Kolb, and the women's list includes Tilly Boadle. MTB-News names Vali Höll as the big favourite after her 2026 season.

30% of broadcast revenue goes to the riders

The novelty is the business model. The live broadcast will be pay-per-view, with a single fee the organiser wants to keep modest, and 30% of the revenue will be shared among riders according to their final position. Rob Warner and Wyn Masters will commentate.

• Guaranteed minimum purse: AU$190,000 for the whole race.
• Guaranteed podium: AU$25,000, AU$15,000 and AU$10,000 for the top three.
• The top three women receive the same amounts as the top three men, according to MTB-News.
• The final sum depends on stream sales: the organiser cannot put a figure on it yet.

What to remember

The exact price of the stream and the full prize breakdown are not yet known. The event is part of a week-long mountain bike festival, whose on-site ticket prices were expected in early October.