Natural Selection Bike — formerly known as Proving Grounds and part of the Natural Selection Tour — will be contested on Arthurs Point’s Treespace-Mt Dewar, where a world-class mountain bike course has just been completed, constructed by Elevate Trail Building.
The athletes, representing nine countries, include part-time Queenstowner Robin Goomes, who had a breakthrough year in 2024, winning Red Bull Rampage to cement her status as the best female rider on the planet.
She says she’s "so excited" to hit the course.
"The track is looking amazing and I can’t wait to get to ride in front of a home crowd.
"The athlete lineup is epic, so it’s going to be an unreal competition."
The comp features men’s and women’s divisions, and will combine big mountain freeride, slopestyle and downhill.
Along with the 22 pro riders, another four locals will qualify through the Dream Track event, at Fernhill’s Wynyard Jump Park on February 7.
Locally-based event director Sophie Luther says Natural Selection Bike, being held on February 15, will be "one of the most exciting and progressive mountain biking events globally" this year — it’s being supported by the government’s Major Event Fund and will be broadcast ‘as live’ on Red Bull TV in March. "Between the innovative course blending all aspects of freeriding and the highest level of riding, this will be thrilling to experience for bikers and non-bikers alike."
Tickets, via naturalselectionbike.flicket.co.nz, cost $79 for over-18s, $46 for 13-17 year olds, and is free for 12 and unders.
The riders
Men: Dylan Stark, Carson Storch, Nicholi Rogatkin, Reed Boggs, Kurtis Downs, Talus Turk (USA), Bienvenido Aguado, Adolf Silva (Spain), Kade Edwards, Tom Isted (UK), Paul Couderc (France), Thomas Genon (Belgium), Johny Salido (Mexico), Szymon Godziek (Poland).
Women: Vinny Armstrong, Robin Goomes (NZ), Casey Brown, Vaea Verbeeck, Georgia Astle (Canada), Hannah Bergemann, Barb Edwards (USA), Camila Nogueira (Spain)
