Red Bull Down Metro Urban Downhill race

Mexico City recently rescheduled its rush hour to midnight: in the world’s first Dual Downhill Race in a subway station, 32 mountain bikers demonstrated how to make line jumpers at ticket counters and escalator rowdies look really old and sedate in the morning crush…


“The idea behind this race is brilliant. I’m pleased that we came all the way to Mexico City for it”, Gee Atherton says with a grin and a high-five with his brother Dan. The two Brits, 21 and 24 years old respectively, dominated the Red Bull Down Metro - the world’s first Dual Downhill Race in a subway station - in first and third place.

Over escalators and steep stairs

n front of thousands of curious onlookers, 32 death-defying downhillers plunged into the depths of the Metro station Barranca del Muerto shortly after the trains stopped running on November 4. The course led from the station entrance over steep stairs and tight escalators to the platform of Mexico City’s second-deepest subway station, 230 feet below. The only difference compared to normal operation conceded by the organizers was to erect steep banks in tight corners, in order to keep the neck-breaking speeds especially high. The dual duels on the daily route to work for thousands of local inhabitants were shown live on big screens to the spectators at street level.

Duel at dawn

Daybreak was near by the time the Athertons, whose 18-year-old sister is also a successful downhill biker, finished the spectacular underground show occupying two of the places on the podium. Local hero Memo de Uslar, several-times Mexican champion, trailed behind in fourth place after seven rounds. His fair congratulations: “The competition was so good that I’m completely satisfied with my result”.

1st: Gee Atherton
2nd: Brian Lopes
3rd: Dan Atherton

Add comment November 22nd, 2006