"While most modern competitions recruit riders with similar skillsets and design courses to suit them, Natural Selection flips the script. By drawing riders from a wide range of backgrounds, NST creates a format that values creativity and individuality as much as technical execution. It is one of the few competitions where the structure of the contest comes secondary to the riders themselves."
"Returning to Mt. Dewar in Tāhuna Queenstown, Aotearoa New Zealand, Natural Selection Bike 2026 once again brings together a field that looks almost mismatched on paper. Slopestyle technicians line up alongside big-mountain freeriders. Veterans with decades in the sport share the same start zone as breakout talents. Five last-second additions will earn their way into the field through the Dream Ticket qualifier just days before competition."
Natural Selection Bike returns in 2026 with 27 riders drawn from diverse mountain-biking disciplines, uniting Red Bull Rampage champions, slopestyle specialists, big-mountain freeriders, veterans, and breakout talents. The event prioritizes riders' creativity and individuality over standardized course design, asking competitors to define success by their chosen lines and style. The venue at Mt. Dewar in Tāhuna Queenstown, Aotearoa New Zealand, hosts a deliberately mismatched field to encourage contrasting approaches. Five additional participants will qualify through a Dream Ticket contest shortly before competition. The format emphasizes personal expression alongside technical execution, making judging and outcomes less predictable.
Read at BikeMag
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