GDL Downhill Series Championship 2026 at Thaiwoo
GDL Downhill Series Championship 2026 at Thaiwoo
Speed, Style, and Spectacular Racing Return to Thaiwoo Bike Park
GDL Downhill Series Championship 2026 at Thaiwoo
Speed, Style, and Spectacular Racing Return to Thaiwoo Bike Park
There are only a handful of venues in China that instantly excite downhill riders the moment their names are mentioned. Thaiwoo Bike Park, nestled in the mountains of Zhangjiakou, is undoubtedly one of them.
Returning for another year, the GDL Downhill Series Championship at Thaiwoo once again brought together China's fastest downhill racers alongside international competitors for a weekend filled with speed, unpredictable weather, spectacular riding, and one of the best atmospheres in Asian gravity racing.
For me, returning to Thaiwoo also meant a different kind of journey.
Instead of making the long drive as I had done in previous years, I travelled by China's impressive Fuxing high-speed railway, departing from Weihai and arriving at Taizicheng Railway Station after around six hours on the train. A three-hour transfer in Qinghe made the trip a little longer than expected, but it was still a comfortable way to reach one of China's premier mountain bike destinations.
By the time I arrived at Thaiwoo Resort, it was already close to 6:00 pm. Rather than rushing onto the trails, I checked into the hotel and decided to save my first look at the race course until the following morning. Dinner with the GDL crew rounded off the evening perfectly, with excellent local food and plenty of conversations about what promised to be an exciting weekend ahead.
Friday — Blue Skies and First Impressions
Compared with last year's event, this year's schedule allowed riders considerably more time to settle in. Friday was dedicated entirely to practice, giving everyone the opportunity to study the course without the pressure of racing against the clock.
Mother Nature certainly played her part.
Clear blue skies, warm sunshine and only a few drifting clouds created perfect riding conditions, while the surrounding mountains reminded everyone why Thaiwoo has become such an iconic venue for gravity racing in China.
Although the course shared the same general layout as last year's championship, several sections had been updated, creating fresh challenges even for returning riders.
Standing beside the start gate, one thing immediately caught my attention.
It was unusually quiet.
Riders stood in deep concentration, mentally preparing themselves before dropping into nearly 1.8 kilometres of demanding downhill terrain. Even the youngest competitors in the U10 category showed remarkable focus, calmly waiting for their turn with barely a word spoken.
Then the countdown finished.
The course wastes no time.
Immediately after leaving the gate, riders are thrown into a sequence of steep, flowing corners where carrying speed becomes absolutely essential. Losing momentum through these opening turns means paying for it later, as the trail quickly transitions onto a flatter section where pedalling alone cannot recover lost time.
The trail builders had cleverly shaped several low berms that rewarded riders capable of pumping every transition for extra speed. It was a subtle detail, but one that would undoubtedly make the difference once racing began.
Emerging from the forest, the course opened beneath the chairlift into one of Thaiwoo's signature sections.
Here, the berms grew larger, faster and more intimidating with every turn. Experienced riders barely touched their brakes, trusting the sculpted corners to carry their momentum all the way through. Watching the Elite riders attack this section was already hinting at what would come on race day.
The trail then disappeared back into the forest almost as quickly as it had emerged.
A huge berm launched riders towards a technical gap jump before dropping immediately into a steep left-hand corner. Everything happened in rapid succession, demanding complete commitment and constant concentration.
Further down the mountain came one of the most interesting sections of the course.
Instead of presenting riders with a single obvious line, the trail suddenly opened into multiple options. Some riders chose the direct road-gap line, while others remained lower, searching for smoother exits and better acceleration into the following section.
There wasn't one perfect answer.
Choosing correctly depended entirely on each rider's confidence and riding style.
That variety made the course fascinating to watch throughout the weekend.
The rhythm never really settled.
Berms linked into jumps, jumps fed directly into more corners, before another major feature appeared — a sizeable road gap with a significant drop that quickly became one of the defining obstacles of the race.
Throughout Friday afternoon, many riders rolled safely around it while carefully observing others attempting the jump. Nearly every Elite rider committed without hesitation, but less experienced competitors wisely chose patience over unnecessary risk.
Immediately afterwards stood the biggest berm on the entire course, sending riders into one final high-speed section.
Among all the technical features, however, one thing continued stealing my attention.
The scenery.
On one of the straighter sections of trail, I paused for a moment and looked across the valley. The mountains stretched endlessly into the distance while riders carved their way through the landscape below. It genuinely felt as though they were racing through a painting.
Of course, there wasn't much time to admire the view.
Near the bottom of the course, two sizeable gap jumps arrived almost unexpectedly after a series of fast corners. More than once I watched riders arrive carrying far more speed than anticipated before making last-second adjustments.
By the end of practice, nobody seemed interested in setting unofficial fastest times.
Instead, riders focused on learning every metre of the course, watching faster competitors, discussing different line choices and gradually building confidence.
One rider who particularly stood out was Australia's Sascha Kim, Giant Bicycles' Global Ambassador.
Despite being one of the favourites for the weekend, he remained remarkably composed throughout practice. There was no unnecessary risk-taking or dramatic moments—just calm, calculated runs while quietly preparing for when the stopwatch would truly matter.
Sometimes the fastest riders reveal very little before race day.
Saturday — Rain Changes Everything
If Friday belonged to sunshine, Saturday belonged entirely to the rain.
Heavy showers hammered Thaiwoo throughout the night, completely transforming the race course.
By sunrise, the once-fast dirt had become slick mud.
Berms that offered incredible grip only 24 hours earlier were now polished and slippery, while every corner demanded complete respect.
Standing beside the opening turn with my camera, I quickly realised just how difficult conditions had become.
Almost every rider entered the corner with confidence...
...only to have their tyres suddenly wash sideways.
Shouts echoed through the forest as riders fought to regain control before disappearing further down the mountain.
The weather wasn't finished yet.
Around 11:00 am, thick fog rolled across the upper slopes, reducing visibility and coating everything with moisture. It wasn't raining anymore, but the air itself felt saturated. Water droplets quickly collected on camera bodies, lenses and helmets alike.
For a while, many people quietly wondered whether qualifying would even go ahead.
Training was scheduled from 9:30 until noon, with racing beginning at 1:00 pm, but the mountain looked determined to test everyone's patience.
Fortunately, Thaiwoo had one more surprise waiting.
Shortly before qualifying began, the clouds slowly broke apart.
Sunlight returned.
As the U10 riders opened the afternoon's racing, the course remained wet and challenging, rewarding smooth riding over outright aggression. However, with every passing category the trail dried further, grip steadily improved and speeds increased dramatically.
By the time the older junior riders took to the course, conditions had become almost ideal.
It was another reminder of downhill racing's unpredictability.
Sometimes the biggest challenge isn't the course itself.
It's adapting faster than everyone else.
Saturday Evening — Style Above the Finish Line
As the qualifying runs came to an end, the racing atmosphere shifted into something entirely different.
Also this year, GDL added a special event that quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the weekend—a whip-off contest.
The jump built for the event is believed to be one of the largest dirt jump features in China, and standing beside it was enough to appreciate the scale. Long before the riders even left the lip, spectators were already gathering around the landing zone with cameras and phones in hand.
Once the session started, the crowd knew they were witnessing something special.
Massive whips, stylish tabletops, perfectly executed 360s, tailwhips and even backflips lit up the evening sky as riders pushed both their creativity and bike control to the limit. Every trick was met with cheers from the spectators lining both sides of the jump.
It was more than just a competition.
It was a celebration of gravity riding.
As darkness settled over Thaiwoo, the organisers raised the excitement one final time by introducing a wall of fire for riders to jump through.
The glowing flames illuminated the night as rider after rider soared overhead, creating one of the most memorable scenes of the entire weekend. Even visitors with little or no knowledge of mountain biking stopped to watch, captivated by the spectacle unfolding in front of them.
It perfectly demonstrated what makes downhill more than just racing—it is also about community, style and sharing unforgettable moments with everyone standing beside the trail.
Sunday — Championship Day
After two days of changing weather and countless practice runs, everything came down to Sunday.
The remaining qualifying sessions for the Women's and Elite Men categories took place in the morning before the attention of riders, mechanics and spectators turned fully towards the finals.
Ironically, despite weather forecasts predicting another day of heavy rain, Thaiwoo greeted everyone with blue skies and sunshine.
The trail had dried considerably overnight.
Grip returned.
Confidence grew.
Now there were no more reasons to hold anything back.
Throughout the day, every category delivered exciting racing.
From the youngest U10 riders to the experienced Masters and Elite racers, every competitor attacked the course with determination. Riders who had spent Friday studying lines and Saturday adapting to muddy conditions now rode with complete commitment, linking together the fast berms, technical forest sections and intimidating gap jumps that had challenged everyone throughout the weekend.
One of the strongest impressions from this year's Thaiwoo Championship wasn't simply the speed of the Elite riders—it was the incredible depth of the field across every age group.
Watching children barely ten years old confidently tackle one of China's most demanding downhill venues was a reminder of how rapidly the sport continues to grow. Junior categories were packed with talented young riders, many already displaying impressive race craft and technical ability far beyond their years.
International Riders Raise the Level
The Women's category featured an impressive international field led by New Zealand's Sacha Earnest of Trek Unbroken DH Team.
Having arrived in Thaiwoo only shortly before the race weekend, Earnest adapted quickly to the changing conditions and produced a commanding final run of 2:37.868, comfortably taking victory. China's Li Haixin claimed second place, while Zhan Shiying rounded out the podium after another consistent weekend of racing.
The final showdown belonged to the Elite Men.
Every rider knew there was little room for mistakes on a course that rewarded commitment but punished hesitation.
Australia's Sascha Kim, who had spent practice quietly learning the track rather than chasing headlines, delivered exactly when it mattered most. His smooth, controlled and incredibly fast run stopped the clock at 2:28.074, securing the overall victory with the fastest time of the weekend.
South Korea's Wonmin Jo finished just under three seconds behind in second place after an equally impressive performance, while China's Tu Xuanzhou, representing TROXUS-INTENSE, delighted the home crowd by securing third place after a committed run through every major feature on the course.
Beyond the Elite podium, the racing throughout the weekend highlighted just how competitive Chinese downhill has become.
Young riders continue to improve every season, established teams are raising the standard of competition, and international athletes are increasingly choosing Chinese events as part of their racing calendar. The GDL Downhill Series has become far more than a domestic championship—it is steadily establishing itself as one of Asia's premier gravity racing series.
More Than Just a Race
As podium celebrations concluded and bikes gradually disappeared into vans and shuttle vehicles, the atmosphere around Thaiwoo slowly returned to normal.
Looking back across the mountain, it was difficult to believe how much the course had changed over three days.
Friday offered sunshine and perfect grip.
Saturday brought rain, mud and uncertainty.
Sunday rewarded patience with dry trails and spectacular racing.
That constant evolution challenged every rider equally and made every result even more meaningful.
For spectators, photographers and competitors alike, the 2026 GDL Downhill Series Thaiwoo Championship delivered everything a downhill race should: demanding trails, unpredictable weather, fierce competition, spectacular riding and an incredible community brought together by a shared passion for gravity.
Each year, Thaiwoo continues to raise the bar—not only through its world-class bike park but also through the growing quality of its riders, organisers and fans.
If this weekend was any indication, the future of downhill mountain biking in China is not just bright.
It is accelerating.
We can't wait to see what Thaiwoo delivers next.
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