Asa Vermette Makes History at Red Bull Hardline Wales 2025

Asa Vermette shook the downhill world with his winning run at Red Bull Hardline Wales 2025, one of the most demanding downhill races ever created. At just 18 years old, Asa became the youngest rider ever to win a Hardline, making history with a flawless run that put him 1.6 seconds ahead of second place.

After qualifying first on Saturday, all eyes were on the young phenom as he dropped for his final run. With the pressure on, Asa delivered a masterclass in downhill riding, navigating punishing terrain, massive jumps, and technical rock sections with precision, speed, and fearless commitment.

Behind the Ride: Asa’s Prep and Mindset

We caught up with Asa to learn about how he approached the legendary Hardline course:

Q: Is your prep for Hardline any different from your prep for a World Cup race?

“Earlier this season we went to Virgin to ride some of the old Rampage sites as a prep for Hardline. That was good, it's hard to find jumps anywhere else that are big enough to practice for Hardline!”

Q: Outside of suspension, do you make any changes to the bike for a course like that, or do you try to keep the bike as familiar as possible?

“My set up was actually really similar to what I raced at the World Cups earlier this year. I ran my suspension stiffer in Tasmania than I did in Wales because the rocks were so slippery. I had my bar a little lower for Hardline than I was running at the World Cups since the track wasn't as steep, but aside from that it was very similar.”

Q: Both your Hardline results have been massive validations. Is there anything you learned from the win in Wales that you're taking into the rest of the season?

“I wasn't feeling the most confident on race day since we got some rain overnight, but I stuck to my plan and did my run, and it felt good when that paid off! I think it was a good lesson to trust myself!”

Frameworks Insight: Behind The Winning Bike At Hardline

The win is also a proud milestone for Frameworks, a team dedicated to building race bikes that perform at the highest level. Founder Neko Mulally shared insights into the forces the frame experiences at Hardline and the small adjustments they made to Asa’s bike for the event

Q: It’s so cool to see you and Faction using the Hardline course to get data on the stresses a frame sees in those off-the-charts situations. Did any other company seem to be doing that, and do you think you'll be able to use the data you got?

“I think we were the only ones recording data at the event. I haven't seen it at Hardline in the past either. Most teams do it for suspension at the World Cups, but we were after frame forces to help with future designs. Our idea was to record the forces on frame at the hardest track in the world so we know what our frames need to withstand. I think it will be useful to know those numbers going forward.”

Q: Given the sheer magnitude of forces on a Hardline course, do you make any changes to the bike vs. regular DH World Cup mode (other than sick flames machined into the inside of the rocker for good vibes)?

“We made him that link that used M10 shock bolts over the stock M8 bolts we normally use. He didn't seem to bottom out much since he was riding really smooth, but that was a little added peace of mind that the bike would hold up to a track like that.”

This combination of rider talent and meticulous bike engineering allowed Asa to execute a historic run, proving that preparation, precision, and innovation are key to conquering Hardline.

Asa runs a few key Spank Industries components on his Frameworks bike, including the Spank Spike 35 Vibrocore Bar and the Spank DM40 Stem. These are proven, World-Cup-level parts that deliver confidence when it matters most.

Congratulations, Asa! Hardline Wales 2025 will be remembered as one of your most iconic rides yet, and we can’t wait to see what else you have in store for the rest of the season.

Spank 35 Vibrocore Bar The most advanced alloy bars on the market! Injected with our signature vibration-cancelling foam, Vibrocore. These bars offer the team an arm-pump free race run. Giving them maximum comfort so they can all focus on riding as fast as possible. BUY NOW
	Limited Edition World Cup DM Stem The flagship direct mount stem for DH and Freeride. 100% full CNC - Nothing stronger on the market. Comes in 31.8 and 35mm diameter options with a 40mm length. BUY NOW
Limited Edition Spank X Frameworks DH Saddle Designed by Frameworks captain, Neko Mulally. He wanted a saddle with a streamlined profile and a narrow width to accommodate for maximum on-bike maneuverability. BUY NOW
	Spank Split 35 Stem The stem the team uses on their enduro bikes for off-season training rides. A highly weight-optimized single crown stem for use with 35mm bars. BUY NOW