Our rider Daniel Castellanos inaugurated the season in Valparaíso (Chile), where he attended as a guest of the XXII Red Bull Cerro Abajo, the most extreme international urban downhill race in the world, and one of the most important and prestigious events in the discipline in terms of audience and media coverage.

A brutal 1,650-meter course with a 240-meter elevation gain and 280 steps delighted spectators in a setting where people flock to the race year after year. Aside from the inherent dangers of the area (houses, dogs, people who might cross the path, etc.), the course is notable for its numerous artificial elements (ramps, large jumps, etc.) and the elaborate decorations, including painted streets and strikingly adorned staircases.

The Madrid native's performance was very good for his first official downhill race, although he had already done one at age 11, but in a town in Mallorca and on a much shorter course of barely a minute. He competed in Valparaíso against 35 participants from more than 20 countries, needing to qualify among the top 15 to advance to the final.

He more than achieved his goal, finishing 7th overall and reaching the final where he managed to secure a spot among the top 8 (8th place). The victory went to Colombian Sebastián Holguín, who edged out Frenchman Adrien Loron by less than a second, with local rider Felipe Agurto completing the podium.

“I was doing very well, but halfway down the descent the wheel hit something and started losing air, and towards the end the wheel was wobbling, making it difficult to pedal and reducing the effectiveness of a hard tire as I approached the finish line –Dani explains. But overall, I'm very happy, despite this incident which is now just a minor detail, although we don't know if things could have been improved. The important thing is that we all ended up safe and sound.”

So, a great start to the 2026 season for the Madrid native, who aspires to continue improving in his 3rd season in the top category.

Text: PlanetMtb