AUSSIES ABROAD BIG WINS AND BIG STORIES
2021 was never going to be a normal season for the international mountain bike community, but compared to 2020 it was a little closer to what all of us may expect when watching from home.
When the first World Cups got underway it was apparent that the rest of the world was going racing – there were just face masks involved and some changes to the podium celebrations. For Australia’s top Downhill, Cross-Country and Enduro riders, there was a bigger challenge than normal to put an international season together. For some, their employment allowed them to travel overseas. Others had more work to get travel exemptions, and some couldn’t justify the risk of getting stuck overseas. And just about a whole generation of Junior athletes won’t haven't had the opportunity to test themselves on the world stage.
Still, some of Australia’s greatest mountain bike athletes managed to get a complete or part of an international mountain bike season together, and there are some incredible highlights.
JACK MOIR
What needs to be said? At the time of going to print, Jack Moir holds the lead of the Enduro World Series ahead of Richie Rude. In a sense, it doesn’t matter what happened between us pressing ‘print magazine’ and you reading this. Jack confirmed what he showed last year, in that he’s made an incredible move to the Enduro World Series. He’s won as the favourite and never buckled under the pressure of having very small margins on the result sheet. He’s adept at the fast-paced racing with long stages and demanding days, and rolls with the amount of travel required to be an elite athlete. And hey, he can even manage his equipment to get through the whole race. If by managing, you mean hitting things with a rock.
REBECCA MCCONNELL
Rebecca McConnell has been on top of Australian mountain biking for a very long time. But over the past two years she has been a force to be reckoned with in the international Elite Women’s field, placing 3rd in both the 2019 and 2020 World
Championships. McConnell was on the podium and in the top 10 this season, with a 2nd place at the final World Cup in Snowshoe leaving her ranked 4th for the year. Having seen Bec race one of her most measured races at Snowshoe – will we see her on a higher level again in 2022?
TROY BROSNAN
Troy Brosnan is Mr Consistent, with incredible performances all season long. While his win at the Leogang World Cup wasn’t repeated, Brosnan finished ranked 4th overall in the Downhill World Cup thanks to his consistent speed all year, right behind a trio of speedy Frenchies.
CONNOR FEARON
Mixing the Downhill World Cup and Enduro World Series is no easy feat, but Connor Fearon did it anyway. With a 4th place at the Downhill World Cup in Les Gets, Fearon also rode into the top 10 in the EWS in Loudenvielle, and the top 15 at Crans-Montana. Jack Moir has shown us what can happen when downhillers pedal – so let’s see what 2022 brings for Connor.
TRACEY HANNAH
Although Tracey retired at the end of 2020, she was still on the World Cup scene, just with a microphone in hand for some really great commentary for the Downhill racing. The transition from full-time athlete to media was super smooth – here’s to seeing some other riders make the same leap.
MICK HANNAH
Speaking of retirement, Mick Hannah called it a day at the World Cup in Snowshoe, signing off from two decades of racing on the World Cup. The fans response on the ground and on the internet shows how much respect Mick has – and we wish him all the best as he goes and resets his record for the number of Kuranda DH runs in a day.
JOSH CARLSON
The world of eMTB racing is finding its place. Is it brutal XC? Is it all about Enduro? Either way, Carlso is there on his eMTB and ready to rip in. Josh finished 11th at the UCI eMTB World Championships this year, and also had a 12th and 13th at the EWS-E races in Italy and Switzerland.
CAM WRIGHT
Cam Wright raced the whole World Cup season with his Giant Factory Off-Road Team. Kicking off with a 23rd in Albstadt, Wright bettered that with a 21st in Nove Mesto, and also had a 22nd in the final at Snowshoe. At the time of printing though, Wright doesn’t currently have a flight home to Australia, showcasing the sacrifices that Australian riders are making to go and race on the world stage.
SAM FOX
Australia’s U23 XCO Champion made it to Europe to do battle on the world stage. But soon after getting going in the World Cups and even a marathon race, Fox broke his collarbone, ending his World Championship campaign before it started.
These are just some of the Australian riders who made it overseas to race in 2021. It is a far cry from the normal amount of riders who travel to see how they can go against racers in North America, Europe or anywhere in-between. With 2022 edging closer, here’s hoping that the rite of passage returns to something a little closer to normal next year.