As we wrap up the racing portion of 2025, we’re looking back at a banner year for Canadian athletes. Literally. Many banners were brought home by the Canadians. We’re checking our math, but this could be the most mountain bike world championships won by Canadians in a single year.
This was also the year that Canada’s next generation of racer showed their time is now. All but two of the feats on our 2025 best of list came from riders under the age of 23.
Here, in absolutely no particular order (as should be immediately obvious) are the top 10 moments in Canadian mountain biking for 2025.
Cole Punchard waving at the camera
Canadian fans were riveted when Cole Punchard latched onto the lead group at Les Gets World Cup and, then, went to the front to take a pull. When the Cannondale racer passed through the start/finish line on the front, he saw the group was on screen for the live coverage and gave a smile and cute little wave for his family back home. Your first time leading an elite men’s World Cup and you’re thinking about your family back home? Aweeee, what. A. Sweetheart.
The next week Punchard proved that, while he may be sweet as maple syrup, he’s not made of sugar. Back on the front in Lenzerheide, he was caught on camera again, this time rubbing elbows with, and then unrepentantly squeezing out veteran French racer Victor Koretzky to hold his place going into a corner. While the move visibly got Koretzky’s chamois in a bunch, as Punchard later explained, this is racing. You can’t just let everyone through or you’ll quickly be back at the back of the field.
Cole Punchard’s hair (and results)
The Novar, Ont. wasn’t just nabbing TV time for his waves and elbows, though. He was also getting a ton of attention for his… hair. No, wait, for his results. The new Canadian champion made it onto the live feed by racing at the front of the elite men’s field throughout the season. producing really good, career-best results.
Those results include an elite World Cup top-10, made all the more impressive considering he’s racing up from under-23. Then a silver at world championships racing back in the under-23 men’s field. It’s thrilling to see a Canadian man up at the front of a World Cup race again and we can’t wait to see what next season brings. But that flaming haircut, though..
Gracey Hemstreet winning World Cups and Hardline
Gracey Hemstreet first turned…
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