The first downhill World Cup of the 2026 season was always going to be unpredictable. A brand-new track at South Korea’s MONA YongPyong meant no one had an advantage. No familiar lines. Just a loose, dusty and unforgiving course that rewarded control and punished mistakes.
For Canadian riders, it turned into a tough way to start the year.
Iles undone early
Finn Iles’ run was disappointing as a spectator. It was like he never got a chance to start racing. The Canadian suffered a flat tire early in his run. Once that happened there was simply no way back.
It was a frustrating result for a rider who all Canadians are rooting for. He had a rough season last year, and was coming into 2026 with expectations of fighting near the front.
Instead, it was damage control from the opening split.
Goldstone crashes out of contention
Jackson Goldstone’s start to his title defense didn’t go much better.
The reigning overall World Cup champion (and world champion) crashed in a technical stretch. He would finish 26th, well outside the result he was chasing.
Women elite
The women’s race was just as unforgiving, and for Canada, just as disappointing. Gracey Hemstreet came into the season with momentum but couldn’t find a clean final run. She ended up taking seventh place on the day.
At the front, multiple top riders crashed out of contention before Vali Höll took control of the race. Gloria Scarsi slotted into second, with Myriam Nicole third, but like the men’s race, it was less about outright speed and more about who could survive a course that offered very little room for error.
History at the front
While Canadians struggled, the front of the race delivered exactly what many expected to happen; last year’s juniors are proving to be a serious threat.
American Asa Vermette won on his elite World Cup debut. He edged out Loïc Bruni by 1.5 seconds in a run that balanced control and commitment on a track that demanded both.
Amaury Pierron looked set to take the win before sliding out late in his run. He miraculously recovered and managed to finish third behind Bruni.
Elite Women Results
1. Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) – 3:14.778
2. Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) – 3:15.351 (+0.573)
3. Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) – 3:16.529 (+1.751)
4. Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) – 3:16.830 (+2.052)
5….
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