After a dream season, if a hard-fought one, Jackson Goldstone’s 2026 is off to a nightmare start. South Korea was a wildcard for every racer, and one that Canada’s defending world champion came out on the wrong side of. Loudenvielle? It is a course Goldstone’s thrived on in the past. So his stunning double DSQ on Saturday was a shock.
“I’m speechless, honestly,” a visibly emotional Goldstone told cameras after Q2. “I don’t really know where to start.”
The Syndicate rider was blown off his race line and pushed outside of the course in his first qualifying run. In UCI/WBD’s new format, that’s not great, but not a disaster yet. It left Goldstone another chance, in Q2, to make it through to Sunday’s finals.
Then the same thing happened again. In downhill, a rider must re-enter the course at the same point they exit it. Since Goldstone was well down course by the time he got back between the tape, that was the end of his qualifying run. Hiking back up to re-enter the course would, now that UCI has done away with protected rider status, have had the effectively the same result.
The result was brutal. Goldstone’s first time not making it through to finals in an elite World Cup. It’s also a major blow to his attempt to repeat as World Cup overall champion.
“It’s a double DSQ for me. I was feeling so good on the bike this morning. I just got so windblown on that scrub jump,” Goldstone told cameras after his DSQ. “I knew it was going to be dicey in the wind. I came scrubbing off the jump exactly like I did before and I felt my whole bike get sailed three feet left in the air. To land on that side of the track where I wasn’t even getting close to before was so frustrating.”
Goldstone was keenly aware of the effect his result would have, not just on this weekend but, potentially, his season.
“That’s the closest to tears I’ve ever come during a race run. Just because of how minor of a mistake, but unlucky it was.”
Sunday’s finals will continue without the Canadian. His new rival, U.S.A.’s Asa Vermette, was also forced to go through Q2 but does make it to finals. Goldstone was not looking forward to the occasion.
“That’s the first race day off for me, ever. I guess I’ll see you guys on the sidelines. I need a beer.”
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