‘I’m really trying to focus and not die here:’ Goldstone’s wild ride down the World Champs track

Jackson Goldstone is back in the Alps, and he’s got work to do. Ahead of Sunday’s downhill final at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, the Squamish phenom dropped a GoPro preview of the infamous Champéry track. And promptly got a face full of reality.

“This track is absolutely legendary,” says Goldstone. “Super steep, super sick and insane views.”

But it’s not just the pitch that’s wild. Rain made the track a little greasy and Goldstone’s footage shows exactly what the world’s best are up against.

“Oh my gosh, man. She’s slick,” he says. “These rocks are absolute ice.”

Mud, precision and a lot of nerve

It’s a raw, unscripted look at what might be the most intimidating track on the World Cup circuit. Goldstone admits he’s scoping things out and “trying to focus and not die.” Between mistimed lines, yellow flags and a section through a village driveway, the preview shows a rider constantly recalibrating.

“They’ve made a few little tweaks to the track,” Goldstone says, “but there’s only so many places you can actually take it, because it’s just that steep.”

The video cuts from greasy roots to off-camber grass corners.

“A lot of precision is required,” he adds. “And a lot of balls, too.”

Remembering the legend of Danny Hart

This is the same hill where Danny Hart laid down one of the most iconic runs in downhill history, winning the 2011 World Championships by nearly 12 seconds in slick conditions. Goldstone makes a quiet nod to that moment: “You know exactly what Danny Hart did back in the day.”

Now, Goldstone’s aiming to write his own chapter. After a rough outing in Les Gets, he’s back at full intensity. The green jersey is still his, but Loïc Bruni is just 25 points behind.

All eyes on Sunday

Worlds run September 7 in Champéry. While broadcast info is still foggy, Canadians can likely catch the action on FloBikes (subscription required), or possibly via the geo-blocked UCI YouTube livestream. Either way, Sunday’s final promises to be a banger. And Goldstone, rocks and rain permitting, will be gunning for the rainbow jersey.