When Luke Meier-Smith cross the finish line in Lake Placid, winning the first elite World Cup of his career, he was immediately greeted by his younger brother Remy Meier-Smith. Seeing the two Meier-Smith brothers celebrate the elder’s incredible achievement was, to fans at home, a heartwarming moment.
To the UCI, it was an egregious violation.
Notoriously obsessed with technical regulations, the UCI handed Remy, who was also racing that weekend for his Pivot Factory Racing squad, a 200 Euro fine for “Failure to respect the instructions of the race organization.” According to the UCI, having a nice, clean shot for the broadcast cameras is more important than a family celebration (as if that wasn’t great TV…).
Neither brother seemed particularly bothered by the fine, of course. Both laughed it off, focusing on celebrating Luke’s first win. “It means everything, I’ve worked my whole life for this, to pull it off is amazing,” the Giant racer said of his first win.
Some tried to crowd fund to pay the fine, and Wyn Masters rustled up a solid USD 50 to support the cause. Remy Meier-Smith said he wasn’t too worried about covering it. Hot off his win, Luke said “I’m going to pay it if he gets fined. If they want to ruin moments with fines…”
The career-high moment for Luke Meier-Smith came at the first-ever Lake Placid downhill World Cup. The Australian tamed a wild, dusty and loose cours on Whiteface Mountain to claim his first elite win. After qualifying second behind U.S.A.’s Luca Shaw, the young Giant Facotry Off-Road Team racer rode a nearly flawless final run to take the win.
Both brothers will carry that momentum into the final World Cup round of 2025. Mont-Sainte-Anne hosts a historic 30th World Cup event this weekend, from Oct. 9-12. The downhill standings are still wide open for the men heading to Canada. Jackson Goldstone and Loic Bruni are locked in a two-way battle for the title.
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