Interview: Emilly Johnston is learning to race at the front, making flying passes and still keeping perspective

Emilly Johnston’s World Cup season couldn’t have started much better. After four races (two XCC, two XCO), the Vancouver Island racer had three podiums to her name. To get there, Johnston made some daring passes in the most technical sections of both World Cups, including one sensational mid-air pass. In the other race, the first short track, Johnston was caught behind a pile-up and still raced back into the top 10.

This wasn’t Johnston’s first time on a World Cup podium but, as Johnston tells us, Brazil was still a big breakthrough. Or, rather, two of them. It showed she has the strength to consistently race at the front. It was also her first short track success, after struggling with the 20-minute intense race last year.

Finally, it’s put the 22-year-old in a position where she could qualify for the Olympic Games later this summer. Her fate depends on how Jenn Jackson does this weekend at the World Cup in Nove Mesto. Despite Johnston’s fate being out of her hands, the young racer is keeping her cool and keeping her eyes on the future instead of getting caught up in what she can’t control. It’s an impressive perspective from a rider who is so close to what she also describes below as one of her “biggest dreams.”

Read our full conversation with Emilly Johnston from her summer home in Haiming, Austria, where she’s living with her Trek Future Racing team. Then watch her in the under-23 World Cup XCO race this weekend in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.

Canadian MTB: How is living in Europe? 

Emilly Johnston: It’s good! It’s much different for sure, but it’s cool

From a sports side, Canadians seem to mostly stay here in Canada and then travel back and forth to Europe for World Cups. Was not having to do that travel part of the decision to live over there?

Yeah, the travel is just all the time. I feel like you miss out on a lot of training and just rest time. You’re always so tired – or at least I was – travelling to all the races. It just makes it easier to be based over here, get in good training and not have the risk of getting sick or just so tired. 

You’re racing with Trek Future Racing team. Are you set up near where they’re based? 

They have all the riders based in Heiming [Austria]. So we’re all based in the same town, for international riders. They cover accommodations there, if you want to live there, or you can find your own place somewhere else in Europe. 

That approach obviously seems to be working….