The UCI Downhill World Cup circuit witnessed a thrilling display of speed and skill in Saalfelden Leogang, Salzburgerland, as Canadian riders Jackson Goldstone and Gracey Hemstreet delivered a spectacular double victory. Their dominant performances not only followed up on their recent Loudenvielle triumphs but also injected a jolt of excitement into the overall series standings, with both competitions seeing new leaders emerge. Loïc Bruni secured second spot, while home favourite Valentina Höll delighted the crowd with a third-place finish.
The fan-favourite Leogang course, renowned for its challenging “motorway” section, demanded absolute commitment from the riders, and it was the lighter competitors who ultimately excelled.
Goldstone Floats to a Maple Double in Men’s Elite
Saturday’s men’s downhill race was a nail-biting affair, living up to the hype surrounding the recent form of young Canadian sensation Jackson Goldstone and French legend Loïc Bruni. With one win each already in the 2025 season – Bruni’s opening victory in Poland and Goldstone’s win last week in France – the stage was set for a fierce battle.
The duo did not disappoint. Goldstone, demonstrating incredible finesse, particularly through the stump section and motorway, and launching into the wall run with unbelievable commitment, recorded an excellent second sector to edge out Bruni by an incredibly narrow margin of just 0.059 seconds. This secured his second 2025 victory. German Henri Kiefer rounded out the top three, with Briton Laurie Greenland claiming fifth and Irishman Rónán Dunne an impressive fifth.
Goldstone, at 21 years old, now boasts four UCI Mountain Bike World Cup victories, a remarkable achievement that sees him equal the late Canadian downhill icon Stevie Smith as his nation’s winningest male downhill rider.
“I cannot believe I’ve achieved the same as Smith. He was such an inspiration for me. I would have thrown the bike exactly like he did, and I wish I was able to. You’ve got to play to your strengths and try to make up time where you can. I can’t believe how this season is going. It’s crazy to see how tight the times are these days.”
A visibly emotional Goldstone reflected,
Despite Goldstone’s win, Loïc Bruni now holds a 45-point lead over Goldstone in the overall UCI World Cup standings after UCI World Cup leader Amaury Pierron had an uncharacteristically difficult run, finishing 17th.
A Star is Born as Hemstreet Backs Up Maiden Win
The women’s race was equally compelling, marked by another commanding Canadian performance. Gracey Hemstreet, just off her historic maiden World Cup win in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, once again conquered the iconic Leogang downhill course in superb fashion.
The Elite women’s competition came alive in the final runs, especially after Nina Hoffmann was unfortunately absent due to a crash in morning practice. Marine Cabirou, despite needing Q2 to reach the final, set a blistering pace, smashing Harriet Harnden‘s previous best by a significant four seconds. As rider after rider failed to match Cabirou’s time, a victory for the French rider seemed increasingly likely.
However, Hemstreet had other plans. While she lost some time in time check three, she unleashed a powerful charge through the steep, forested section – the last opportunity to make up significant time. She crossed the line a remarkable three seconds ahead of Cabirou. The podium then saw American Anna Newkirk narrowly miss out on her first UCI World Cup win since 2019, finishing 0.865 seconds behind Hemstreet.
The suspense intensified as home hero and reigning UCI World Champion Valentina Höll, the fastest qualifier, was the last rider down the ramp. Höll was up by a second at the penultimate time check, appearing set to claim a hat-trick on her home trails. However, Hemstreet’s scintillating finish proved too strong, and Höll slipped to third, eliciting audible groans from the crowd. This handed Hemstreet a dream second consecutive win in the space of two weekends. She now becomes the sixth rider to back up a maiden win with another consecutive victory.
“I definitely didn’t [expect that], I hadn’t really been feeling too confident this week and it just clicked. There actually felt a lot more pressure than I expected, I struggling at the motorway all week but I just pedalled as hard as I could. I felt it at the bottom so I was happy.”
A modest Hemstreet admitted,
Hemstreet’s supremacy means she is also the new overall UCI World Cup leader, holding a 15-point advantage over Tahnée Seagrave (who finished sixth, appearing bothered by an old injury) with Höll a further six points behind in third.
The UCI Downhill World Cup circuit doesn’t pause for long, with just two weeks until the next round at Val di Sole-Trentino in Italy. Qualifying is set for 20 June, and both Hemstreet and Goldstone will be looking to achieve a rare hat-trick of victories on Saturday, 21 June.