Chalk up a dominant collective effort for Team Canada last weekend at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
Ava Holmgren prevailed in the ladies' U23 cross-country short track race (20:43) in Nové M臎sto na Morav臎, Czech Republic. She beat her twin sister, Isabella (20:44) by a minuscule margin as their compatriot Ella MacPhee (20:44) rounded out the podium.
"It was my very first UCI World Cup in short track," Ava said in a press release after Saturday's breakthrough. "I had my sister racing with me and I owe a lot of credit to her, we played the tactic so well. I’ve been sick the whole week and wasn’t sure how I would feel, but it was good enough to stay away. Thanks to Isabella, she played it super well and I owe this victory to her."
MacPhee went on to triumph at the cross-country Olympic race on Sunday (1:20:19). Fiona Schibler occupied the runner-up hole for Switzerland (1:20:36) and Italy's Sara Cortinovis was third (1:21:01), but Isabella crashed and did not finish.
"I don’t have any words, it’s just crazy," MacPhee said. "I did not know Bella was out until I came through the feed. I don’t know what happened. I am really sorry and it is too bad to see her out and I hope she is okay."
Both Holmgren siblings are, for the most part, having a successful 2025 to date. Isabella won her first pro World Cup gold in Araxá, Brazil, while Ava finished ninth in Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Extremadura Femenina.
For her part, MacPhee now occupies top spot in the overall ranking.
More results are available
