ARA Australian Cycling Team cross-country Olympic squad selected for 2025 UCI MTB World Championships

AusCycling has announced a five-strong cross-country Olympic (XCO) squad to represent the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais, Switzerland.

The squad includes one elite and four Under-23 athletes, set to take on the world’s best on the challenging alpine terrain of Valais.

Leading the elite charge is seasoned Olympian and multiple World Championship medallist Rebecca Henderson, who will line up for her 12th World Championships appearance.

A mainstay of the international circuit, Henderson claimed bronze medals in 2019 and 2020 and remains one of Australia’s most decorated cross-country athletes.

The Canberra-based rider opened her 2025 season in dramatic fashion, claiming victory at the GWM Mountain Bike National Championships despite suffering a fractured shoulder and thumb in a first-lap crash.

In the three World Cups contested so far, the Canberra athletes’ best results was a fifth-place finish at WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series at Nove Mesto in May.

In the Under 23 categories Harry Doye makes the step up to join Jack Ward and Joel Dodds on the start line.

Doye, the current national XCO champion, has been racing in Europe recording a top 30 result in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Val di Sole.

For Victorian Ward, he will be competing at his fifth UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, having finished 61^st last year as a first year U23 rider.

He also finished with the silver medal, in the Elite Men’s category, at the 2025 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships.

Meanwhile Dodds, is making his debut in the category after missing last year with injury.

The Queenslander has spent a few months competing in Canada and the United States post Australian season.

In the U23 women, Ella Menigoz will also make her debut at the 2025 UCI MTB World Championships after a stella season so far which included gold at the GWM MTB National Championships at Mt Buller and silver at the Oceania Championships in Queenstown.

She also has spent time in Europe, competing at the Nove Mesto World Cup round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.

AusCycling selectors confirmed that no athletes were selected for the E-MTB XCO category, as no expressions of interest were received for the event in Valais.

ARA AUSTRALIAN CYCLING TEAM for the 2025 UCI MTB World Championships

 Elite Women
Rebecca Henderson (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists, ACT)

U23 Men
Joel Dodds (RATS Cycling Club Inc, QLD)
Harry Doye ( Red Hill Riders MTB Club, VIC)
Jack Ward (Yarra Ranges Club, VIC)

U23 Women
Ella Menigoz (RATS Cycling Club Inc, QLD)