The junior cross-country Olympic (XCO) races opened the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships on the challenging Crans-Montana course in Switzerland, with more than 100 riders lining up in the men’s event.
Australia’s sole representative, Connor Wright, wasted no time in making his mark.
The national champion from Western Australia powered off the line when the lights went green and slotted himself into the front group of five during the opening two laps.
Connor Wright part of the lead group in Junior Men XCO.
At the halfway point Wright drifted back a few positions, but he showed the composure of a seasoned rider.
Having already proven his international calibre with a podium at the Junior World Series round in Nové Město earlier this year, the debutant dug deep over the closing laps.
He crossed the line in sixth place, just over a minute behind French winner Lucas Teste.
In the junior women’s race, Ruby Taylor made her own debut on the mountain bike global stage.
Ruby Taylor competing in the junior XCO race in Crans-Montana.
Starting from near the back of the grid, the Victorian worked hard to move through the bunch on a course that offered little respite.
Despite being pulled one lap short, she finished 42nd in the world.
Results
Men Junior
🥇Lucas Teste (FRA)1:14:49
🥈Roger Suren (NAM) +:11
🥉Lewin Iten (SUI) +0:31
6 Connor Wright (AUS) +1:24
Women Juniors
🥇Tereza Maruš Šerkezi 1:01:27
🥈Anja Grossman (SUI) +1:13
🥉Barbora Bukovska (CZE) +2:50
42 Ruby Taylor (AUS) -1lap