This weekend, the 2026 Whoop UCI Mountain Bike Series (better known to most as the World Cup) kicks off in the mountains of South Korea. It’s no secret that the very nature of the series has evolved over the years; it’s got steeper, faster, closer, harder fought, and more dramatic. With this, we’ve also seen a whole string of younger riders hitting the podium in the top spot and also dominating.
That said, it’s a strange old mix out there, where the ‘old hands’ like Loic Bruni and Tahnee Seagrave are going tyre to berm with riders much younger, making for an exciting and very different spectacle and styles of racing.
Who will be the imminent ‘next greatest thing’ in downhill racing?
The young firestarters
In the women’s field, the absolute standout breakthrough star is Canada’s 21-year-old Gracey Hemstreet, who had an unbelievable run of victories and close shaves last year. A couple of years and a few close spits behind Hemstreet is 19-year-old New Zealander Erice van Leuven, who was expected to make a major impression on the World Series last year. Unfortunately, she suffered a potentially career-ending crash in Red Bull Hardline Tasmania in 2025. Sadly, her much-anticipated rise to the top in 2026 was broken to pieces, literally, following a recent race crash in New Zealand, which leaves an air of uncertainty around her 2026 season status.
There are a few promising juniors also taking their first steps into the Elite category this year, but can they match the consistency of the above-mentioned and the established stars?
British racing eyes will be wide open this year for many reasons; at 30 years of age, Tahnee Seagrave has made a mature and brilliant return to the top of the game, and we do not doubt that much of her focus will be firmly on grabbing the oh so close, but narrowly elusive, rainbow jersey. Under her watchful and guiding eye, 21-year-old Phoebe Gale is also making solid incremental steps towards the podium slots, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her on those hallowed steps here and there in 2026.
When it comes to the Elite men’s field, that old versus the new, and the impending arrival of the even newer stars, is boldly apparent. The undoubted, naturally gifted young star of the moment is 22-year-old Canadian Jackson Goldstone, and in his ‘comeback from injury’ 2025 season, he was simply superlative – can he top that in 2026? Quite probably.
Though tracking his every high line will be 19-year-old American flyer Asa Vermette, who is making his first full Elite season debut. Logically, he would seem the most likely of the young guns to challenge Goldstone. The fact that he is racing as a teammate to returning ace Aaron Gwin will surely help guide his path and keep those wheels in line.
Then, of course, there is the French connection. That being the Alran twins, Max and Till. Watching this pair in action is poetry in motion. You can’t help but sense a certain flair has been handed down from the many southern French gravity greats of both old and present. They would seem the natural successors to the likes of Bruni and Pierron, and Max, in particular, is already just a dusty shimmy off their run times. If one of them doesn’t make a podium this year, I’d be fairly surprised.
Of the young male Brits? There are a fair few to shake the odds book here. The 21-year-old Jordon Williams is perhaps the most likely to step up. He is already a solid World Cup performer and won the Lenzerheide Elite World Cup round back in 2023. Could this be his big year?
Steve Peat and Greg Minnar’s assessments
When it comes to all things downhill racing, former World Champions and ‘the riders GOATs’ Steve Peat and Greg Minnaar are hard to match on experience. Steve is also now the team manager of the Santa Cruz Syndicate, whose roster just happens to include the man of the moment – Jackson Goldstone, while Greg leads the NORCO Factory Team, which includes Gracey Hemstreet and Erice van Lleuven, the two most exciting young female prospects of the era.
We asked them for some intel and a little insider crystal ball trading tips on their protégés, and those most likely to unseat them
Steve Peat
off.road.cc: When managing such an amazing and young talent like Jackson, what kind of experience-based skills and learning do you try to bring in to help them?
Steve Peat: Jackson is a special individual. He’s been on a bike daily since he was two years old, so the fundamentals are set in better than any other DH athlete I have witnessed. For him, it’s more about helping him deal with outside pressures and the pressures of ticking things off for sponsors. With most of the guys I work with, I try to keep things fun for them, as they get far too serious. With Jackson, the fun comes naturally. He’s awesome to work with.
ORCC: There are a few younger racers at the top, or near it right now – especially Asa Vermette in the men’s field. Overall, which of the younger male and female riders who haven’t hit the top spot yet would you say will, or could be huge this season?
SP: I like to watch the Alran brothers (Max and Till). Max is gifted on a bike and has style to match. The whole crop of juniors moving up to Elite this season is going to be interesting to watch; men and women.
ORCC: Having raced to a ripe old age yourself, when you watch young guys like Jackson racing against the experience of Bruni, etc., what would you say are the key differences between that experience and raw talent?
SP: As I said before, Jackson is different; he has a wise racing head on those shoulders. He’s bringing a different approach that is making the older guard take note and change things up. It’s great to see.
Greg Minnaar
off.road.cc: You have a real mix of experienced talent, like Danny Hart, and young talents like Gracey Hemstreet on the team. Add in your own experience, and how does that layered racing experience help with developing the younger riders?
Greg Minnaar: Danny has been a great asset to the team. He has an amazing work ethic and professionalism, as well as being one hell of a character. It’s good for the youngsters to see the importance of professionalism, ticking the boxes, warming up, etc, all the boring things that make all the difference while still having a good time.
ORCC: Gracey in particular had an amazing 2025. How have you seen her evolution and learning?
GM: 2025 was an exceptional year for Gracey. It’s been an amazing couple of years watching and being a part of this Norco team, which was able to step it up in such a short space of time to support Gracey as she leapfrogs her way to being one of the fastest women in downhill.
ORCC: Erice van Leuven looked set for greatness, but the accidents came. Where is her progress at now?
GM: Erice is nothing short of a wild child. She is so determined to get back. Only eight weeks post op, after breaking both femurs, plus a bunch of other injuries, she sent me a video recently of riding her new Norco Sight.
Shitballs! She doesn’t let anything get in her way.
ORCC: Looking at the younger riders just starting to break through now, across the board, who would you bet on to really step up this year?
GM: You’ve stumped me here. This is the first time I’ve not just noticed one fast junior male coming through who could challenge the Elites; there are like five of them. And the same goes for the women, too.
Then you look at the next wave of junior women. I stand to be corrected, but I’m pretty sure the top three junior women’s times are a couple of seconds ahead of the Elite women’s times. The tides are changing, and it’s super exciting.
