Racing Through Adversity: A Tough Weekend in Bielsko-Biała
The opening round of the 2025 World Cup in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, was one to remember—for all the challenges it threw our way.
A Gritty Performance from Hattie
After qualifying 3rd, Harriet Harnden (Hattie) lined up for her final run with determination, showing early pace that put her right on track with the day’s fastest riders. Despite difficult conditions—including a snow-covered start and a track more river than racecourse—Hattie attacked the course with confidence. She was fast at the first split and looked set for a strong finish.
Unfortunately, the run took a turn when Hattie suffered a major crash. As if that wasn’t enough, later in the course a spectator entered the track in front of her, forcing her to slow down and costing even more valuable time. Despite these significant interruptions, the UCI commissaire panel did not issue a red flag, and our appeal for a re-run was ultimately denied.
Hattie finished 14th—an incredible effort considering the setbacks. It wasn’t the result we were hoping for, but she’s one of the most decorated female MTB athletes in the world and this is the first race of 2025 that she hasn’t won! Watch this space…
A Weekend of Mixed Results and Learning
Elsewhere in the Downhill (DH) field, Monika Hrastnik narrowly missed finals qualification by less than 0.1 seconds, finishing 16th in qualifying. Reece Wilson, Henry Kerr, and Stan Nisbet also put in solid runs but fell short of finals qualification during the second qualifying round. Heather Wilson was unable to race due to illness—sending her our best as she recovers.
Outside of the race team, AON EDR Athlete, Vid Persak battled through mechanical issues across multiple stages to finish 67th. Not the result we’d hoped for, but every race is a chance to learn, improve, and come back stronger.
Looking Ahead
While the results sheet doesn’t reflect the effort, teamwork, and potential we saw this weekend, we’re proud of how everyone pulled together. The entire team—on and off the track—showed incredible resilience and it didn’t stop the team from smiling! We’re taking the positives and looking ahead with optimism.
Our next stop is Loudenvielle, France (May 29 – June 1) for both DHI and EDR. We’re ready to reset, refocus, and push for the results we know we’re capable of.
Thank you to our partners and supporters—your belief in this team makes all the difference. Onwards and upwards!