Australia’s 2025 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships may have started with sunshine and blue skies but ended with shortened races, pouring rain and wind gusts of over 100kph on Sunday, however, even the brutal weather conditions and a nasty crash were not enough to blow Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Factory) off course.
The 33-year-old from Canberra sprinted across the line ahead of Tasmania’s Isabella Flint (Cervélo Australia Off-Road) in the weather modified race to claim her 12th consecutive elite cross-country title in a row. Still, it was a tough and close-run battle, particularly with Henderson crashing on the first lap.
“That was torture I hated every second of that," said Henderson in the post race interview from a highlights package put out by AusCycling (see below). “I crashed in the first lap and I couldn’t shake Izzy and I was in so much pain and by the end I couldn’t use my left arm. I’m not in a good way.”
That was clear from the pained expression on her face after she crossed the line ahead of Flint, who was taking on the elite category for the first time.
"Thank you Isabella Flint for that hard battle and all the girls that called out while I was on the ground and picking myself up," said Henderson in an Instagram post.
"I thought last year was tough with my ankle," she said looking back on the 2024 edition where she rolled her ankle just before the event and had to sit out the short-track. "This one really takes the cake.
"On reflection I think that was one of my gutsiest efforts to date and I'm in a little bit of disbelief that I got it done."
Henderson's win will keep her in the familiar green and gold jersey as she moves to new team (Orbea Factory), with the rider also having claimed the short-track title on Friday. Zoe Cuthbert came third in the elite women's race on Sunday while Ella Menigoz claimed the U23 title.
It was also a familiar face on top of the men's elite podium as 2023 winner Sam Fox, who made his way to the event by bike-packing from Melbourne, took victory.
“The first one I worked my entire life for and it was the best form I’d ever been in life,” Fox said in an AusCycling media release. “This feels a bit the opposite. I’d kind of recently retired, I haven’t been training, and I came into this race with no expectations.
"I was lucky to have good legs on the day and potentially conditions that suited me. I’m grateful nonetheless. You can never take these titles for granted. They don’t come around very often.”
Fox crossed the line over a minute ahead of second-placed Jack Ward (Team Brennan p/b TP32), who claimed the short-track title on Friday. To take on the mountain bike championships the talented 19-year-old sat out the second last round of the top-tier domestic road series, the ProVelo Super League, where he is the overall leader.
Reece Tucknott was third in the men's elite race on Sunday while Harry Doye (Trek Shimano) took the men's U23 title.
