Isabella Holmgren, a 19-year-old from Orillia, has once again proven herself at the top of her game.
The reigning Orillia Athlete of the Year for 2023 has kicked off her mountain biking season with a bang, dominating the World Cup circuit in Brazil. Holmgren triumphed in the last two weekends, sweeping the U23 women’s cross-country short track (XCC) and cross-country (XC) events in both weekends. She raced for the Lidl-Trek team.
Holmgren is also the current U23 world champion in both disciplines of mountain biking.
The Brazilian track presented high speeds, tricky jump lines, and enthusiastic fans, according to Lisa Holmgren, Isabella’s mother. She added that Isabella had spent the winter sharpening her technical skills alongside her coach and teammates.
“Even though she was the favorite going into these races, starting a new season always comes with uncertainties,” Lisa noted.
Isabella, who represented Canada in the 2024 Olympics in France, shared her nervousness ahead of the season opener. “It’s my first race of the season, so I was really nervous,” she said in an interview with racing.trekbikes.com. “I didn’t know where my fitness level stood. I just tried to focus on how the race went and adjusted my strategy during the race. You don’t really know how anyone else is doing at the start of the year.”
While Holmgren won’t be chasing the overall World Cup title this season, she is focused on preparing for her road cycling season.
“I’m not too concerned about the overall title since I’ll be missing some of the World Cup races,” she explained. “But I’ll still give my best in each race and enjoy the process.”
Holmgren’s remarkable achievements in the World Cup show that she remains one of the brightest young stars in the world of mountain biking.