Canadian mountain bike icon Steve Smith pulled across the line last Sunday to do what no Canadian has done before, win the UCI World Cup Championship. With a handlebar moustache and a gap between his teeth, Smith won the hearts of the mountain bike work going from motivated teen, to World Cup winning machine.
It’s amazing the difference 5 years can make. In 2008, Smith appeared in The Collective’s third mountain bike film Seasonsย as a fresh faces young rider who took shuttle rides from his mom in a small town on Vancouver Island. Smith spoke of one day making it to the top spot on the podium of the World Cup. Now Steve is there. Watch below Smith as a young rider, and his series winning run in Leogang.
Proving his determination, Smith fought the whole season behind Gee Atherson, only to take the lead in points after the qualifying at the final race. It seemed like everyone knew he could do it. And he did.
The winter awaits as we pull out our skis and boards, clean off our bikes and put them to sleep until next season. But those determined will be training all winter long to bring us another amazing race series of the UCI Downhill World Cup.
Stevie is the Man!