Gracey Hemstreet – What Does it Take to Win?

The Norco adidas Race Division arrived at the familiar Saalfelden-Leogang DH track and were welcomed by relentless rain that would carry on from track walk all the way to qualifiers. Leogang is well known, and by no means an easy track. Add the slickness and ruts that appear during heavy rain, and you are in for a challenge on the bike. In 2025, the team claimed victory here in Austria as we watched Gracey Hemstreet secure her second World Cup Elite win, just one week after her first. Returning in 2026, she was welcomed by a new reminder of that milestone – her name carved into the Leogang winner’s stumps alongside the sport’s greatest.

A World Cup win changes everything. Winners celebrate victory in the moment and quickly learn that it also means more pressure, be that from yourself, your team, or the world. You've shown you can be the best, now it's an expectation. Undoubtedly, Gracey rose to that pressure in 2025, securing three World Cup victories and finishing second overall. However, a heavy crash at Hardline Tasmania earlier this year left GH17 with a concussion that sidelined her for two months, disrupting her preparation for the 2026 race season.  

Now, Gracey’s rebuilding – finding speed, regaining confidence, and chasing the form that made her one of the fastest riders in the world. In the latest episode of Just Getting Started, we follow Gracey through rounds #3 and #4 of the UCI Downhill World Cup series, examine how she's treating racing this year and watch to see what she can build on track.