Goldstone and Höll Claim 2025 Elite Downhill World Championship Titles in Champéry
A landmark win for young Jackson Goldstone and Vali Holl’s 4th consecutive world title
Photo of Valentina Höll at the UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2025 Stop 07 in Leogang, Austria by Bartek Wolinski
The 2025 UCI Downhill World Championships wrapped up in spectacular fashion on the steep, technical slopes of Champéry, Switzerland, a venue steeped in racing history. With near-perfect conditions for finals day, riders pushed the limits on one of the most demanding tracks in the world.
Women’s Elite: Vali Höll Makes It Four in a Row
In the elite women’s race, the pressure came down to the final run of the day. Vali Höll rose to the occasion, taking her first win of 2025 and securing a fourth consecutive elite World Championship crown. Despite consistent form this season, Höll had been missing a marquee victory – until now.
France celebrated two podium finishes: Myriam Nicole bounced back strongly from a tough qualifying run to post the second-fastest time, while Marine Cabirou continued her impressive comeback from injury to earn bronze.
Men’s Elite: Jackson Goldstone Delivers on Debut
The men’s event closed out the week with drama worthy of the World Championships. Competing in his first elite World Championships after missing 2023 and 2024, Jackson Goldstone stormed to victory with a flawless performance. After topping the qualifiers, the Canadian carried his pace into finals, leading all but the second split and crossing the line nearly two seconds faster than Henri Kiefer, who had been in the hot seat for over 90 minutes.
One of the biggest stories of the weekend was the absence of Loïc Bruni from the results sheet. The reigning overall World Cup champion came into Champéry as a hot favourite, carrying strong form through the 2025 season. But on finals day, Bruni’s run unravelled when he pushed too hard on the Swiss steeps, crashing out before he could post a time.
Ireland’s Ronan Dunne rounded out the podium with a career-best third place, ahead of Jordan Williams and Loris Vergier.
Top 5 Results at 2025 Downhill World Championships
Elite Women
- Vali Höll – 3:27.506
- Myriam Nicole – +0.667
- Marine Cabirou – +1.091
- Gracey Hemstreet – +2.589
- Lisa Baumann – +2.888
Elite Men
- Jackson Goldstone – 2:54.153
- Henri Kiefer – +1.946
- Ronan Dunne – +1.993
- Jordan Williams – +4.140
- Loris Vergier – +4.777
