News 08.09.2025

ROSA ZIERL CROWNED WORLD CHAMPION

The 2025 Downhill World Championships in Champéry, Switzerland, served up everything the sport is known for: a brutally steep course, technical challenges at every turn, and an atmosphere electrified by packed crowds along the track.

A golden debut

Rosa Zierl arrived in Switzerland as the rider to beat – fastest in Friday’s qualifying and leading the overall World Cup standings. And when it mattered most, the 16-year-old Austrian delivered once again. With a near-perfect run and a 1.8-second margin, she stormed to victory and secured gold at her very first World Championships in the junior women’s category.

It’s a remarkable milestone for such a young rider, underlining the consistency and dominance she has shown throughout the season.

"I still can’t quite believe it. The run felt amazing and in the final corners I just kept telling myself not to make a mistake. I just had to bring it home somehow,” said the newly crowned World Champion, still taking in the scale of her achievement.

A challenging weekend for the Factory Racing Team

While Rosa’s rainbow jersey was the undoubted highlight, the weekend also brought challenges for the rest of the CUBE Factory Racing Team. Max Hartenstern, carrying a thumb injury, was disqualified after going off course. Jess Blewitt’s campaign ended before it began following a crash in training, while illness ruled out Kasper Hickman.

Even so, Rosa’s historic victory lit up the weekend and delivered an unforgettable moment for CUBE Factory Racing.