What a year Reserve had in professional racing. From World Cup racing, to the Tour De France, to US endurance races, the results just kept pouring in. As we come to a close of 2022, we put together a photo gallery of the best of the best to celebrate another amazing year in competition...not in any particular order.
Jackson Goldstone at Hardline
Without a doubt the toughest course in downhill mountain biking, the Red Bull Hardline went next level in 2022: big gaps, big rocks, big consequences. Against a stacked field of the world’s best DH racers, Jackson Goldstone went nearly seven seconds faster than the next closest competitor, taking his and Canada’s first win at the event. He not only became the youngest rider to win Hardline, he did it his first time at the event.
Nina Hoffman at Fort William
What a year Nina Hoffman had, finishing in the top three at six of the 2022 World Cup rounds. But it’s her first win as a member of the Santa Cruz Syndicate that marks the highlight of the season. “Legendary winning Fort William for the Syndicate team!” said Nina Hoffmann. “A perfect run, the fans are amazing. You have to not care about conditions, trust your bike, trust your tires.”
Luca Braidot at Vallnord
They said Lenzerheide was fluke, but our man Luca Braidot came back at the Andorra World Cup and did it a second time. It was a big win for Reserve Wheels, Santa Cruz Bicycles and the entire Santa Cruz/FSA Team, but for Braidot monumental, proving the naysayers wrong with his dominant effort.
Wout Van Aert at the Tour de France
When Wout Van Aert started the Stage 20 individual time trial, many thought he had maybe gone too hard. He set the fastest time splits across all three time checks, surging into the hot seat with perhaps too much ease. But his time held, and even though some late challengers came knocking, it was an emotional day at the Tour De France for Jumbo-Visma, as the team solidified its place in the history books.
Jackson Goldstone at Mount Saint Anne
Jackson Goldstone is obviously a phenom, and the list of races he has won is inspiring. But there is none better in 2022 than his win on home soil at Mount Saint Anne. On top of the podium with fellow MSA-victor Finn Iles, flying the Canadian colors…there was little doubt that Jackson had found his moment.
Tobias Foss at Road Worlds
Some called it an upset, some called it a surprise, but we just called it business as usual for Team Jumbo Visma when 25-year-old Foss upstaged the biggest names on the time-trialing scene to become the first Norwegian to win an elite time trial world title. Foss stormed to victory courtesy of a brilliant second lap, earning himself a rainbow skinsuit with mere seconds to spare.
Keegan Swenson at Leadboat
Keegan Swenson was dominant at the inaugural Life Time Grand Prix series, winning three of the four races and finishing second at the race he did not win. But it was the Leadboat challenge that showed just how strong he was in 2022. A day after Swenson won the Leadville 100 mountain bike race, he won his second race in a row by taking the top step at the SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, out-sprinting Freddy Ovett and Payson McElveen on the 144-mile black course.
Marianne Vos at Tour de France Femmes
The win at the Tour de France Femmes was a big one for Marianne Vos. As part of a six-woman breakaway that went clear just after the immediate sprint, Vos claimed victory to not only become the stage leader, but the new overall leader of the race. Vos said “For now it's definitely the best. It's incredible. Of course, you're here and you're trying to be focused but to take the victory today is beautiful.
Alexis Skarda at the Whisky Off-Road
The Santa Cruz htSQD was a force on the US race scene in 2022, but no weekend better exemplified their dominance than the team effort at the Whisky Off-Road in Prescott, Arizona. Team riders Alexis Skarda and Keegan Swenson celebrated double victories at the Epic Rides event, both individually winning the crit and the backcountry races. Skarda’s victory was especially sweet as she raced in her recently acquired US National Team Jersey.
Laurie Greenland at MSA
Okay, so Laurie Greenland didn’t win the MSA World Cup, but his 2nd place, just 0.02 off the top step was one of those 2nd place finishes that felt like a victory. The track was rough, rough, rough and the Brit showed incredible resolve to just keep the wheels underneath him. In the end, it was Canadian Finn Iles taking the win on home soil, but seeing Greenland ecstatic for both his and Iles race results was a true testament to the sportsmanship that makes DH racing so great.
