LUKE Meier-Smith said he couldn’t find the words to describe how he felt after winning his first downhill mountain biking World Cup – but he summed it up when sharing his victory with fans.
“From a kid living on an avocado farm near a small town called Comboyne to a DH World Cup winner!”
The current Australian downhill mountain bike champion produced a perfect run at the weekend on the new Whiteface Mountain course at Lake Placid in New York State’s Adirondack Mountains.
“Words can’t describe this moment,” he shared.
“All the ups and downs over the years left me doubting if I’d ever achieve this moment, and here we are.
“It’s going to take some time for this to sink in and I can’t thank my whole team and everyone in my corner enough.
“[I’m] going to remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
Luke, 23, was the 2019 recipient of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s Wayne Richards Scholarship.
When he’s not competing around the world for the Australian Giant Factory Off-Road team, he’s at home in Comboyne or training in Tasmania at the Maydena Bike Park – the largest network of gravity terrain in the Southern Hemisphere.
Luke’s brother Remy is a fellow rider and describes seeing his brother win a World Cup race as “the best moment in my life”.
“I’ve seen everything and Luke’s been through a lot,” he shared.
“He’s sacrificed every other aspect of his life for this and for him to reach the top yesterday (5 October) was crazy.”
Remy’s rush to the finish line to congratulate Luke landed him with a fine from the event organisers.
Not that the brothers were concerned.
Speaking later to YouTuber Wyn Masters, Luke said he’d pay it if necessary.
“Yes, they fined him, but it was worth it for the moment.”
The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is made up of multiple rounds held at different locations around the world.
While Luke’s win at Lake Placid represents a career milestone, there’s still another round to go before the overall World Cup series is decided.
By Sue STEPHENSON
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