The stage is set for an epic week of heart pumping action at Mt Buller, Victoria for the 2026 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships.
Australia’s best Cross Country and Downhill riders will put it all on the line as they vie to for the green-and-gold jersey and to be crowned the Australian champion for 2026.
What’s happening and when?
Here is a quick overview of the schedule for the five championship days.
Wednesday, March 18
- Downhill: Adaptive practice, course walk
- Cross country: Official practice
Thursday, March 19
- Downhill: Official practice, Adaptive seeding
- Cross Country: Official practice, E-bike racing, Relay racing
Friday, March 20
- Downhill: Seeding, Adaptive racing
- Cross country: XCC racing
Saturday, March 21
- Downhill: Finals
- Cross country: XCO racing (U13, U15, Adaptive)
Sunday, March 22
- Cross country: XCO racing
See the full schedule here.
The courses
The 1.8km downhill track, with an elevation change of 300 metres, will challenge riders with technical precision, high-speed sections over steep rock gardens, double road gaps and tight switchbacks.
Cross country races will start and finish in Village Square, bringing the action directly to the event village for a spectator-friendly experience.
At 900 metres in length, the short course is an explosive circuit designed for fast-paced, tactical racing. Expect tight corners, punchy climbs, and fast descents designed for high-intensity racing.
Each lap of the XCO course will cover a distance of 4.24km and an elevation grain of 137m covering sections of Family Trail, One Tree Hill, Soul Revival, Gang Gangs, Split Rock, Chamois Ski Run.
Who are the favourites?
Downhill
The downhill titles are always a highlight of championship week at Mount Buller, and
The elite fields this year are stacked with the creme-de-la-creme of Australia’s downhill talent.
All eyes will be on Luke Meier-Smith in the elite men as he chases a slice of history. The Taree Tip Rider club member is aiming for a fourth straight national title, something rarely seen in Australian downhill.
Riders like the ever-reliable Troy Brosnan, plus hard chargers Jackson Connelly and Jackson Frew will all be chasing that top step.
The elite women’s race shapes as just as compelling. Defending champion Sian A'Hern returns with the target on her back, with plenty of pressure building behind her from emerging talent. Two-time junior national champion Elleni Turkovic steps up into the elite ranks hungry to make an immediate impact.
And the local crowd will have someone special to cheer for. Mansfield rider Elise Empey lines up on her home track after being sidelined with injury last year, looking to turn local knowledge into a result on one of the biggest stages of the season.
Cross country
The cross-country titles are back on the line at the 2026 GWM MTB National Championships at Mt Buller, and last year’s racing left a mark that’s hard to forget.
In the elite women, Rebecca Henderson returns after one of the grittiest wins of her career in 2025. The Canberra rider crashed on the opening lap in brutal wind, rain and fog before clawing her way back to the front. She eventually outsprinted Isabella Flint on the line to secure her 12th straight elite crown and 21st national XCO title.
Both Flint and Zoe Cuthbert, won’t be on the start line this time around, leaving the door open for a fresh challenger to test Henderson.
The men’s race will also see a new name on top of the podium. Defending champion Sam Fox won’t be back to defend the title he claimed in torrential rain last year, where the Launceston rider rode clear for a solo victory in a shortened race.
With Fox absent, the spotlight shifts to Jack Ward. The rising star heads into the championships unbeaten this season in the under 23 ranks and will be looking to add to his silver medal from last year’s elite race.
He will have some stiff competition in Brendan Johnston, Cam Ivory and Tasman Nankervis.
See the Downhill start list here, and the XC start list here.
How to follow the action?
The Downhill and XCO finals on Saturday and Sunday will be livestreamed by Living It Live.
Catch up with daily highlights on Friday March 20, Saturday, March 21 and Sunday March 22 on AusCycling’s YouTube channel.
You can also keep up to date with the action from Mt Buller on social media. Use the hashtag #MTBNats26 and follow AusCycling on Instagram and Facebook.