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Rebecca Henderson wins XCO gold in dramatic sprint finish

Mar 16, 2025

Rebecca Henderson (Canberra Off-Road  Cyclists) has added yet another cross country national title to her name in what was possibly one of the most dramatic race finishes of her career at the 2025 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships in Mount Buller. 

The Canberran overcame a crash on the first lap in treacherous wind, rain and fog, to out-sprint Tasmania’s Isabella Flint (Launceston Mountain Bike Club) on the finish line.

Flint and Zoe Cuthbert (Vikings Cycling Club ACT) came through the first lap with an almost 10 second gap over the 20-time national champion, but Henderson quickly fought back to close gap to the leaders. 

The trio would take turns on the front to push the pace before Henderson and Flint broke away from Cuthbert midway through the second lap.

From there it became a battle royale between the two, as conditions continued to deteriorate.

Racing in her first year in the elite category, Flint made Henderson fight to the very end as one of the biggest upsets in the elite women was brewing.

However after just over an hour in the saddle, the race would reach a dramatic climax with the duo in a sprint for the line.

Henderson would claim her 12th consecutive elite title and her 21st XCO title before she collapsed on the ground and clutched her left arm in agony.

“That was torture I hated every second of that.

“I crashed in the first lap and I couldn’t shake Izzy and I was in so much pain and by the end I couldn’t use my left arm. I’m not in a good way,” she said post-race.

Flint took the silver at the end of the race, which was modified due to the severe weather.

“I’m pretty proud of that one. Bec’s a very class athlete, she had a tumble on the first lap and I do hope her hand is ok but at the end of the day she’s one of the best mountain bikers in the world So be able to go toe-to-toe with her in these really s*** conditions, I’m really proud of that,” Flint said post-race.

“I love slipping around and having some fun in the mud, so yeah it was a great day out there. 

Cuthbert would finish just over a minute back to claim the bronze.

The elite women's XCO podium.

Results:

Elite women

  1. Rebecca Henderson (Canberra Off-Road Club) 1:07:13
  2. Isabella Flint (Launceston Mountain Bike Club) +0
  3. Zoe Cuthbert (Vikings Cycling Club ACT) +1:02

U23 women

  1. Ella Menigoz (RATS Cycling Club Inc)
  2. Ruby Dobson (Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club)
  3. Anook Simpson (Adelaide Mountain Bike Club)

U19 women

  1. Amelie Burrell (Corc)
  2. Ruby Taylor (Hawthorn Cycling Club)
  3. Alana Fletcher (Bendigo Mountain Bike Club)

Full results can be found here.

Photos: Matt Rousu and AusCycling