Isabella holmgren Steps Back From Cyclocross to Focus on Road and mountain Biking

Isabella Holmgren is a highly talented professional cyclist competing in road, mountain bike, and cyclocross disciplines. Despite winning two under-23 world titles in MTB and the tour de l’Avenir on the road, the Canadian has decided to take a break from cyclocross this year.

“I’m just taking a step back, just for now,” Holmgren told Cyclingnews from the Lidl-Trek team camp in Denia, Spain, on Friday. “It’s nice to have a bit more of a break and a better build into the road and mountain bike season. So I’ll spend Christmas at home with my family. So I’m really excited.”

Still just 20 years old, holmgren has already earned five world titles in mountain biking and the junior world championship in cyclocross in 2023. As her ambitions in road cycling grow, she recognized the need to prioritize.

“The main focus is road and moves to the mountain bike, and cyclocross will be put to the side,” she explained. “I already miss [cyclocross]. Watching the races it makes me really want to be there. But I also understand that it’s vital to have a really good break sometimes. And I’m happy to support my teammates and cheer for them from inside.”

With a growing record of a dozen World Cup victories as an under-23 in MTB, and her demonstrated stage racing talent – including three stage wins and the overall victory in the Tour de l’Avenir this year – Holmgren is eager to continue combining road and mountain biking.

“It’s definitely a challenge. I really enjoyed mixing the mountain bike in the road. There are very different vibes and dynamics in both disciplines. It is difficult,but it’s definitely worth it,in my opinion.”

The sport has seen numerous stars transition to road cycling from other disciplines, such as cyclocross (Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert) or MTB (Pauline Ferrand-Prévot).