A’Hern reveals how close she came to giving up in her sport
Australia’s mountain bike “queen” has opened up on the rough road back to compete at the world famous Cannonball race. Here’s an insight into her journey and who is standing in her way of a fourth title.
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For the Queen of Cannonball this year’s edition of the race will be special in more ways than one.
Canberra’s Sian A’Hern is one of the big names of mountain bike racing and will compete at the Cannonball event in Thredbo next week.
The Cannonball event is Australia’s largest mountain bike racing carnival.
Held around the ski slopes of Thredbo, the event sees mountain bike competitors compete in four disciplines — flow, all-mountain assault, pump track and downhill — to showcase their skills.
The event attracts a mix of professionals and riders just wanting to test themselves.
“You’ve got people’s first ever race and then you’ve also got people like myself or my brother (Kye) and a few other of the pros that have raced at the top level in the World Cup circuits and things like that,” A’Hern said.
“So it’s pretty epic that it can accommodate and appeal to both beginners and advanced riders, which is really, really epic.
“The event itself, I think it’s really cool having multi-discipline events and it’s a lot of fun for everyone, which is really cool and it’s a really great spectator event.”
A’Hern is a three-time champion at Cannonball, with the success dubbing her the ‘Queen’ of the event, although in 2022 she was on the wrong end of the result.
“Last year was the one year I had to forfeit and not race all of the events as I had a tendinitis injury and was coming back from a brain injury,” she said.
“It was kind of devastating not to compete, I’ve done three years of Queen of Cannonball in a row so that’s my first year I didn’t win.”
The brain injury for A’Hern almost ended her time in the sport.
In 2020, in her home town of Canberra, a minor crash turned into a major injury with the rider suffering not only the brain injury but broken ribs and other injuries.
It was 13 months before she got back on the bike.
“I’ve had a lot of injuries in my career so far but that one was the hardest mentally (to come back from),” she revealed.
“I got to a pretty bad point mentally that I was not happy with a lot of things. It opened up a can of worms with my life.
“I started working with a psychologist who has honestly turned it all around.”
At times A’Hern, despite being only 24, thought her career was done.
“My comeback race was in Whistler (Canada) last year and only a month before that I had a moment to myself where I said I’m going to sit on this for a month but I don’t think I want to continue racing anymore, I’m done with the sport,” she said.
“Within the month I got an offer to come to Whistler and I had my career best result (2nd).
“It was interesting how me just taking a step back, relaxing and letting things happen helped a lot.
“It was the most amazing feeling and then it turned everything around and I decided to continue racing in the sport.”
A’Hern said the pressure release had inspired her and now she’s at the peak of her powers in the sport.
This year she’s racing for Pro team YT MOB and will travel around the world, competing in World Cup and the World Championships.
Her new state of mind is a scary proposition for other riders.
“I’m so thankful that I’m in the best shape I’ve never been on the bike and I’ve got a really great bunch of people and a good team around me,” she said.
“It’s a tricky sport but my pure love for it has come back with me taking some time away from the sport.
“I’m in a really good place, love riding and love where I am at the moment.”
The event starts on February 13 with live coverage of the event on Kayo and Fox Sports.
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Sian A’Hern
The 24-year-old, as mentioned above, is a three-time Cannonball champion and a two-time Australian champion in downhill mountain biking.
Camille Balanche
One of the best downhill racers in the world. Balanche is a European and World Champion in downhill mountain biking. The Swiss rider is also a former ice hockey player, representing her country at the 2010 Olympic Games.
Troy Brosnan
A superstar of the sport. Brosnan is a nine-time national champion in the downhill class and a two-time junior world champion. He finished fourth last year at the World Championships in the elite men and also won a World Cup event. He might be only 29 but the Adelaide rider is already in the Australian Hall of Fame.
Caroline Buchanan
One of the best BMX riders in the world who is also handy at mountain biking. Buchanan competed for Australia at the 2012 London Olympics and made the final. She has won three gold medals at the BMX world championships, two in time trial and one in the elite women’s event.
Benoît Coulanges
A two-time French downhill mountain biking champion and in 2021 finished second at the world titles. The 28-year-old has risen in the ranks in the past couple of years, since Covid, to be one of the best male riders in the world.
Connor Fearon
Is the reigning Australian champion in the men’s downhill class after claiming the title for the first time in 2022. The Adelaide rider last year competed in the World Cup with his best result coming in Fort William with an 18th place finish.
Jackson Frew
Last year’s winner of the Cannonball men’s downhill event and will be one of the favourites this year. Frew also finished second at the national titles, falling short behind Fearon. The 24-year-old is a rising star of the sport.
Nina Hoffmann
The German finished second in last year’s downhill mountain bike World Championship and is one of the top few riders in the world. The 26-year-old has won three World Cup downhill events.
Greg Minnaar
The South African, nicknamed the GOAT in some circles, is a legend of the sport. He’s won four downhill mountain bike world titles and won 11 medals all up. He might be 41 and towards the later stages of his career but Minnaar is a rider to keep an eye on.
Ellie Smith
The 22-year-old Australian is the reigning national champion in downhill mountain biking after winning last year’s event in Tasmania. One of the rising stars in the sport, Smith last year finished 17th at the world championships in the same event.
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