Alan Hatherly Shines Again with Back-to-Back World Championship Gold

Byron Lukas

South African mountain biking hero and Olympic bronze medallist Alan Hatherly has once again etched his name into the history books, successfully defending his elite men’s Cross-Country title at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.

A Race of Perfect Timing

Hatherly’s decisive move came early on the nine-lap course when French rider Victor Koretzky slipped, creating the opening the South African needed. From that moment, Hatherly surged ahead, powering across rolling climbs and technical descents with unmatched precision.

“I just had one of those days. It’ll be hard for me to repeat a performance like that. All the stars aligned,” Hatherly reflected after crossing the line almost a minute ahead of Italy’s Simone Avondetto.

A Time Trial Masterclass

Calling his strategy a “time trial,” Hatherly explained:
“Before the race I said it was going to be a time trial and a less tactical race. I took it straight on and just TT-ed it all the way through. With two or three laps to go I started to feel the effort of going so early, but the gap was so big I could just consolidate and see it through.”

It was a near-flawless performance — one that left little doubt about his dominance on the day.

A Statement for South African Cycling

Beyond the gold medal, Hatherly’s back-to-back world titles carry enormous weight for South African sport. In a discipline long dominated by European riders, his achievements prove that African athletes are not just capable of competing at the highest level — they can dominate.

His victory reinforces South Africa’s growing presence on the global cycling stage and provides inspiration for a new generation of riders who see in him proof that world-class success is possible.