Key Riders To Watch This Year
The fifty best off-road athletes on the planet: some seasoned veterans, some rocketing upstarts. It’ll be up to the riders to define the arc of the season, but when you tune in throughout the year, these will be some critical names to focus on.
Men’s Contenders
Cameron Jones | New Zealand
The breakout star of 2025, Jones entered the season as a Wild Card and ended it as champion. He returns in 2026 with a target on his back and plenty left to prove, as evidenced by his close 2nd place at the recent 2026 Mid South.
Keegan Swenson | United States
Three-time LTGP Champion. Five-time Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik winner and course record holder. 2025 UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Champion. Swenson is the benchmark in off-road racing, but at the moment, he’s recovering from a fractured pelvis sustained in a training accident in February. Fingers crossed he’ll be back to defend his win at the Life Time Sea Otter Classic in April!
Simon Pellaud | Switzerland
Second overall in the 2025 LTGP, and runner-up at Life Time UNBOUND Gravel presented by Shimano, with a third-place finish at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Pellaud was a constant podium threat last season and is chasing the top step this year.
Matt Beers | South Africa
2024 LTGP Runner-Up, 2025 Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Kenetik Champion, and the recent 2026 Cape Epic Champion. Beers brings a mix of endurance and horsepower that makes him a serious contender in every event. Now partnered with Swenson on the Specialized Off-Road team.
Felix Stehli | Switzerland
A fifth-place finish at the 2025 UCI Gravel Worlds plus a 2026 Cape Epic Stage 3 victory highlight Stehli’s international talent. As a new name in the field, he’s one to watch with big potential.
Anton Stensby | Norway
Second at the 2025 UEC Gravel European Championships, Stensby is part of a rising wave of European gravel talent making its mark in the U.S.
Simen Nordahl Svendsen | Norway
2024 Gravel Worlds Champion. His sixth-place finish at UNBOUND Gravel in 2024 and third-place finish at Traka 360 in 2025 show he’s a force to be reckoned with across multiple formats. Expect him in the mix all season long.
Women’s Contenders
Sofia Gomez Villafañe | Argentina
Three-time LTGP Champion and the most decorated athlete in series history. Winner of the 2025 Traka 200, Cape Epic, a 2x winner of UNBOUND Gravel, and 2026 Mid South. Villafañe sets the standard in the off-road space.
Rosa Klöser | Germany
2025 Gravel Earth Series Champion and 2024 UNBOUND Gravel Champion. Klöser burst onto the scene with major wins and is ready for a big LTGP campaign.
Karolina Migon | Poland
2025 UNBOUND Gravel Champion and 2024 Gravel Worlds Runner-Up. Migon’s impressive results and fierce competitiveness make her a key player in every race.
Paige Onweller | United States
Onweller has quietly built an impressive record, including 3rd at UNBOUND Gravel 2024, 5th at SBT GRVL 2024, and 3rd at the recent 2026 Mid South after recovering from being struck by a vehicle last season. The Arkansas native consistently places near the top, making her a serious contender.
Cecile Lejeune | France
Lejeune placed 5th at UNBOUND Gravel and matched that result in the overall 2025 series. Recently finishing 6th at Mid South, the 27-year-old’s steady improvement makes her a rising star.
Cecily Decker | United States
Decker knows what it takes to compete at the highest level, finishing 2nd in both the 2025 Grand Prix and UNBOUND Gravel. That experience could give her an edge this season.
Lauren De Crescenzo | United States
An experienced racer, De Crescenzo has won the Life Time Rad Dirt Fest 4 times and took the UNBOUND Gravel title in 2021. She knows how to navigate the demands of a long season.
Melisa Rollins | United States
3rd in the 2025 overall LTGP, Rollins was runner-up at the 2025 Leadville Trail 100 MTB, only to Olympian Kate Courtney after having claimed the top step in 2024. Courtney and Rollins were slated to be partners at Cape Epic 2026, but Rollins suffered a broken elbow right before the race. She’s since had surgery to repair the damage, and it’s TBD if she will race at the Life Time Sea Otter Classic in April.
