Every year brings its own stars - sometimes the usual suspects, sometimes real surprises. We asked the experts on the scene, who keep a close eye on the athletes' form curves and momentum, to show us who has what it takes to take off. Which of these names did you already have on your radar?
Max & Till Alran, Downhill
Do you know the Alran brothers? You should. Because this season, the two are entering the elite World Cup scene - and have everything they need to compete at the very top. The French brothers were already sponsored by Commencal at the age of eleven. This season, they are now racing for the prominent Commencal / Muc-Off team - side by side with stars such as Loris Vergier and Amaury Pierron.
Both are regarded as exceptional talents. Max (18) has the longer list of successes to date: French U17 champion, European U17 champion and overall winner in his first junior season. But brother Till (18) is hardly inferior to him: With fourth place in his World Cup debut, he made a start that made people sit up and take notice.
In 2026, the two will be racing with the big boys. "Some seasoned world cup riders will have to look around a lot," predicts downhill veteran Marcus Klausmann. So: dress warmly, Loïc, Jackson & Co.
Johanna Nussbaumer, Slopestyle
During the corona period, Johanna started clicking through web videos of bikers - and was inspired. First she picked up a BMX, then a dirt bike, and suddenly it was no longer just about riding, but about doing tricks.
Football? Johanna has given it up. "The motivation was gone at some point in football, the pressure was too much," says Johanna. The 17-year-old from Lindau felt right at home in the MTB bubble. Last year, Johanna took part in the Swatch Nines jam session in Bike Republic Sölden - and whirled through the air with the really big names.
Rumour has it that she will be competing in the Slopestyle Superleague this season. And rumour has it that Johanna has been busy working on new trick combinations over the winter. We can't wait to see whether she gets off to a flying start in 2026.
Juanfer Vèlez, Downhill
The young Colombian is regarded as an absolute super talent in the Cerro Abajo City Downhill series. Whether city downhill weapon Johannes Fischbach or race veteran Tomáš Slavík - everyone agrees: if Juanfer gets his run to the finish line, he is hard to beat.
His strategy is as simple as it is uncompromising: full risk. Juanfer can also transfer this crazy speed, which he sets between stairs, walls and house corners, to the terrain. He proved this impressively last year in the World Cup in Andorra, where he won the qualification.
In the final race, Juanfer once again opted for his "all or nothing" maxim - with bitter consequences: Crash, torn cruciate ligament. Johannes Fischbach puts it in a nutshell: "If Juanfer gains more experience and learns to balance risk and control better, he can really shake up the World Cup field.
Paul Schehl, Cross Country
The former BIKE Junior Team racer followed up his U19 world championship title (2022) with an impressive performance and proved last season that his results were no fluke. Paul finished third overall in the U23 short track and fifth in the Olympic cross country.
This season, the man from Freiburg by choice from the Lexware Mountain Bike Team has everything he needs to attack at the very front. Insiders see his greatest potential in his mental strength. Paul is regarded as a perfectionist - if he manages to keep a cool head even in difficult racing situations, a place at the top is absolutely possible, according to our source.
This year, he will be riding another season in the U23 before making the step up to the elite class. We are keeping our fingers crossed - and of course hoping for a place on the podium.
Louise Ferguson, Downhill
The reigning British downhill champion has long been one of the most fearless athletes in gravity sports. She was the first woman ever to make it to the finish in what is probably the most dangerous downhill race in the world: Red Bull Hardline. 35-metre gap, 13-metre drop - Fergyferg, as the 29-year-old Scot calls herself on Instagram, doesn't shy away from even the most daring test of courage.
Despite winning the national DH title, things haven't quite gone to plan in the World Cup so far: top 10 placings yes, but the really big success has mostly failed to materialise. That could change in 2026 - despite her "advanced" age. However, it is more likely that Ferguson will make headlines in freeriding. Who knows - maybe even at the Red Bull Rampage in Utah in October.
Nina Graf (née Benz), Cross Country
Just over a year ago, Nina switched to Lapierre Racing Unity - and proved impressively in the following season how well the change of team suited her. 2025 was her strongest year to date: German XCO championship title, a spectacular 9th place at the World Championships and 12th place in the overall UCI rankings as proof of her remarkable consistency.
However, the team change came earlier than planned: Her previous team was cancelled for cost reasons. Now Nina is starting a new chapter - in the Trek Unbroken team. Experts on the scene are already whispering that this could give her even more speed. No wonder: the team around short track overall winner Evie Richards is one of the most ambitious in the UCI World Cup.
More pressure? Not an issue for Nina. "The biggest pressure athletes put on themselves is always their own," she says. Whichever way you look at it, 2026 could be Nina's year. The signs are good - and we're keeping our fingers crossed.
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Laurin Lehner
Editor
