'26 DHI MIDSEASON RECAP

The European block kicked off in the Pyrenees, where steep, physical terrain and ever-changing grip levels made consistency the name of the game. The Yeti / FOX Factory Race Team showed speed from the opening practice runs, with every rider findingpace as the weekend progressed.

Richie Rude continued his transition back into elite downhill racing, building confidence throughout practice before battling through qualifying to earn a place in Sunday’s final. Tyler Waite showed impressive outright speed against one of the deepest Elite Men’s fields of the season, putting himself in contention throughout the weekend and delivering another strong finals performance.

In Elite Women, Matilda Melton continued to gain valuable experience on one of the circuit’s most demanding tracks, improving her pace with every run and laying another solid foundation for the rounds ahead.

Junior standout Jonty Williamson once again proved he’s among the fastest young riders in the world. Carrying race-winning speed from the first timed sessions, Williamson delivered another commanding performance to continue his remarkable rookie World Cup campaign.

Results

Jonty Williamson – 1st

Tyler Waite – 5th

Richie Rude – 12th

Matilda Melton – 24th Q1, 8th Q2

Leogang’s wet weather and relentless pace rewarded riders willing to stay committed from top to bottom. The Yeti / FOX Factory squad answered with one of its strongest collective performances of the season.

For Jonty Williamson, Leogang was another opportunity to showcase race-winning pace. The young Kiwi remained at the sharp end all weekend, demonstrating maturity well beyond his years while continuing to establish himself as one of the dominant forces in Junior Men.

Richie Rude once again showed why experience matters on technical tracks. Building throughout the weekend, he pieced together another composed race run, adding valuable points and continuing his progression back into downhill racing.

Matilda Melton and Tyler Waite found improved speed on one of the circuit’s roughest tracks, battling the weather and making gains every session. Both riders continue to close the gap on the established front runners.

Results

Jonty Williamson – 1st

Richie Rude – 7th

Matilda Melton – 12th Q1, 7th Q2

Tyler Waite – 35th Q1 and 73rd Q2

Lenzerheide brought classic Swiss downhill racing, with high speed, precision, and little room for mistakes. Conditions demanded absolute commitment, and the Yeti / FOX Factory riders responded with another weekend of steady progression.

Tyler Waite remained one of the fastest emerging Elite Men on course, continuing his string of impressive World Cup performances. A 10th place in Q1 meant it was straight to the finals for Tyler, where he backed it up with a 27th finish on the day.

Richie Rude continued finding comfort aboard the downhill bike. Every round added another layer of confidence, and Lenzerheide marked another step forward as he settled deeper into the discipline.

Matilda Melton kept building experience against one of the world's strongest women’s fields. A solid Q1 result meant she was in for finals. Each race weekend has shown measurable progression, with Lenzerheide providing another opportunity to develop race pace under pressure.

Jonty Williamson again delivered the speed expected of a World Cup title contender. Whether in qualifying or finals, he remained a fixture near the top of the timing screens. Lenzerhide marked Jonty going 4 for 4 at the first 4 rounds of the season. The young Kiwi is on fire.

Results

Jonty Williamson – 1st

Tyler Waite – 27th

Matila Melton – 13th

Richie Rude – 30th Q1, DHF Q2

La Thuile introduced one of the most demanding tracks of the season. Steep, raw, and relentlessly physical, it rewarded riders willing to stay aggressive while managing changing grip throughout the course.

Tyler Waite once again showed elite-level speed, carrying confidence from the previous rounds into another strong weekend. His ability to repeatedly qualify well and deliver under pressure continues in his 2026 season.

Richie Rude embraced the technical challenge, using his extensive enduro background to navigate one of the most natural tracks on the calendar. His race craft continued improving as the season progressed.

Matilda Melton put together another solid result, building confidence through practice before translating that speed into another encouraging finals performance.

It wasn’t Jonty Williamson's weekend. His consistency across every session so far this season came to an end with a 17th in Q1 and 17th in Finals.

Results

Matilda Melton – 14th

Jonty Williamson – 17th

Tyler Waite – 18th

Richie Rude – 33rd Q1, 17th Q2

High altitude, loose terrain, and relentless speeds closed out the European block in Andorra. The demanding course tested fitness as much as outright pace, producing another exciting weekend of racing.

Tyler Waite capped the block with another composed performance, continuing his emergence as one of the sport’s brightest young Elite riders. His consistency across five consecutive World Cups established him as a legitimate front-runner; Pal Arinsal saw him land in the top 10. 

Richie Rude wrapped up another downhill weekend, continuing to improve with every race as his return to full-time gravity competition gained momentum.

Matilda Melton rounded out the European swing with another determined effort, continuing to gain valuable experience while showing increasing confidence on some of the world’s toughest tracks.

Jonty Williamson once again delivered the kind of performance that’s become expected throughout 2026. Combining outright speed with calm execution, he remained the benchmark rider in the Junior Men’s category and continued building an outstanding World Cup résumé.

Results

Jonty Williamson – 1st

Tyler Waite – 10th

Matilda Melton – 16th Q1, 7th Q2

Richie Rude – 36th Q1, 21st Q2

With Let Gets and World Champs right around the corner the Yeti / FOX Factory team gears up to for the last of the european rounds before heading to North America for the final rounds of the season.