The life of a world-class rider is filled with drama, disappointment and triumph - and Kate Courtney is no exception. At the start of the season, Kate showed her strong side in short-course races and cross-country. But misfortune rarely comes alone, and Kate felt this bitterly in Nove Mesto like a bad flashback. On the same course that was not kind to her in 2020, her brake lever broke in a heavy crash before she suffered a flat tire just one lap later. On her return to the USA, Kate learned that she had broken her wrist in that crash.
New season, new luck

Kate flew to Europe early to get a head start on preparing for the World Championships - an unusual approach in an already busy schedule, but her tactics seemed to work. Her plan included lots of small but crucial races to get her legs back under control. At the same time, Kate spent her time in Switzerland with her team honing her technical skills on the bike. Her preparation paid off at the start of the World Cup season. She showed a side of herself that was calm and confident on the track, both mentally and physically.

Albstadt

In the first of the six World Cup races, Kate proved she was on top form. She dominated the chase group and powered through to lead the XCC with an excellent fourth place to secure an important front row spot for the start of the XCO on Sunday. In the elite cross country, Kate again took 4th place, a strong podium finish but still some way off where she wanted to be, which only made the fire in her eyes burn that little bit stronger.

"On those bad days, we don't kid ourselves and we don't try to sugarcoat them. We take responsibility for the fact that it wasn't a great day. We didn't get the results we wanted, but as a team we can put a time limit on it. Basically, it's just an emotional experience. And then it's back to work."

Nové Město

Kate started the second round of testing full of hope and did everything she could to make up for the disappointing 2020 season. The first lap was promising for Kate before misfortune struck again with a bad crash and the brake lever breaking. But the quick repair, which almost bordered on a miracle, meant Kate was back in the race. Shortly afterwards, she had a flat tire on the incredibly muddy and demanding track. This took Kate out of contention for a podium place, but despite the disappointing result, she battled through and completed more than 50 passes. An incredible testament to her determination, especially as Kate later learned that she had broken her wrist in the accident.
Spirit

In the weeks following the bad news of the broken wrist, it became clear that she would not be able to take part in the World Cup in Leogang either. Mountain biking was off limits for the time being, but Kate trained on the road. Now that her ticket is secured, she is fully focused on Tokyo in the hope of returning to racing soon. But one thing is clear: her bones may be broken - but her will is far from it.