Louise Ferguson hails the future of women's mountain biking after winning BikeRadar and MBUK's 2025 MTB Rider of the Year award

“The future of women’s mountain biking is bright,” said Louise Ferguson after the downhill pioneer won BikeRadar and MBUK’s Rider of the Year Awards, presented by Lezyne, on Thursday.

Ferguson topped the public vote from a shortlist of mountain bikers that included men’s downhill world champion Jackson Goldstone, Tahnée Seagrave, who won two rounds of the elite women’s downhill World Cup this season, and XC star Evie Richards. 

Ferguson made history in July when she became the first woman to complete a full top-to-bottom seeding and then timed race runs on the infamous Red Bull Hardline Wales course.

“Thank you so much for your votes,” said Ferguson. “I’m truly honoured. Thanks to my team – I’ve got such a great group of people around me, who made this year possible.

“To complete Hardline Wales really was a team effort. I’m really excited about where we’re going to go next year – and for the future of mountain biking. It’s also great to see all of the other women who have been nominated.”

Ferguson also extended her thanks to the Red Bull Hardline organisers, as well as Seagrave, who has helped pioneer the participation of women at the event, widely considered to be one of the hardest downhill races in the world.

Previous MBUK Rider of the Year winners

2024

• Rider of the Year – Ronan Dunne
• Newcomer of the Year – Ffi Pickstock
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Greg Minnaar

2023

• Rider of the Year – Casey Gemma
• Newcomer of the Year – Morgan Pickstock
• Lifetime Achievement Award – The Athertons

MBUK Newcomer of the Year – Daisy Craig

Our newcomer award shines a light on the year's breakout stars, and the stars of the future – this year, that's 13-year-old trial rider Daisy Craig.

Craig's gold medal at this year’s UCI World Youth Games added to an impressive tally that includes eight trials national titles.

"This year has been amazing – winning the World Youth Games was a big achievement for me – but I never expected to be nominated for something like this," Craig told MBUK. "It’s really special to be recognised by MBUK and to represent the bike trials community, who’ve been so supportive."

Craig comes from a long line of trial riders and her dad, Billy, appeared in the pages of MBUK in the mid-90s, in a feature about the short-lived discipline of 'speed trials'. He’s been riding trials (both motorcycle and bike) since the early-80s, when he was six years old, and his dad rode, too. It's a trials-mad family.

Ten riders made up the 2025 Newcomer of the Year shortlist, including future World Cup star Charlotte Lawton Silva and passionate downhill racer Oscar Shipway.

MBUK Lifetime Achievement Award – Steve Peat

Following in the footsteps of 2024 winner Greg Minnaar and The Athertons, who won the inaugural award in 2023, Steve Peat took to the stage this time around to collect the 2025 Lifetime Achievement gong.

‘Peaty’ is a bona fide mountain bike legend: nine-time British national champion, 17-time winner of the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit, a three-time overall World Cup champion and, after earning silver medals in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2008, the 2009 world champion.

"I'm honoured," said Peat upon receiving the award. "It's been a massive journey, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. I'm very lucky to have found mountain biking in the early days. "

The 51-year-old continues to be heavily involved in the spot, both as the head coach of the Santa Cruz Syndicate race team, whose riders include 2025 downhill world champion Jackson Goldstone, and as the founder of MTB accessories brand Peaty’s.

Peat earned the nod from our expert panel, which included MBUK editor James Costley-White. The Sheffield-born rider beat off competition on a star-studded shortlist that included Nino Schurter, who retired in September after an XC career that included 36 UCI Cross-Country World Cup wins and ten trips to the top step of the World Championship podium.