My favourite place to ride: 10 Aussie downhillers name their top picks

They race on some of the toughest, fastest, most technical downhill mountain bike trails across the world, so we wanted to find out where Aussie riders love to shred.

We asked some of Australia’s leading downhillers to name their favourite place to ride.

From steep loamy trails in France to long flowing and brutal tracks closer to home in Australia’s Alpine region, see where these pros rate as the best.

Sam Hill, Nukeproof-SRAM Factory Racing, WA

The steeper, and more technical, the better for three-time elite world champion Sam Hill. At 17, Hill won his first junior DH world champion title in Kaprun, Austria. It’s no wonder then the country is his favourite place to ride. Watch Hill below back in 2018 carve it up on the slopes of Petzen-Jamnica on the border of Austria and Slovenia.

“My favourite place to ride would be Austria. I really like the style of track they have there with tree roots and steeper technical sections.”

Luke Meier-Smith, Giant Factory Off Road Team, NSW

The newly minted DH national champion from the NSW Mid North Coast has raced at all the major trails across the world since he started competing in 2015. But there is one spot in France that is better than the rest.

“Favourite place to ride: Morzine, France! It’s just mountain biking paradise really, so many trails and sick loamers!”

Remy Meier-Smith, Giant Factory Off Road Team, NSW

A love of riding in France runs in the family for the Meier-Smith brothers. Luke’s younger brother Remy also rates Morzine as his favourite spot to ride in the world.

“My favourite place to ride is definitely Morzine in France with the amount of trails and the diversity you can never get sick of riding there. You can be lapping crazy gnarly downhill tracks at Pleney and then head to another mountain and ride the biggest berms that exist! It’s definitely an awesome spot and is definitely my favourite place to ride out of anywhere that I have been worldwide.”

Sian A'Hern, THE YT MOB, ACT

The three-time national champ is right at home on the trails of Thredbo, just a few hours’ drive from Canberra. After all it’s where she secured her third title earlier this year.

“My favourite place to ride would have to be Thredbo Mountain Bike Park. Close to home for me, lifted access, long runs and a mix of flow and the brutal Cannonball DH track is my favourite kind of riding. Thredbo is my favourite training location to get me ready for the World Cup season.”

Kye A'Hern, NS BIKES UR, ACT

The 2019 Junior World Champion and younger A'Hern sibling also rates Thredbo as the best place to ride when at home in Australia. He too had success there at national champs finishing with bronze.

“Thredbo has to be my favourite place to ride bikes in Aus! A sick variety of trails for whatever type of ride you want to do! And let’s face it, you can’t beat riding with a chairlift! If I’m stepping out of Aus, you can’t beat Whistler, Canada in my books. The trails, atmosphere, everything is sick!”

Jackson Connelly, Team High Country MTB, NSW

Hailing from Jindabyne, the iconic trails of Thredbo are virtually the backyard of the four-time junior DH national champion, and one of the best places to ride in his opinion.

“My favourite place to ride in Australia would have to be Thredbo. I love cutting chair lifted laps with all my mates. When I’m overseas Morzine, France would take the cake. I haven’t experienced a place like it. Steep loamy trails that really get the blood pumping. It’s a great place to both have fun just riding your bike and to prepare for racing.”

Ellie Smith, Commencal Bikes, NSW

Smith won her first national title in 2022 at Maydena in Tasmania, so it makes sense it's one of her favourite places to ride in Australia.

“My favourite place to ride in Aus is Awaba and Maydena. They both have steep, technical trails that are so fun to lap with your mates! My favourite places to ride overseas would have to be Whistler bike park in Canada and Morzine, France! The trails are so well built and have amazing variety.”

Ellie Smith at Maydena, Tasmania in 2022. Photo: Matt Rousu

Cassie Voysey, Intense Cycles, NSW

If you want options when it comes to tracks, Whistler is the place to go for Voysey. It no doubt is a place that holds good memories for Voysey who podiumed there as a junior.

“Whistler has to be my all-time favourite place to ride. Why is that? Because there is heaps of tracks to choose from. What I also love is that they have a wide range of different style of tracks starting from super flowey, technical and steep tracks. It’s an awesome place to get some training in ahead of the World Cups.”

Lia Ladbrook, SYNERGY 37, Victoria

The 2023 Oceania Champion who hails from Beechworth has chosen a place not too far from her home as one of her top places to get out on the bike.

“It’s definitely a difficult one to answer, because there are so many places where I love to ride. I think that Mystic MTB Park in Bright would have to be my favourite place to ride at the moment, as it offers such a range of different tracks and features to choose from, making it pretty hard to get bored while out on the bike.”

Elise Empey, SYNERGY 37, Victoria

There is no place like home for the 2022 U19 National Champion. She has raced across Australia, and last year competed in Europe and north America, but her favourite place to ride are the local tracks near her hometown Mansfield.

“I love riding at the local tracks around home. There are some gnarly steep loamers that keep you on your toes, plus some fast chattery goodness.”