Over the weekend, Kona Factory rider Tayte Proulx-Royds lined up for her very first UCI Downhill World Cup in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, and what a debut it was. Racing among the fastest juniors on the planet, Tayte brought her infectious and positive mindset to a whole new challenging level of competition.
The weekend kicked off with qualifications on Saturday, where Tayte put down a strong enough run to earn her place in Sunday’s finals. "Quali’s wrapped up! So pumped to make it through to finals! I had a pretty messy run and conditions weren’t ideal dropping in the rain! But nonetheless I’m ready to clean everything up, give it my all tomorrow and have a great time out on track!!"
On Sunday, Tayte laid it all out in the finals, tackling some of the wildest conditions she’s ever raced in to finish 9th. But it wasn’t about the number, it was about the moment. Her takeaway?
“What an experience! First World Cup in the books! Overall, it was an amazing week piecing together everything and finding my confidence out on the big stage, in some of the most challenging conditions I’ve ridden! Happy to come out with P9, but always hungry for more. So grateful for the opportunity to be here and race!”
We're beyond proud of Tayte, not just for her result, but for how she showed up with focus, resilience, and a whole lot of heart. This is what it’s all about: learning, growing, and racing with joy. She's now headed home to reset, train, and get ready for the next one, and we can’t wait to see her back between the tape.
Let’s go, Tayte. The journey’s just getting started.
Photos: Sven Martin
