The season wasn't over yet: Millie Junge's comeback block

Sport has a way of testing athletes before it rewards them. For Millie Junge, that test came early in 2026, an injury that pulled her out of racing and left her without the UCI points she needed to build her world ranking. It was a frustrating start to what should have been a big year.

But Millie's response has been something to be proud of.

She packed her bags for Canada, raced four times, and won them all. Two of those races were UCI Junior World Series events, and the competition was stacked with some of the best junior XCO riders in the world. None of it slowed Millie down. "I felt super strong leading into the trip and maintained that during the trip," she said.

The result: 220 UCI points and a spot at 6th in the world junior rankings. A few months ago she had very few points on the board. Now she's in the mix with the best in the world.

Next up is Europe, where she'll race a Junior World Cup ahead of the NZ MTB Academy arriving. It’s a good chance to see how she stacks up against the Europeans before Worlds. She's targeting a top 5 at the World Championships and wants to finish the year in the top 4 overall. Millie is on fire right now, and we are so here for it.

Cheering for you, Millie. We're right behind you!