Very few South Africans saw Tyler Jacobs race live and become the first ever XCC female World Championships medallist for South Africa. We caught up with Jacobs and her coach, Barry Austin, to find out how she achieved this significant milestone.
By Sean Badenhorst
After one 6th and two 7th places at Under-23 XCC World Cup races this year, Jacobs has been in that frustrating space where podium finishes are so close. Her XCC results have consistently been better than her XCO results at World Cup races in 2025, so her shot at a her first ever podium place was more likely to come from the abbreviated format.
And on Tuesday afternoon on a super-fast, mostly narrow and damp course in Crans Montana, Switzerland, the 21-year-old South African raced smart and secured the historic medal for herself and her country. Jacobs will also contest the longer Under-23 Women’s XCO World Championship race on Sunday.
Jacobs’ best World Cup XCO result this year was 6th at Round 1 in Brazil, but perhaps more significant was her 9th place at Round 5 at Val di Sole. A top 10 at a European World Cup carries more weight than the same at a World Cup on another continent, because of the increased depth at the European rounds.
In Tuesday’s race, Jacobs managed to get into the first corner in fourth place and into the second corner in third place. On a course with few overtaking opportunities, by choosing inside lines where it mattered and attacking the rocky descent, Jacobs was able to maintain a position in the top five for the first half of the race. From Lap 5 of 8, Canada’s Isabella Holmgren, Germany’s Carla Hahn and Jacobs began to open a gap to the rest of the field. By the start of Lap 7, Holmgren opened up a seven-second lead on the other two.
Jacobs started the final lap in second place after attacking Hahn on Lap 7, but the German was able to come back and pass Jacobs halfway through the final lap to secure the silver medal, 20 seconds behind Holmgren. An elated Jacobs rolled home in third, 26 seconds down on the winner.
Another medal on Sunday is possibly a long shot, but definitely not impossible if Jacobs has a composed race. She will certainly carry renewed confidence into the race following her medal-winning performance on Tuesday.
Here’s what Jacobs and her South African coach, Barry Austin had to say:
TREAD Media: Was a medal in the XCC a specific goal or did you just have a great race on the day?
Tyler Jacobs: A medal in the XCC at World Champs wasn’t a specific goal, but I have been feeling like I could podium specifically in the XCC throughout the year. I never expected that to be at the World Championships.
TM: In a such a high-paced race there weren’t many overtaking opportunities. Did your race strategy reflect that?
TJ: Yeah, I knew there wouldn’t be many opportunities to overtake especially on that course in particular because it narrowed down in specific areas and caused lots of bottlenecks. So, I placed myself on the start grid in a position that I thought would be best for overtaking early on in the race. Gaps opened up and I managed to get to the front early on.
TM: For a while you were in second place. But obviously Carla Hahn eventually caught you. At what point did you know that a medal was definitely yours?
TJ: I tried not to think too much a lot the fact that I was potentially gonna get a medal because I know that if you lose concentration, the race can turn at any point. But I think coming towards the finish line and seeing that no one was behind me was kind of the surreal moment of this is really happening!
TM: What does it mean to you to win this medal?
TJ: It means so much. I’ve been praying and working for a podium for a while now and have been frustrated that hasn’t been coming; but I really have been wanting it a lot! And for it to come out at World Champs which is like a really big deal. It feels to me like a like a sign that you don’t always know what God’s plan is for you and he could have something way bigger in mind for you.
TM: Clearly your form is sharp. What are your expectations for the XCO race at World Champs?
TJ: My goal is to have a really good race where I race against the course and I use the course to the best of my ability – getting momentum where I can, being smooth and, wherever that places me, I’ll be happy knowing that I gave it my all. I know that I am stronger in the XCC, but I am hoping to improve my XCO game. So yeah, I’m just gonna go out there and race as hard as I can and hopefully have a good race.
TM: Did you have a long-term plan for Tyler to target a medal in the XCC? Or did she just have a great race in peak form?
Barry Austin: The race itself wasn’t a specific target where we said, “this is the one we want to win.” For Tyler, as a young athlete, the focus is on learning and understanding the demands of the sport with every race she does. In this case, I recorded some video clips for her, highlighting the pinch points on the course and then shared tactical advice on how to approach those moments – especially around positioning and setting herself up for a good result.
TM: As her coach, what top-tier athlete qualities have you found in Tyler that perhaps few are aware of?
BA: Most people know Tyler for her incredible skill on the bike, but what often goes unnoticed is her work ethic. She’s an exceptionally hard worker – dedicated to completing every workout and always pushing to give her best, even on the tough days. If she’s ever ill or has to miss training, she’s genuinely frustrated, because her mindset is always about coming back stronger, doing the work, and learning from every experience.
TM: Tyler is a fearless descender and has a high level of skill. How important is this to you as a XCO coach in an athlete?
BA: XCO is one of the most complex cycling disciplines to master, and of course technical skill and fearless descending are very important. But for me as her coach, the key is teaching Tyler how to use those skills. It’s not about pushing them to the maximum every time – it’s about using her talent to conserve energy.
The biggest lesson is that she doesn’t need to spend extra energy in areas where she’s already strong. Instead, she can let her skill carry her through those sections smoothly, and then use the energy she’s saved in the moments of the race where it matters most.
One thing I’ve noticed – especially back home in South Africa – is that too often riders are taught to go faster though technical sections and on descents by spending more energy. The real art is learning to go smooth and fast while saving energy.
Follow Tyler Jacobs’ progress via her Instagram account here.
