Crankworx is back in action! This time, the World Tour stopped in Cairns, Australia for the second round of 2023. Always an interesting point in the season; points really start to sway the King and Queen of Crankworx standings after the second round. Every event matters for those chasing the titles, and Cairns was no exception with exciting action.

Whip-Offs was a great way to begin the festivities with riders going sideways, upside-down and all the way around to impress judges and fans alike.

Speed and Style, which seems to have more participation each year, was up next. In the Pro Female’s race, Caroline Buchanan (Trek Bikes) threw down and took the silver medal. The Pro Men’s podium was loaded up with Maxxis tires, with Bas Van Steenbergen (Hyper Bicycles) in second, Mike Ross (Trek Bikes) in third and then Jackson Frew (Commencal Bikes) close behind in fourth.

Friday’s Dual Slalom was as exciting as ever. Buchanan continued to add to her Queen of Crankworx points with another medal in Women’s, coming in third. Sacha Mills (KWT Imports) was just off the podium in fifth. Maxxis rider Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti Shimano EP Racing) took the win in the Men’s race and Van Steenbergen, the defending King of Crankworx, picked up more points in second.

Saturday’s first event was the Pump Track race. Caroline proved once again why she was the 2022 Queen of Crankworx, winning the Women’s. Sacha Mills had another great event, landing on the podium in third. Gilchrist gained another Crankworx medal in his home country of Australia, this time a silver in the Men’s.

The second event was the highly anticipated Slopestyle competition. Although many great runs were thrown down by talented riders, none could best the first run from Emil Johansson (Trek Bikes). The Swede captured Crankworx Gold yet again and is moving on to the next round still in contention to win another Triple Crown.

Cairns was an exciting second round of the 2023 iteration of Crankworx, and we can’t wait for the next one in Innsbruck, beginning June 21!