There are many different types of mountain bike races, but some of the most decorated and recognizable mountain bikers are in the cross-country arena.  Cross country mountain biking isn’t as easily televised or promoted as downhill racing is, but it is far more popular, when it comes to competition as well as recreational sports.

Alison Dunlop is a racer who has won the World Cross Country Mountain Bike Championship in 2001, and also has won the Mountain Bike World Cup twice, as well as the Redlands Bicycle Classic. She also represented the United States in the Olympics in both 1996 and 2000, though she did not win any medals. She is in a few mountain biking halls of fame, including the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame, and has been named the “female cyclist of the year” more than once.

Juli Furtado is a skier who moved on to mountain biking. In the early 1980s, she was a member of the US National Ski team, and also held the distinction of being the youngest member. However, in the late 1980s, she began mountain biking more seriously and won the National Road Championship, as well as the first-ever cross-country event at the inaugural Mountain Bike World Championship. She has won many other events and also competed in the Olympics, representing the United States. She is in both the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame.

Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå is an Olympic mountain biking champion from Norway. In 2004, she won the gold medal in cross country racing and has won the World Championship six times, and also has the UCI World Cup four times.

Ned Overend has been mountain biking since the early 1980s and is considered a legend in the sport. He officially retired in 1996 – years after being inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame – but continues to recreationally ride and race. He is known for participating in triathlons these days, as well as captaining the Specialized Cross Country Team. He has also written some books on being a mountain biker, and various aspects of the sport.

Paola Pezzo is famous for being the first woman to win the Olympic Gold medal in mountain biking.  She won it in 1996, which was the first time the event was included in the Olympics. She is in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.

These are just some of the more famous cross country mountain bikers. As you can imagine, in such a difficult sport that requires technical skill as well as incredible aerobic strength, and knowledge of the sport, as well as the mechanics of bikes.  There is a lot of training involved, as mountain biking is not the same as regular cycling and involves riding on rough terrains.  Being famous in this sport is not easy, as it involves a lot of talent, as well as a lot of luck.