Nicole Bradbury’s World Cup short track race came down to the wire. Following terrible opening laps—where she dropped to the back of the field and then was taken down by a crash—the Hamilton rider got up to the front of the race. Not only had that event in Val di Sole this past June been a struggle, but the years leading up to that race were marked by setback after setback. A few times, she thought she would quit racing cross country.

As the race in Italy went on, Bradbury realized a top-15 place would be possible. Then, a top-10 came into view. “Then, it was like the last lap of the World Cup, and I was in fourth. This is so sick. The whole time I was just panicking. I was like, I got to hold this top-five,” she said.

Bradbury was in second position into the final corner. “I was behind Katharina Sadnik and I was, like, this is insane,” Bradbury said. “I thought I have to sprint because otherwise it's position one or two, and I don't want to be second. I started sprinting really, really hard. I still didn't think I was going to pass her. When I was passing her, I was, like, this is stupid. I can’t believe it.”

Not only was Bradbury surprised by the win, she was totally unprepared. She had no change of kit for the podium, so another racer hosed Bradbury down in the bike-wash area. The winner also needed some coaching on how to open a champagne bottle.

The rest of Bradbury’s 2025 season went pretty well. The World Cup in Lake Placid helped her to build more confidence. In the fall, she returned to Brevard College in North Carolina for her final year of school and collegiate racing. She won the U.S. Omnium Championship. Then, with the new year, it seemed the momentum of the previous one was faltering. Logistical and health issues hindered her preparation for the 2026 season, her first as an elite rider. While she has the support of Victoria-based Blue Bridge Racing, Bradbury is still operating like a privateer racer. Funds are tight.

In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, Bradbury goes into detail about her career to date, and the perspective she has on her uncertain future. Also, she discusses her art. Her recent exhibition of oil and gouache paintings has a strong connection with her cross country career.

Nicole Bradbury's surprising World Cup win and what came next