Chloe Bear Misses Italian World Championship Due to Ankle Injury

Chloe Bear, a 19-year-old mountain biker from Bellingham, will not compete in the 2026 mountain bike enduro world championships in Finale Ligure, Italy. She sustained an ankle sprain during a training session in the days leading up to the event. The injury forces her to sit out the race, which she had prepared for over several months. Had she ridden, Bear would have been one of two American women in a field of 36 competitors from around the world.

Bear began her competitive career in North Bend, Washington, where she started riding bicycles as soon as her feet could reach the pedals. She competed in junior events for several years before setting her sights on higher-level competitions. In 2022, she decided to pursue the World Series and World Cup circuits. She now attends Western Washington University, where she studies material sciences and engineering as a second-year student.

Her coach, Joel Harwood, has trained Bear for two years. Based in Squamish, British Columbia, Harwood describes Bear as a calculated rider who seeks to understand the mechanics of her sport. He noted that enduro racing involves frequent contact with terrain features such as roots, rocks, and trees. He stated that while injuries are common, training often focuses on building durability to withstand such impacts. Harwood added that if Bear had rolled her ankle, he would have broken his leg.

Bear has accumulated a record of two national championship wins and six World Cup podiums. She placed second in the 2025 Junior World Cup and holds sponsorships with Smith Optics and Ibis Cycles. Professional rider Ingrid Larouche, a frequent riding partner, has known Bear since she was a young competitor. Larouche recalled that the racing community had long anticipated the emergence of a rider with Bear's talent.

The ankle sprain has paused Bear's racing schedule, but she views the time off as a period for preparation. She said she is not being hard on herself because injuries are a standard part of the sport. A study of the Enduro World Series from 2017 and 2018 found that 179 out of 2,029 riders reported at least one injury during 10 racing events over two years. Bear is currently rehabilitating her ankle and preparing for the upcoming season.

Balancing her athletic career with her university studies requires careful management of her time. Bear said she does not feel she must limit herself to one identity, noting that she can be an athlete and a student simultaneously. She remains focused on her goals in both areas while she recovers.