The two-time Junior UCI Downhill World Champion and 2024 Junior UCI Downhill World Cup overall winner feels “very lucky to be walking” after an accident in practice at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania.

Erice Van Leuven (Norco Race Division) is recovering after sustaining injuries to her back, neck and wrist, following a crash during practice at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania, Australia.

The 18-year-old had completed a seeding run at the event’s second edition and was set to compete in the finals but came up short on the course’s 85ft (26m) creek gap in practice in what she described as “the biggest crash of [her] life”.

Posting on her social media, Van Leuven said:

“Well shit happens.

A humongous thanks to my team, my family and everyone around me, you are all legends.

I had the biggest crash of my life yesterday, and am very lucky to be walking. I’ve broken my back, neck and wrist along with some small internal injuries.

Once my lung heals up in the next few days the countdown will be on to fly back to NZ to spend some quality time with the animals at home!

A rollercoaster week at Hardline. From not thinking I could ride to ticking off the whole course in the space of a few runs.

This place is rad, but also no joke.

Fired up to come back next year.”

The event was the first time the two-time Junior UCI Downhill World Champion and 2024 Junior UCI Downhill World Cup overall winner had raced since moving to the Greg Minnaar-managed Norco Race Division in the off-season.

The New Zealander had been set to defend her title during the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, starting with the first UCI Downhill World Cup round in Bielsko-Biala, Poland, in May, but the injury will most likely rule her out for most, if not all, of the season.

We wish Erice a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back on track very so