A Legacy of Passion, Perseverance, and Pioneering Mountain Biking
MTB Girls Magazine: Looking back at your amazing mountain biking career and all your contributions to the sport, reflecting on your journey, what initially drew you to mountain biking, and how your early experiences shaped your career?
Leigh Donovan: Wow, I think there’s a lot to unpack in that question! To start, what drew me in? I was a really lost 20-year-old woman, struggling to find something that completed me. I had been a BMX racer from age 11 to 18, and after that, there wasn’t much else for me in the sport. I was in college, going through the motions, but nothing felt special or right.
By chance, some neighbors told me about mountain bike racing and thought I’d be good at it, so they reached out to Haro Bicycles, got me a bike, and I raced my first Downhill and Dual Slalom events at Mammoth Mountain in 1992. I had been dabbling with mountain biking, but the endurance side didn’t appeal to me as much as the downhill aspect, and when I raced, the excitement and challenge of it really hooked me. It was like BMX but on a bigger stage, and I realized I’d found a new passion and purpose.
MTB Girls Magazine: In 1995, just a few years after your first race, you won the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championships. That’s such a fast progression! Can you share the challenges you faced leading up to that victory and the impact it had on your life?
Her Transformative Journey: From Trial & Error to World Champion
Leigh Donovan: It was surreal how quickly everything unfolded. In 1993 and 1994, I had full-time teams supporting me, and I was traveling the world, learning, and growing as an athlete. But those years were trial and error. I didn’t have the tools or knowledge to succeed until I found an incredible support system.
In 1995, I hired a coach named Valentine Soungatoulin, who helped me train and truly believe in myself. I joined a supportive group of riders, had a bike sponsor, and surrounded myself with people who elevated me. That year was transformative, I became strong, confident, and capable in ways I never imagined. Winning the World Championship in Germany, in front of 50,000 fans, was life-changing. It elevated me personally, professionally, and financially. It proved to me that with the right mindset and support, I could achieve anything.
MTB Girls Magazine: You retired in 2001, but then made a remarkable return to competitive racing in 2010. What motivated your comeback, and how did you balance training with family life?
Leigh Donovan: By 2001, I had been racing for almost a decade and after some serious injuries in the 2000’s, I was ready to move on and focus on my long-term health. But my love for the sport never faded, I stayed connected, raced a few events each year, and remained a fan, still am!
In 2009, after competing in a Crankworx race, I felt that spark again. I decided to train part-time, just five hours a week while balancing my clothing boutique, Tangerine, and family life.
