2022 Pinkbike Awards: Athlete of the Year Nominees

Dec 15, 2022 at 8:42
by Ed Spratt  

Athlete of the Year Nominees

Racing in 2022 brought no shortage of drama and excitement with nail-biting finishes and huge sends across all forms of racing competition. The sport seems to be more exciting than ever as the list of possible winners grows larger at every completion. We are facing some uncertainty going into 2023, but we are sure once everyone is back between the tape it will hopefully be another great year.

Our Athlete of the Year contenders this year come from a variety of disciplines and include our first nominee to hold four current World Champ titles. From cross-country to downhill and enduro, here are our nominees for Athlete of the Year:




No one wants to win here more than hometown hero Jesse Melamed.
Jesse Melamed


Why they are nominated

Jesse Melamed has been at the top of the Enduro World Series for years, and has become a constant threat for the podium and the overall standings. For 2022 everything came together for Jesse with results no lower than 3rd at the opening six rounds of the series. The results from the first six rounds included three first-place finishes, ensuring that he would best Richie Rude by over 500 points by the end of the season.



Another World Cup win to add to Camille Balanche s repertoire.
Camille Balanche


Why they are nominated

Camille Balanche seemed unstoppable in 2022, not dropping outside the top three up to round six with three wins and five fastest qualifiers. The overall seemed all but certain going into the seventh round at Mont-Sainte-Anne, but a crash in practice that led to a broken collarbone put a damper on the dream of wrapping things up at that race. After the crash, it was speculated that she could possibly be back before the end of the season but it seemed all but impossible.

Camille fought back hard from the injury and was back for the World Champs in Les Gets taking fourth place after having surgery and managed to take fifth place at the final race in Val di Sole, securing the 2022 World Cup overall title with a 60-point lead over Myriam Nicole.



Amaury Pierron rips over the line to take yet another win. He s the man to beat this season.
Amaury Pierron


Why they are nominated

After a tough 2021 season with injuries to his kidney, liver, and lung Amaury Pierron was back on form this year with four wins across the season and with his usual on-the-edge riding style. While a puncture stopped an early overall victory in Mont-Sainte-Anne Amaury had amassed such a long point gap that he only had to secure a single point in the final round to secure the overall title. This turned out to be very lucky, as despite coming 53rd in Val di Sole Amaury still won the overall by 245 points. Not content with just winning the overall Amaury Pierron came the closest to toppling the World Champs specialist Loic Bruni at the Les Gets World Championships.



Pauline like a bat out of hell increased her gap with every passing lap.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot


Why they are nominated

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot ran a risky strategy coming into 2022. Instead of peaking in time for the World Cup season she instead put everything on the line to secure World Champs glory on home soil. It looked like she may have not had the speed this year but the doubters were proven wrong - her decision to skip the two World Cup rounds in North America meant she was fresh-faced for a showdown in Les Gets.

Pauline's strategy couldn't have paid off better, not only taking the XC World Champs title but also winning the XCC Short Track rainbow jersey for 2022. Not satisfied with just this she went on to win the final XCC and XC World Cups of the year in Val di Sole. But the season wasn't over for the double World Champion just yet, as not satisfied with two rainbow jerseys in 2022 Pauline went on to secure the XC Marathon and Gravel titles.



Jackson Goldstone had to play second fiddle to Jordan Williams this weekend.
Jackson Goldstone


Why they are nominated

For the second year in a row Jackson Goldstone features on our Athlete of the Year list. Following up on his extremely successful 2021 season was always going to be tough and even more experienced racers have struggled to follow up years that didn't reach the heights of Jackson's first year at World Cups. Not only did Jackson face the pressure to follow up a World Cup overall title and the rainbow jersey, but he was a fresh signing on an updated Santa Cruz Syndicate team.

None of this seemed to faze Jackson as he went out and won five World Cups across the season and just missed out on World Champs to closest rival Jordan Williams. Not content with just competing with fellow Junior racers Jackson took on the challenge of Hardline and not only made it through to finals unscathed but won the event by almost seven seconds against a stacked field including Gee Atherton and Bernard Kerr.




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113 Comments

  • 431 5
 My 2 cents- but what about the kid that rode his bike to the EWS rounds?

www.pinkbike.com/news/bikepacking-340km-a-day-to-complete-the-ews-series-part-3-saving-the-hardest-for-last.html
  • 21 1
 I agree.
  • 191 0
 @suppsy754, don't worry, this isn't the only athlete award category. We didn't forget about Matthew Fairbrother - he's a beast.
  • 6 0
 @mikekazimer: Right on!
  • 39 0
 Maybe call this professional athlete of the year. Hands down the “athlete of the year” is Mr Fairbrother.
  • 2 0
 We concurr
  • 3 0
 pb should ink him into the race team
  • 2 0
 This is not athlete of the year... so BEAST of the year!
  • 142 1
 Pauline Ferrand Prevot did WHAT?

"... [Won] XC World Champs title but also winning the XCC Short Track rainbow jersey for 2022. She went on to win the final XCC and XC World Cups of the year in Val di Sole. But the season wasn't over for the double World Champion just yet, as not satisfied with two rainbow jerseys in 2022 Pauline went on to secure the XC Marathon [World] and Gravel [World] titles."

That's wild.
  • 33 2
 Yeah... I mean the others are impressive, especially Camy's comeback from the collarbone... but in terms of pure athletic domination... Pauline is unmatched.
  • 2 12
flag tonywilhelms0K8 (Dec 19, 2022 at 15:27) (Below Threshold)
 @bonkmasterflex: #winninghardline #unmatched
  • 44 0
 I actually believe that if Pauline were to win CX worlds in February in Hoogerheide (NED), she could take all five Worlds Jerseys and forge them into One Jersey to Rule them All. In place of some XC racers, roadies and wannabe gravel pros, we will have a Queen. And she shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love her and despair!
  • 7 6
 @The-Foiling-Optimist: started off clever and cheeky, then continued into creepy concern territory, finally ending with strong suspicion that you should be on a watch list but aren’t. Bravo and well done
  • 1 0
 yup...there really can only be one winner
  • 4 0
 @shortcuttomoncton: Someone needs to watch LOTR
  • 1 1
 If she doesn't win this she shouldn't have been nominated. So incredible!
  • 1 0
 @bonkmasterflex: I love how you said “watch”…..as if reading were not an option
  • 35 0
 Impossible decision as always. Four rainbows is my pick. Hats off to everyone nominated his year, amazing to see individuals pushing the sport beyond the limit
  • 2 0
 I'm always curious who gets to decide. Why isn't there a poll here so we can vote? Even if the decision is made some other way - the poll here could be the peoples choice...
  • 5 5
 @trillot: I'm not interested to see semenuk win every categories. I prefer some adults that are actually mountainbiking to decide.
  • 2 2
 @trillot: (as long as the why of the decision is absolutely transparent)
  • 38 4
 @JesseMelamed may be fast on the bike, but I can load up more ranch dressing on a chicken tender than any of the pros!
  • 6 1
 Did you just give away the challenge for final of the Pinkbike Academy?
  • 3 0
 That's violently midwest of you
  • 31 2
 Even some of the seasoned pros were struggling on the Hardline course, so for Jackson to take the win was amazing.
  • 5 2
 Hardline was a disturbance in the force.. We may be looking at the next Arron Gwin before us. This kid could decimate the DH field in 2023!
  • 23 0
 Vote for Pedro!
  • 3 0
 PEDRO FTW!!!
  • 7 0
 Pedro takes that thing off some pretty sweet jumps.
  • 1 0
 lucky
  • 17 0
 PFP didn't just only win XC World Champs, she absolutely destroyed a stacked field of competitors – just rode away from them early on.
  • 12 0
 It's worth mentioning - with caveats about differing conditions - that Jackson often had times competitive with the winner of the men's elite field this season. Super impressive. But Pauline deserves the award based on how dominant she was across the pedally disciplines. She even won that short track race in Brazil at the very beginning of the season despite not yet being in peak shape.
  • 11 0
 My heart says Jesse Melamed. Crushing it in the EWS and hailing from Canada. But in all seriousness, what PFP did is crazy. 4 World Championships within the same year is just nuts, one of the most solid performances ever and what set's her apart here.
  • 3 0
 I appreciate it! But I agree, no way PFP can be 2nd to anyone for her achievements this year.
  • 15 2
 Pretty tough to decide, all worthy options. I'd say Balanche cause she's about as bad ass as it's possible to be!
  • 14 1
 Cam Bal!!! She deserves it.
  • 13 1
 no Nino?
  • 4 0
 Right? Nove Mesto and Worlds were by far the performances of the year. The former was simply unbelievable IMO and without the mechanical he, at 35 years old, would have beaten arguably the best multi-disciplined rider alive.
  • 15 4
 PFP for sure!
  • 7 1
 Tough one, but gotta be Cam for me. It's not mentioned here, but she's only been riding downhill for a few years, and going from a newcomer a few years ago to finishing the first few races of the year without a result worse than 2nd is a pretty incredible underdog story. Her comeback from injury made it even more incredible. This was definitely the story I was most excited and invested in this year.
  • 10 0
 The judges will be looking for who’s the WHOLE PACKAGE
  • 5 0
 Should go to Yoann Barelli. I hear he’s got 1.3 packages.
  • 1 0
 @blinglespeed: LOL
  • 13 9
 “ Jackson won hardline by almost seven seconds against a stacked field including Gee Atherton and Bernard Kerr.”
It’s as if that was the first race gee Atherton had done since his massive crash, and that Bernard had a huge one on first hit of the 90fters the day before, probably could have used some better examples of the “stacked field” than two injuried guys
  • 8 3
 Race results are what can be thrown down on the final run, but that's all a culmination of a year's riding. It's about staying fit and healthy throughout the year...which Gee and Bernard could not do.
  • 6 0
 @rockandride6: Bernard still landed top 5 overall in DH lol fair to say he stayed fit and healthy
  • 5 0
 That’s kinda how hardline and rampage work though. 1. Survive 2. Try to get a result.
  • 1 0
 @souknaysh: Not saying he didn't, but I also don't think the fact that he crashed in practice is a good reason to discount Jackson's performance.
  • 1 0
 Ahh you see, but Jackson goldstone not only did not crash as hardline, but also didn't take a big crash in his world cup dh season.
  • 2 2
 But it's not a fair open race to all the field of riders... His Junior rival would had had a word on it... Don't think at all he couldn't do that and this new generations they are ready for the big stuff...
  • 2 0
 @kmo344: which speaks to his skill as a rider
  • 10 6
 Camille B, without question. The most underdogged underdog, winning, and slaying, leading series. Crashes at end of season, breaks collarbone, does the impossible work and dedication to SAVE her title, wins title in the most dramatic season ender in world cup DH history. There is no other vote.
  • 5 0
 Let's not forget Goldstone also had some impressive Crankworx results winning both Whip offs and just off podiums in Speed and Style. Kid punches above his weight for sure. But Pauline's 4 champs are hard to beat
  • 7 4
 Feel the need to go with Jackson, due to winning Hardline. It's one thing to dominate in the realm which you are kinda expected to dominate. It's another to outride a bunch of adults on the scariest course of the year. I can only assume Jackson hasn't quite hit jumps that big before then. Excited for next year for him (if I can afford to watch it...)
  • 6 0
 Pauline gets this one. She absolutely dominated. Props to Jackson for showing up the old guard at hardline though.
  • 6 0
 I’m not a die hard XC fan by any means, but PFP deserves this one. That’s a once in a generation kind of season.
  • 4 0
 Pauline deserves it for such an insane streak of rainbows... but Cam win's the best comeback & biggest heart of a champion award.
  • 5 0
 What PFP did is just insane, and unmatched by any other rider 4x world champ in the same year , what!?
  • 5 0
 Pauline, Camille, Amaury, they delivered the mail.
  • 3 0
 Goldstone. Because Hardline. Jesse, Camille tied for close second, but to survive hardline and win it on his first attempt…
  • 3 0
 I'd pick Amaury because his borderline out of control style is more entertaining than the clean and precise guys (Bruni, Iles, Minnaar, etc.).
  • 4 0
 Nobody gets me more fired up to go ride my bike than Jackson goldstone. Pro athlete of the year.
  • 1 0
 To put Camille Balache here is pretty misguiding; shure, when Vali and Nicole crash, Camille is there. But when the are on their bike, Camille is so far behind. And staying on the bike is what rightfully made Cam the champ. But far from Athlete of the year, when your success is depending on others failure.

Jackson Goldstone is on the other side all out speed and talent. So worthy of winning!
  • 2 1
 Bruni‘s run in les Gets will remain on the memeory of the thousands of people who were here this day, that’s why he is my athlete of the year: He did an unhuman run on the very most important day of the year.
  • 1 0
 pretty sure they'll have a "performance of the year" award lined up
  • 2 0
 PFP! Haley Batten would be good too. Keeping up and beating some of the best of the best!
  • 2 0
 Cami for me and it's not even close. One of the most badass things I have ever seen.
  • 1 0
 Dang what a stacked field. Each one totally deserving. I have to go with Cam as she showed a lot of heart coming back from that injury.
  • 2 0
 Pidcock did ok, TDF, world Cx champ and did well at XC. Maybe not enough wins to be in contention.
  • 2 0
 All amazing performances and definitely all worthy winners; but for me PFP is the standout, possibly with JG as runner-up.
  • 2 0
 I think I have to go with Amaury. He was so dominant, but I wouldn't be mad if Cami or PFP won honestly.
  • 4 2
 Gee… I am not sure about this list.
  • 4 2
 why is there no slopestyle?
  • 3 4
 the pinkbike guys believe it's irrelevant and only racing exists because it looks kinda like the type of riding they do themselves
  • 2 0
 Gracie Hemstreet gets my vote.
  • 2 0
 I don't think anyone can top PFP did this year
  • 2 0
 Jss Mlmd
  • 1 0
 I have no idea who should win this.
  • 1 0
 What is that rod on Melamed’s fork?
  • 1 0
 measuring equipment
  • 2 0
 oooo Jackson or Cami
  • 2 0
 gold stone
  • 2 0
 No Emil?
  • 2 1
 I'd love to have seen Gracey Hemstreet on this list of nominees.
  • 2 3
 Surely Pidcock deserves a mention? Cyclocross world champ, 2 xc wc victories and winning Alp Dhuez in TDF! Now that's versatility.
  • 1 0
 Excellent point. And it makes our sport look good when a rider gets results at the highest levels of road racing in the same season that they also compete successfully but not dominantly in mountain bike races.
  • 1 0
 Emil Johansson should be on this list of nominees
  • 1 0
 Expected BK to be on the short list.
  • 2 1
 jackson goldstone for sure long live chainsaw the legacy continue
  • 1 0
 No Matthew Fairbrother???
  • 1 0
 Not fair, brother.
  • 1 0
 Oops, my bad
  • 1 0
 Andreas Kolb
  • 1 0
 ^^^ 100% ^^^
  • 1 1
 Love this list. Just with to see Remy Metailler on it too.
  • 1 0
 LEVY!
  • 1 0
 Jackson!
  • 1 0
 Where's Bernard Kerr?!
  • 1 0
 Max for sure!
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