Ankle sprain ends Bellingham rider's world championship bid in Italy

Chloe Bear will spend the coming weeks rehabilitating a sprained ankle rather than racing in the mountains of Italy. The 19-year-old Bellingham resident arrived in Finale Ligure for the 2026 mountain bike enduro world championships last month with the goal of competing. Instead, a crash during a training ride injured her ankle, forcing her to withdraw from the event before the start of the race.

The injury altered the demographic of the competition. Had Bear been able to race, she would have been one of only two American women among the 38 female participants. The field included riders from around the world, making the event a rare international gathering for the sport.

Enduro racing combines technical downhill stages with untimed uphill transfers. Riders must navigate steep, rocky terrain in timed segments, then pedal up to the next start without the clock running. The format demands both explosive speed and sustained endurance. Bear has specialized in this discipline since her early years in North Bend, Washington.

Her career statistics reflect a rapid rise through the ranks. Bear has secured two national championship titles and six World Cup podium finishes. She also placed second in the 2025 Junior World Cup. Current sponsors include Smith Optics and Ibis Cycles. She is currently a second-year student at Western Washington University, studying material sciences and engineering.

Joel Harwood, her coach based in Squamish, B.C., has trained her for two years. Harwood, who has coached for 20 years, describes Bear as a calculated rider who seeks to understand the mechanics of her sport. He noted that falls are an inherent part of enduro racing, comparing the impact of hitting the ground to full contact in other sports. "If Chloe rolled her ankle, I would have broken my leg," Harwood said.

Ingrid Larouche, a professional rider and frequent riding partner in Bellingham, has known Bear since the junior ranks. Larouche described Bear's riding style as effortless and recalled that the local community has anticipated Bear's success for years. "I've heard her name since she was a young girl racing and everybody was like, 'Oh look out for this young girl Chloe,'" Larouche said.

Bear maintains that her passion for the sport remains unchanged from her junior days to the elite level. She balances her training with her academic work, including a recent research project that recycled old ropes into rebar for construction. Bear stated that the current injury is a forced break that will help her prepare for future seasons. "I'm not going to be hard on myself, because I know that it's all just a learning experience," Bear said.