At the age of 18, Ava Holmgren was already a two-time Canadian elite women’s cyclocross champion. She had a silver medal from Cyclocross World Championships as a junior, and stood on the podium alongside her twin sister Isabella, who secured the gold. Yes, she competes on the road, too, and had a fourth on GC and the youth classification title at the prestigious Watersley Ladies Challenge in 2022.
She, along with twin sister Isabella, are the youngest of five children to parents Rob and Lisa Holmgren, both accomplished cyclists themselves, who frequented trails just north of Toronto at the Hardwood Ski and Bike recreation centre with their brood. Brother Gunnar, who is six years older than the twins, is a mountain bike professional and won the men’s MTB cross-country title at the 2023 Pan-American Games. He has been an inspiration for his youngest sisters, but cycling is also part of their DNA.
