Loïc
Bruni
France
·
MTB
Date of birth | 13 May 1994 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Cagnes-sur-Mer |
Age | 31 |
Nationality | France |
Career start | 2013 |
Disciplines | Mountainbike Downhill |
Everything seemed predisposed for Loïc Bruni to become a big name in downhill mountain biking. His father, Jean-Pierre, was one of the European pioneers in the discipline, collecting national and international titles throughout his career. Loïc watched and learned, succumbing to the passion of mountain biking from an early age.
In the wake of fellow French Riviera 'neighbours' Nicolas Vouilloz and Fabien Barel, the young boy from the Côte d’Azur soon showed off his downhill talents in junior races on the French circuit, as well as the French National Series.
A junior trailblazer
Picked up to ride for Team Lapierre Gravity Republic as a junior in 2011, Loïc went on to become junior champion in France. He announced his arrival on the world scene in 2012, when, still a junior, he claimed his first podium in the Elite World Cup at Windham in the United States and also took the junior World Championship.
In 2013, his first year as an elite athlete, he once again stepped up on the podium in Val di Sole, Italy, before scoring a second place in the World Cup in Leogang, Austria, finishing fourth overall for the World Cup that season.
These days, the sight of Loïc on the podium is a familiar one, and in 2015 he celebrated a second-place finish overall in the Downhill World Cup. And armed with a brand new custom ride, Loïc’s incredible speed earned him the top spot at the Downhill World Championships in Vallnord, Andorra, pitching him as a credible future World Cup title contender.
In 2016 he continued his impressive form, taking three podiums in the DH World Cup.
World Championships hat-trick
Despite an injury-hit 2017 World Cup campaign, he was able to put together form and fitness in time for the World Champs in Cairns, spoiling the Australian party to bring home gold for a second time – an incredible achievement at his young age. The following year, as well as taking the World Cup win at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Loïc again saved his best form for the season-ending race – finishing 2018 as World Champion for the third time.
Loïc then made downhill history in at the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada, when he successfully defended his 2018 in incredible style to become only the second male rider in history to win three World Championships gold medals in a row.
Double celebrations
A week after his Worlds hat-trick success, Loïc followed that achievement up by sealing the 2019 Mercedes-Benz UCI MTB World Cup overall for the first time to score a rare World Cup and World Champs double.
Loïc was unable to hold onto his title in 2020, narrowly missing out to fellow Frenchman Loris Vergier and having to settle for second overall in the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup, but he returned to the top of the standings in 2021 after a thrilling finale in Snowshoe.
The following year Loïc bounced back from a mid-season injury to secure an incredible fifth downhill title on home soil at the UCI MTB World Championships in Les Gets, France, where he led home a historic French 1–2–3.
Two more memorable years then followed for the French rider as he secured his third and fourth UCI MTB World Cup overall titles in 2023 and 2024 respectively, proving that he remains the man to beat in every downhill event.
2025: Dramatic finale and fatherhood
After crashing during morning practice at the 2025 World Cup series finale at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Loïc was unable to drop his finals run and ultimately finished the season in second place overall. Not long after, he became a father for the first time with the birth of his baby boy, saying: "2025 was amazing considering everything. I’m a dad now, I can get fat and have an excuse."
Loic at Les Gets in France
© Karolina Krasinska/Red Bull Content Pool
Celebrating on the podium at UCI DH World Cup in Loudenvielle
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Not stumped by this one is Loïc Bruni
© Nathan Hughes
If it's good enough for Loïc Bruni...
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool