Mindset: Noah Ramsay

When Noah Ramsay lined up for his first short track race of the season in Puerto Rico, he didn’t yet realize how this race would shape his mindset for the season. The Toronto-based U23 mountain biker prepared tirelessly for this moment. As he pushed to a fifth-place finish, something clicked – raw power alone couldn’t carry him to the next level. Racing against the world’s best was different. That realization changed everything for Noah. From then on, he approached every day with a sharper focus – not just on how hard he could push, but on how to be more strategic in racing and training. That mindset made all the difference.

A Foundation for Growth

Noah entered 2024 with ambitious goals: a top 10 finish at a World Cup race, podium at XCO National Championships, and securing a pro team for 2025. His trajectory from local races to the world stage was fuelled by years of support from Bateman’s Bicycle Company, a Toronto bike shop that helped shape Noah as an athlete. “The Bateman’s club wasn’t just a team - it was a community that helped develop me in every way” Noah shared.

To chase bigger goals, Noah knew he had to make changes. He moved to Greenville, South Carolina for the winter, trading snowy streets for a warmer, more controlled training environment. “Greenville had everything I needed - mountains for climbing, flats for speed work, and endless trails for skill building”, Noah says. However, this shift wouldn’t just be physical - it was mental too. Noah took a break from university and poured his focus into training, recovery, and nutrition. “I wanted to give this everything I had.”

Fueling for Success

For Noah, stepping up to the next level wasn’t just about hours on the bike. It was about optimizing every aspect of his performance, including nutrition. With the increased training volume he was taking on, he needed to fuel harder than ever, but it had to be with something he could rely on consistently. That’s where Olway™ came in. The Performance Drink Mix quickly became his go-to. “Once I started using it, I realized right away that it just worked for me.” Noah explains. “It was easy on my stomach, so I didn’t have to worry about mid-race gut rot anymore, and the neutral flavor meant I never got tired of it.”

Affordability was another key factor. “As someone who goes through a lot of nutrition products, finding something budget-friendly was a huge win,” he says. During that first big training block, the benefits became even more apparent. “I’d finish rides feeling less drained, and for the first time, I was waking up the next day feeling refreshed and ready to go again.”

2024 in Reflection

Still, the demands of a packed race calendar took their toll. Mentally, Noah struggled with the weight of expectations. “I put so much pressure on myself to hit certain results that I started to shut down mentally, and it affected my ability to perform physically. My confidence was gone, and I couldn’t push the power I knew I was capable of” he admits. Talking to friends and family helped him recalibrate. He realized he had to focus on what he could control and trust that he’d done everything possible to prepare.

The results followed: a fifth-place finish at the Mont-Sainte-Anne Short Track World Cup, 11th at the Lake Placid XCO, and 12th at the Les Gets Short Track. But Noah’s proudest moment came at the Iceman Cometh Challenge. Learning from the race in Puerto Rico, he honed in on his race craft - “For the first time, I felt confident in both my plan and my fitness going into the race. It wasn’t just about being the strongest – it was about executing a strategy. That win was proof of how much I’d grown as a racer.”

Looking Ahead: A New Chapter

As Noah looks ahead to his first year in the elite ranks, he’s excited for a fresh chapter. While he’s keeping some plans under wraps, he hints at exploring new disciplines and bigger challenges. “This year taught me so much about what it takes to compete at the highest level,” he says. “I’m ready to take that into the next phase and see where it leads.”

2024 was more than a season for Noah – it was a year of transformation. A year that refined his mindset, sharpened his race craft, and reminded him of the joy to be found every step of the way. For Noah Ramsay, the journey is just getting started.