Lachie Stevens-McNab: ‘Don’t leave any stone unturned’

The Union left us too soon. The scrappy, merry, not-for-profit band of devo DH racers sadly folded in the offseason. But fortunately for the sport, its spirit lives on in the form of its many successful alumni. And perhaps no rider better represents the program than Lachie Stevens-McNab.

Lachie is one of five new riders to Trek Factory Racing DH. The 21-year-old Kiwi is as down-to-earth and hard-working as he is fast. And boy is he fast. Last season he broke out in a big way, taking two World Cup podiums and a near-win if not for a small mistake in Poland. He became the poster boy for The Union’s brand of grit and gumption, traits that have been nurtured in him since he was young.

“Like my old man’s got an insane work ethic,” Lachie said. “Same as my mum. And really, I think it’s just the way I’ve been brought up, just to work as hard as you can, don’t leave any stone unturned. And I mean, I still have fun. I don’t see the point in stuff if you’re not having fun.”

Lachie is joined on TFR by one of his closest mates, Ollie Davis. The two rode together on The Union in 2023, and have been as thick as thieves ever since. Even as competitors on different teams last season, they still did track walks together, and shared notes and footage.

“We can tell each other how it is,” Lachie said. “And even about riding, if one of us is on a s— line, we really just listen to each other. I think we both want the best for each other. We really work together, and I think it’s good to be able to have two of you.”

Lachie has already been lighting it up in 2025, taking second at New Zealand National Champs and winning the Crankworx Summer Series race in Christchurch. Lachie spoke to the Race Shop about coming up through The Union, getting stoked for racing in 2025, and just how awesome it is to race with one of his best friends. The following conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

After a few team camps with Trek Factory Racing, how does it feel different than when you were at the Union? Or are there a lot of similarities in how the teams were run, both being part of the Trek ecosystem?

Lachie Stevens-McNab: TFR is definitely more professional, but I get on really good with all the people, so it’s still a good, almost family environment. And that was what was so good about the Union. But I think everyone on Trek, it kind of feels the same. It feels like it will be the same once we all get to know each other really well. And obviously I know Ollie really well. 

Speaking of Ollie Davis, what was your reaction when you found out he’d be joining TFR and you’d be teammates with your buddy again?

Lachie: Yeah, f—, I was so stoked. When he was telling me about it, I was like, ‘I don’t want to tell you what to do, but it’ll be sick.’ And I think we really push each other in a way that — sometimes, like brothers, we butt heads a bit. But we’re good enough mates that we can have a little tussle, and I think that really helps push ourselves to be better. You hear stuff about teammates and there being tension. But anytime there’s tension, we just have a tussle and then it’s all good. 

We can tell each other how it is. And even about riding, if one of us is on a s— line, we really just listen to each other. I think we both want the best for each other. We really work together, and I think it’s good to be able to have two of you. 

And even Matt [Walker], we get on with him real good, too. So I think the three of us can really, even though it’s a one man sport, we can work together as a team to be for us.

How do you guys get around the competitive nature of the sport to make sure everyone is performing well? 

Lachie: For me, with Ollie, like I don’t really care. If I do the best run I can and he beats me, I’m stoked for him. I feel like it’s pretty sick if I can be at the top with my mate. That’s how I look at it. I’m not worried about him beating me, really. If he beats me, I’m stoked for him. 

And he’s the same for me. Like even this year, when we were on different teams, we’d always walk the track together and talk about it and watch GoPros. And we didn’t have track people [on the Union], so he’d always be sending me over videos. And when [TFR team manager Andrew] Shandro started sending us videos, I was sending them to him.

You’ve mentioned how much The Union meant to you. What was the personality of that squad? 

Lachie: It was close, almost like a family, really. But everyone had to pull their own weight, which was good. Because we didn’t have all the money and everything. We had great opportunities and great support, but because we were limited with what we had, everyone really had to help each other, you know? No one could sit back and just do nothing, which was good, and everyone really did pull their own weight, so that made it easy to help each other out.

You have a new trainer and you’ve been on a new training regimen. How has that been?

Lachie: I’m still just learning, really. It’s been really big for me to make sure that my communication is better. So that’s been a big change, is just making sure that I’m always telling how I’m feeling, whether it’s an actual strength program and talking to the trainer and making sure that I’m not overdoing myself — or if I’m feeling really good, to put a little more in.

2024 was a big breakout year. What do you credit that improvement to?

Lachie: I’ve gotten older, and to be honest, I think it’s just my whole upbringing, really. Like my old man’s got an insane work ethic. Same as my mum. And really, I think it’s just the way I’ve been brought up, just to work as hard as you can, don’t leave any stone unturned. 

And I mean, I still have fun. I don’t see the point in stuff if you’re not having fun. Like, I love riding bikes and I love just doing stuff. 

I don’t really let too much stuff get to me, you know. I think it would have been pretty easy to just kind of throw the towel in after just two years and some pretty gnarly injuries in my career.

How have your parents supported your career and development?

Lachie: My parents supported me through everything, really. As long as I’ve worked hard — if I just took everything and didn’t work and just wanted to cruise through, they wouldn’t have that. But they see that I work hard, so they’ve always supported me as much as they could. Like my mom, she was a professional softball player. She was on the New Zealand team for softball so she’s got an athletic background. And my dad just does everything. He’s given me and my brothers the tools to do whatever we want. They’re not pushy. They’re just like, if you want to do something and you work hard, we’ll always support you. I’m pretty lucky, because there’s no way I’d be able to be doing what I’m doing without them. 

What makes 2025 a successful season for you? 

Lachie: I’m excited just to race, really. I’m stoked that we’re starting in Poland. I’m really looking forward to getting away, and getting racing. 

I think a good season next year will definitely be a step up from this season. I think I had a good season last year, but I also had races where I wasn’t in the final, so I don’t want to have any of those. 

And I want to consistently have the speed at every race that I show up to this year. And I think I was pretty consistent this year with my speed, just not the results. I was getting in crashes and stuff like that. So really just another step up from the season will be a success.