Tyler Allison
So what if he can't say he dominated from the start of his career. Competing near his Whistler, B.C., home in 2002, at ten years old, Allison got lost in the woods and failed to finish. Since then, though, he's had no trouble finding his way, leading Canada's under-17 circuit and winning Canada's National Mountain Bike Championships the past two years. Last spring, at Monterey, California's Sea Otter Classic, Allison crashed and broke two fingers but still finished fourth in his age group. "I like thinking that I'm out there with friends," says the 15-year-old. "It helps me relax so I can focus on winning." Although he excels in all disciplines, his dream is to compete in cross-country at the Olympics. Plan on seeing him in 2012.