Elite cycling skills coach with professional racing background Professional cyclist demonstrating advanced technique XC mountain biker racing at elite level

About Me

Curtis Dowdell

For over 20 years, cycling has shaped my life—as an elite athlete, professional mechanic, and coach. I’ve raced extensively across Australia and overseas, earning Elite and U23 State Titles in Road, Cross Country MTB, Downhill MTB, and BMX Racing. This multi-discipline background supports and fuels my ongoing success in the endurance world, with continued success on the road, gravel, and XC mountain bike.

Heading up NXTLVL, I bring a unique and comprehensive blend of coaching expertise, elite level experience and technical precision. My approach is grounded in evidence-based training science, hands-on experience and a genuine passion for helping athletes unlock their full potential.

I hold deep expertise and interest in the science behind training, performance nutrition, technique refinement and equipment optimisation. I integrate evidence-based training methods guided by the latest research with elite-level experience gained through exposure to the highest level within road cycling. This blend gives me a precise understanding of the demands athletes face and how to best to guide them to reaching their optimal performance on the bike.

I have a strong drive for continual improvement. Staying up to date with emerging sports science, research, and modern training trends allows me to refine and ensure every athlete benefits from methods that are current, proven, and practical. Every strategy I coach has been tested personally, assessed in real-world settings, and validated through both data and results.

curtis dowdell experience elite road mtb cyclist head performance coach at nxtlvl performance cycling

Coaching Philosophy.
Tested.

My training methodologies are shaped not only by sports science and coaching knowledge but also by years of successfully applying and refining these same principles as an athlete. Now firmly at home in the endurance world of road, gravel and cross-country mountain biking, my racing background spans a rare mix of cycling disciplines, with success at national, and international levels. This diversity has shaped a well-rounded and deeply informed perspective on physical performance, skill development, and race preparation.

In addition to my own racing career, I’ve gained valuable insight from direct exposure to WorldTour professional road cycling environments, observing first-hand the systems, preparation, and detailed performance practices used by the best cyclists in the world.

Additionally, my 10 years of professional mechanic and bike-fitting experience— including the last five running my own performance-focused workshop — gives me the technical insight to support athletes with equipment and setup that fully complements their training and performance goals. From Olympic gold medallists to domestic talent aspiring to the top, I’ve worked across every level to complete the technical puzzle that supports an athletes performance.

Mission.

I believe in a comprehensive approach where training, fuelling, recovery, and technical execution work together to create consistent, sustainable progress.

Science and evidence-based, athlete specific programming
Training prescription designed in response to the unique athlete physiology
Skill and technique development
Performance-focused nutrition
Equipment and set-up optimisation

My mission is simple: to consolidate the knowledge, experience, and refinement that I've gained from deep exposure to the highest level across varied aspects of cycling and transfer it to athletes through comprehensive coaching, development and guidance that helps them reach their next level.

Click below to read more about the suite of unique and custom programs offered by NXT LVL.

Programs