Back to Blog

Podiums for kiwi gravity riders amid carnage at Andorra MTB World Cup

Palmerston North emerging MTB star, Jonty Williamson made it five wins from six starts after victory in the junior men’s downhill at the UCI MTB World Series in Andorra today.Joining him on the podium celebrations were Auckland’s Sacha Earnest with third place in the elite women, to match her performances from last week in Italy, and Queenstown’s Malik Boatwright who was third to Williamson in junior men.The trio led the way with 12 kiwis making the finals on the dusty and crumbling surfac...

Kiwi dozen downhillers dazzle in World Cup qualifying in Andorra

Kiwi mountain bikers enjoyed a remarkable qualifying performance in the opening day of racing of the latest UCI MTB World Series stop in Andorra today.Twelve New Zealand gravity riders qualified for tomorrow’s finals across all four grades, led by Rotorua’s Lachlan Stevens-McNab and Palmerston North’s Jonty Williamson who topped qualifying in elite men and junior men respectively.This betters last year’s previous qualifying record when 10 riders made it to finals at the same venue. The k...

In-form Kiwi gravity riders chase further heights in Andorra

Kiwi mountain bikers climb to the high altitude of Andorra for the sixth round of the UCI MTB World Series for both downhill and cross-country this weekend.After a highly technical and rewarding challenge in the Italian high mountains at the weekend, a 31-strong kiwi contingent will be looking forward to the familiar surrounds of Andorra ahead of the series’ summer break.The kiwi gravity group enjoyed success in Andorra last year with 10 riders finishing in their respective top-10s, led by thi...

Earnest claims UCI World Cup elite downhill podium in Italy

Auckland gravity rider Sacha Earnest grabbed the second elite podium of her career with third place in the latest round of the UCI MTB World Series in La Thuile, Italy today.The 1.84km course is the steepest on the World Cup circuit, with the Trek-Unbroken rider showing her poise and class to build throughout her run. Her outstanding run earned the leader’s hot seat for a short time before being edged by Austrian Valentina Holl and Swiss star Lisa Baumann by just 0.4s.Earnest, who now moves in...

Record 10 Kiwi gravity riders qualify for UCI World Cup MTB finals

Kiwi downhill mountain bikers responded to the challenge of the steepest track on the UCI MTB World Cup circuit at La Thuile in Italy today.A record 10 New Zealand gravity riders are through to finals across the four classes after qualifying down the 2.3km track with an average gradient of 28 percent, which gave no respite in changing conditions in the Italian Alps.Three New Zealand elite women qualified among the 15 finals spots, headed by Queenstown’s Jess Blewitt (Scott Downhill) who was si...

Gate realises dream, Bennett returns to Tour de France

Two of New Zealand’s most respected cyclists, George Bennett and Aaron Gate are among the 192 riders to tackle cycling’s biggest and most famous race when the Tour de France begins in Barcelona tomorrow.It is a special day for Gate, who will join the dots on his celebrated career on the track and road, with his second Grand Tour on cycling’s biggest stage.The 35-year-old becomes the 20th kiwi to start in Le Tour, having competed on the track in three Olympic Games, and a multi-world champi...

Steep World Cup test for New Zealand MTB riders in Italy

New Zealand’s burgeoning MTB racers take on arguably the steepest terrain on the circuit at La Thuile in Italy near the French border for the latest round of the UCI World Series for downhill, cross-country and enduro this weekend.After joining the downhill World Cup circuit last year, La Thuile offers a super-steep, technical and challenging courses.There are 37 kiwi riders competing this weekend, headed by current junior men’s downhill leader Jonty Williamson (Yeti Fox Factory) who is unbe...

Goldsbury earns podium in weather-hit UCI enduro MTB in Italy

New Zealand rider Winni Goldsbury has earned her third straight podium after wild weather disrupted the final day of the third round in the UCI Enduro MTB World Series in Trentino, northern Italy.Goldsbury was second overall in the elite women’s rankings going into the Italian round, initially planned for three stages on day one and four stages today. However, an electrical storm through the Dolomites region brought major changes, with the elite women completing two shorter sections and the el...

Goldsbury third after tough first day of UCI enduro MTB in Italy

Canterbury teenager Winni Goldsbury is in third place after the first day of a challenging third round of the UCI Enduro MTB World Series in Trentino, northern Italy.Goldsbury, who won the last round in Austria, is 12 seconds behind leader Ella Conolly (AUS) after a tough day of climbing and challenging timed descents.The long and physical day was made more challenging with overnight rain.The kiwi teenager is 12 seconds behind leader Ella Conolly (GBR), with fellow kiwi George Swift, the e-endur...

Tour of Southland turns 70

The SBS Bank Tour of Southland will celebrate the significant milestone its 70th edition in November.Australasia's longest-running multi-stage race, one of New Zealand's most highly-regarded sporting events, will return to its traditional date of November 1 to 7 this year. The milestone comes less than a year after organisers successfully delivered the rescheduled 69th edition in January this year, after postponement due to a weather emergency.Cycling Southland president Julian Ineson said reach...

Campbell Stewart announces his retirement

“After 15 years of racing bikes, the time has come for me to close this chapter and retire from professional cycling.“From the track to the road, this sport has taken me places I could only dream of as a kid. I've been lucky enough to represent New Zealand at the Olympics, win a world championship, take home a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, and race professionally on the road, along with so many other incredible moments.“There are so many people to thank, but a special thank you to Cy...

Palmerston North rider accelerates in downhill career

Talented teenage mountain bike downhill tyro, Jonty Williamson has bagged his fourth straight junior men’s victory in the UCI MTB World Series in Switzerland.The Palmerston North rider now holds the new record for the most consecutive world cup wins in the UCI Junior Men’s Downhill after the latest round in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.The 18-year-old Yeti Fox Factory rider produced an extraordinary display down the 1.84km dry and dusty track in the junior men’s final to win in 2:50.688. In a ...

Kiwi downhillers superb in Switzerland World Cup qualifying

An outstanding 15 New Zealand riders will contest the finals in the fourth round of the UCI MTB World Cup downhill at the famed Swiss resort of Lenzerheide.Kiwi gravity riders will start tomorrow’s downhill finals in all four classes, led by the mercurial Jonty Williamson from Palmerston North, who topped qualifiers in junior men. The Yeti Fox Factory rider is chasing a record-equalling fourth straight win in the final tomorrow.He will be joined by five other kiwis in the junior men’s final,...

Kiwi MTB gravity riders chase more success in rewarding Swiss stop

New Zealand MTB stars return to the happy hunting ground of Lenzerheide in Switzerland for the fourth round of the UCI World Series for both downhill and cross-country this weekend.Kiwi riders enjoyed three podiums and seven top-10 finishes from gravity riders last year and return with some in-form riders ready to feature prominently again.They are led by the super-hot Jonty Williamson, the Yeti-Fox Factory rider having won all three junior men downhill finals this year and was on the podium wit...

Christchurch teenager celebrates first Enduro MTB World Series win

Christchurch teenager Winni Goldsbury has scored an outstanding breakthrough win in the Enduro MTB World Series in Leogang, Austria today.The 19-year-old, in her first year fulltime in elite racing, dominated the 73km event, that incorporated six special stages and over 2000m in descending.The Specialized Racing rider established a 20 second lead after winning the opening two special stages, including coping with a flat tyre on stage two.Goldsbury saw her lead reduced to 16 seconds on Great Brit...

Lily Greenough impresses at BMX Racing World Cup in Netherlands

Cambridge teenager Lily Greenough impressed with a runner-up performance at the latest round of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in the Netherlands today.It marked a breakthrough ride for the 2025 Junior World Champion, bouncing back from injury to finish on the podium in the first full season in Under-23 competition for the 18-year-old kiwi.Greenough, in strong form in Saturday’s third round of the world series, finished seventh after a collision in the final.She bounced back to make her mark in ...

Young kiwi downhill rider scores third-straight UCI World Series MTB win

Palmerston North teenager Jonty Williamson bagged his third straight under-19 downhill victory at the UCI MTB World Series in Leogang, Austria today.The 18-year-old kiwi, who rides for the Yeti-Fox Factory team, produced a stunning performance in challenging conditions following a week of extremely wet weather that turned the famed course into a quagmire.Williamson becomes just the second person to win three under-19 downhill world series races in a row. In a sport often decided by fractions, th...

Heavy rain proves slippery challenge at MTB World Cup in Leogang

Heavy rain turned the downhill course into a muddy and slippery challenge in qualifying for the third round of the UCI MTB World Series in Saalfelden-Leogang in Austria.Rotorua’s MS Racing pro Tuhoto-Ariki Pene showed his prowess in the chaotic qualifying session, finishing a standout 10TH fastest in the first qualifying run and proved the only kiwi to make it through to tomorrow’s elite men’s final.Likewise, there were no kiwi elite women to qualify in the first run but Rotorua’s J...

Williamson, Earnest lead kiwi MTB UCI World Cup charge in Austria

The in-form kiwi mountain bike gravity gladiators will look to continue their hot start to the UCI World Series with the third round in the renowned Austrian region of Saalfelden Leogang.It is one of only two venues this year to hosts four UCI World Cup formats of – cross-country, short track, downhill and enduro.The young kiwi cartel has made a hot start to the season, led by the gravity riders with six currently in the top-10 in the overall rankings. It is led by Palmerston North rider Jonty...

Walker best of kiwis riders in UCI BMX Racing World Cup in France

Olympian Leila Walker led the kiwis on a challenging opening weekend in Sarrians, France to start the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup.The national champion was the only New Zealand rider to make the semifinals in the second round of the championship double-header but it was a case of déjà vu for Walker who was edged out in Saturday’s semifinal also.The Cambridge rider qualified third and was third in her quarterfinal but missed the snap out of the gate from the difficult middle lane in her sem...

Tough competition for Kiwi contingent in UCI BMX Racing World Cup opener

Junior world champion Lily Greenough led the New Zealand contingent in a super-charged opening round of the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Sarrians, France.The Cambridge teenager was the fastest across qualifying motos in the under-23 women on a blistering hot day in south-east France, winning her semifinal. While competing for the lead in the final, Greenough crashed in a battle with a Dutch rider on the last corner and did not finish.Greenough was the only New Zealand rider to progress to th...

European victory adds to Oliver’s remarkable array of cycling honours

Remarkable New Zealand cyclist Ben Oliver has clinched the first major UCI Tour victory for his new Modern Adventure Cycling team after claiming overall honours in the five-stage Tour de Wallonie in Belgium.Oliver muscled his way in a powerful sprint to claim the final stage dash to secure the overall general classification title in his first season on the UCI Tour.The North Canterbury rider, better known for his exploits as a mountain biker and criterium racer, out-muscled a group of five on th...

Ten kiwi riders line up for UCI BMX Racing World Cup opener in France

Ten New Zealand riders will line-up for the opening double rounds of the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Sarrians, France at the weekend.The UCI has announced this week that the 2026 season will comprise five double rounds, adding two double rounds in China to the schedule, with the World Cup also offering Olympic qualifying points.Sarrians, perched in the south of France between Monaco and Andorra, was the opening venue for last year’s championship series, with Paris Olympians and current na...

Powerful cycling contingent aiming for continued success in Glasgow

The New Zealand Team will have a 19-strong cycling contingent to contest track cycling events at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.The Scottish sporting city and aptly named Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome has been a happy hunting ground for Kiwi track cyclists who earned 11 medals at the 2014 edition of the Commonwealth Games.It was also home to New Zealand’s most successful UCI Track World Championships three years ago when kiwi track riders amassed a record eight medals.NZ Team cyclists selected ...

Two from two for Williamson, Waite flies in UCI MTB Downhill World Series

Palmerston North mountain biker Jonty Williamson made it two from two with victory in the junior elite downhill at the UCI MTB World Series in Loudenvielle, France today.After winning the opening round of downhill in South Korea, Williamson produced a stunning performance in the second round in the French Pyrenees today, with the Yeti-Fox top seed descending 540m down the 2.4km track to victory.Fellow kiwi rider, Hawkes Bay 19-year-old Tyler Waite, finished an outstanding fifth place in his seco...