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Mead looks ahead positively after UCI Para cycling World Cup efforts

New Zealand Para cyclist Rory Mead is excited about his world championship prospects and a longer view towards the Los Angeles Paralympic Games after strong performances in two UCI World Cup competitions in Europe.The 39-year-old hand-cyclist, who sustained a spinal cord injury while racing professional motocross 12 years ago, has completed his best UCI World Cup campaign.Mead enjoyed two podiums in the time trial and road race in Belgium last week, along with a time trial podium and fifth in a ...

Third straight podium for Mead at UCI Para cycling World Cup in Italy

New Zealand Para cyclist Rory Mead earned his third straight podium at the UCI World Cup in Italy today.The US-based Mead finished third in the 17.2km individual time trial, staged at the tourist region of Montesilvano, in the Abruzzo region alongside the picturesque Adriatic Sea.This follows bronze medals in the time trial and road race at the world cup in Belgium two weeks ago.The two-lap course along the coastline was super-fast on a slick surface, with the Wellington athlete trying to hold o...

Gaze produces brave effort in wild and wet UCI MTB World Cup

Only weeks after his impressive second placing in the Cape Epic eight-day race in South Africa, the Paris Olympian Sam Gaze produced a brave cross-country display in the season-opening UCI MTB World Cup in South Korea.The weather turned adversely overnight, with wild and wet conditions causing an extremely slippery race track that proved a significant challenge to riders.Starting back in 45th place on the grid, Gaze (Alpecin Fenix) rode through the field, in the challenging conditions, freq...

Kiwi teenager claims UCI MTB World Cup win in South Korea

Palmerston North 17-year-old Jonty Williamson produced a stunning finish to claim his first junior men’s UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in the opening round of the world series in South Korea today.Williamson, the Yeti Fox Factory rider, produced a stunning finish to claim the lead over fellow kiwi Malik Boatwright (Queenstown) by 0.2s.It looked like a kiwi shutout of the podium when Taranaki’s Camden Rutherfurd edged his way to third, only to be pushed back to fourth by Frenchman Sacha Brizin....

Ten kiwi gravity riders make finals in UCI World Series opener

Ten kiwi gravity riders have won through to the finals of the new UCI MTB World Cup season which has ventured to South Korea for the first time in 25 years.The new downhill qualifying system has seen elite men’s debutante Tyler Waite (Yeti-Fox Factory) as the only kiwi to work his way into the top-30 qualifiers on the new course at Mona YongPyong.Waite, third overall in the 2025 junior men’s season standings, missed out in the first round where the top 20 riders progressed, but was eighth in...

Second podium for Mead in UCI Para Cycling World Cup in Europe

May Day came with celebration for New Zealand para cyclist Rory Mead who earned his second podium at the UCI Para Cycling World Cup in Belgium.After a bronze medal in the time trial, the US-based out-sprinted American rival Cody Wills for third place in the 40km road race over four laps of the coastal course at Gistel on the North Sea.In perfect conditions, the Paris Paralympic gold medallist, Frenchman Florian Jouanny backed up his time trial victory with another win in the road race, staged ov...

Kiwi MTB troupe look to continue UCI World Series charge

After a watershed 2025 season on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series standings, kiwi riders will take their first pedal strokes of the new season with renewed confidence and new challenges.Fourteen kiwi riders were ranked in the top 10 on the 2025 global standings, with a number of them stepping up to the elite competition with a new wave of rising hopes looking to make their mark this year.The 2026 UCI MTB World Series begins this weekend in the new venue of South Korea before heading back to th...

Mead podiums in UCI Para Cycling World Cup time trial in Belgium

USA-based Kiwi Para cyclist Rory Mead has opened his 2026 international campaign with a podium in the UCI World Cup in Belgium today.Mead, who has been based back in his family home in Wellington over the summer, has finished third in the men’s handcycle time trial to open his European campaign in the coastal town of Middelkerke, Gistel.The 39-year-old produced a strong performance to podium behind the two Paris Paralympic gold medallists in Frenchman Florian Jouanny from France, the road race...

Kiwi Para cyclist set for opening UCI Road World Cup in Belgium

As ANZAC Day is commemorated in New Zealand, the world’s leading Para cyclists converge on the coastal community of Middelkerke in Belgium for the first UCI Para Cycling Road World Cup starting tomorrow.The area, besieged by Germany in WW2, will host the World Cup with the race courses running on the flat coastal roads of West Flanders beside the North Sea near Dunkirk, with the time trial and road race over the same 10.2km loop.Paralympic hand-cyclist Rory Mead is the sole New Zealander compe...

Two medals complete impressive haul for New Zealand track cyclists

New Zealand cyclists claimed two medals on the final night to complete a four-medal haul at the UCI Track World Cup in Malaysia.It completed an excellent haul of seven medals over two World Cup competitions in Hong Kong and Malaysia, with New Zealand pushing near the top of the UCI World Cup standings across their key events.There were a silver and bronze medals earned on the final night, with Samantha Donnelly claiming her first individual World Cup medal with third placing in the women’s fou...

Botha, Fowler bag more medals for New Zealand track cyclists

New Zealand’s most experienced track cyclist Bryony Botha joined with relative newcomer Prue Fowler to claim a silver medal in the two-rider madison on day two of the UCI Track World Cup in Malaysia.After their gold medal in the team pursuit on the first day, Botha and Fowler produced a strong performance in the two-rider madison event over 30kms with 120 laps where teams score points from sprints every 10 laps.One rider must be in action throughout, with team swapping with a hand-sling motion...

Kiwi track women overcome adversity to claim Malaysia World Cup win

An under-strength New Zealand’s women’s team pursuit combination overcame the odds to claim their second gold medal in two weeks at the UCI Track World Cup in Malaysia.With key rider Ally Wollaston having returned to her professional road racing duties in Europe, the team were further challenged with emerging star Prudence Fowler coping with ill-health which forced a change of tactics.Fowler moved to the unaccustomed role of starting, and having led for the first few laps, she pulled off, wi...

Oceania honours secure boost for Cooper’s MTB aspirations

New Zealand champion Anton Cooper wrapped up the Oceania Continental Mountain Bike Series with a double win in the final rounds in Cairns at the weekend.The Lapierre PXR Racing rider dominated both cross-country races, lapping his nearest riders at the Smithfield MTB Park in the north Queensland destination.The wins had double significance for Cooper, who earns a guarantee start in the short-track races for the upcoming UCI MTB cross-country season in Europe and North America.A key to a strong W...

2026 UCI BMX World Championships U19 team announcement r

Huge congratulations to the U19 riders selected to represent New Zealand at the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships.The team will be competing 17-25 July in Brisbane, Australia.We look forward to following your successes and wish you a safe and enjoyable campaign!...

New Zealand track cyclists set solid foundation in Hong Kong World Cup

New Zealand riders completed a solid start to the international track season, earning valuable ranking points on the final day of UCI Track World Cup in Hong Kong.The podium eluded the kiwi riders on day three but there were some strong performances as the Cycling New Zealand squad move to the next round of the UCI Track World Cup in Malaysia this weekend.The men’s pairing of Keegan Hornblow and George Jackson produced a strong performance to finish fifth in the challenging two-person Madison ...

New Zealand track cyclists earn valuable points in Hong Kong World Cup

Kiwi track cyclists earned solid ranking points without stepping on the podium on day two of the UCI World Cup in Hong Kong.The experienced Tom Sexton finished fifth in the men’s four-event omnium. The Southland rider placed ninth in the opening scratch race, 12th in the tempo race, sixth in the elimination and fifth in the pivotal points race.Sexton finished on 126 points with a strong overall performance to be only 11 points off the podium.The super-experienced Bryony Botha and relative...

Winning start for New Zealand track cyclists in Hong Kong World Cup

New Zealand riders made a brilliant start to their 2026 track cycling campaign with three medals including two golds on the opening day of the UCI World Cup in Hong Kong.Kiwi combinations took out the gold medal finals in both the women’s and men’s team pursuit, while experienced Southlander Tom Sexton grabbed the silver medal in the elimination final.The women rotated their five-strong squad, with Bryony Botha, Samantha Donnelly, Emily Shearman, Ally Wollaston bouncing back from the qualify...

Jones claims Utah gravel record

Nelson’s Cameron Jones set a new best time to claim the White Rim Trail gravel challenge in Utah.Jones won in 5:23.27 to take nearly 5 minutes off the previous best known time for the 160km challenge comprising 2.2km of elevation gain set across desert terrain through the Canyonlands National Park.The kiwi rider said he was four minutes behind the previous best time of Keegan Swenson at the halfway mark timing point."I had to sort-of stay optimistic that if I was putting up with the headwind e...

Demanding season gets underway for New Zealand track cyclists

Cycling New Zealand’s track riders will begin a demanding international programme this month after not competing on the world scene for seven months.The Cycling New Zealand high performance track team will compete at UCI Track World Cups in Hong Kong and Malaysia this month; building to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July and finally the UCI Track World Championships in China in October.Meanwhile the Cycling New Zealand Para cycling squad contest UCI Road World Cups in Belgium and Italy in ...

Experience wins out in enduro and short track MTB Nationals in Rotorua

Experience proved decisive whether a short-track sprint or full-day enduro on the final day of the UCI Mountain Bike Championships in Rotorua.Christchurch physiotherapist Mary Gray, who claimed Whaka 100 Marathon title last year, added the shortest of MTB titles, claiming the national short course victory on the final day of the championships in Rotorua.Gray edged out fellow Christchurch Singletrack Club rider Amelie Mackay and hometown Rotorua rider Ruby Ryan in the sprint finish to claim the C...

Walker and Bearman dominate BMX Racing national honours

Paris Olympic Games riders Leila Walker and Rico Bearman claimed the elite titles at the BMXNZ National Championships in Te Awamutu today.Walker, from the nearby Cambridge BMX Club, earned her second national elite BMX Racing title with three straight wins in the three-moto format which mixed the best elite and under-23 riders.She grabbed the holeshot in all three motos and was never threatened. Walker finished clear of fellow international elite rider, Megan Williams (Rotorua) and Te Awamutu’...

Lucky 11 for Cooper, Sheppard back home for national MTB championships

Two 30-something mountain bike legends showed that class is permanent as they dominated the Cycling New Zealand Cross-country Championships in Rotorua today.Christchurch professional Anton Cooper, 31, claimed his 11th elite national XCO honours while Australian-based kiwi Samara Sheppard dominated the elite women at the sport’s spiritual home in the Whakarewarewa Forest.It was the fourth time that Cooper has claimed the title in Rotorua and the second time for Sheppard, 35, who was based in th...

2026 UCI Junior Track World Championships Team Announcement

Cycling New Zealand is excited to announce the Team selected to the 2026 UCI Junior Track World Championships.The 13‑rider strong Team will represent New Zealand later this year in Zolder, Belgium, and features a balanced mix of Sprint and Endurance riders.The Team consists of:Men: Remi Dalton (Counties Manukau), Cooper Nilsson (Te Awamutu), Jack Allan (Counties Manukau), Oliver Keast (Canterbury), Riley Crampton (Canterbury), Alex Botha (Counties Manukau).Women: Minni...

Olympic pair to defend BMX Racing national titles at Te Awamutu

Olympians Leila Walker and Rico Bearman will be looking to extend their records at the BMX Racing New Zealand National Championships at Te Awamutu at the weekend.Sidelined with injury last summer, the 20-year-old Walker will be looking to add to her championship win in 2024.She claimed the Oceania elite title in New Plymouth last month in an impressive display by the Cambridge rider.Europe-based professional Rico Bearman will be hoping to build on his excellent 2025 season where he became the fi...

Cooper chases lucky No. 11 title at MTB national championships in Rotorua

The king of cross-country mountain bike, Anton Cooper is set to extend his extraordinary run in the Cycling New Zealand XCO National Championships at the spiritual home of the sport in Rotorua this weekend.The 31-year-old Christchurch professional is the hottest of favourites to add to his remarkable 10 elite championship titles at the famed Whakarewarewa Forest on Saturday.Cooper will be hoping to make it lucky 11 elite wins before joining the new Lapierre PXR Racing, a five-strong German-based...