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Kiwi downhill and enduro riders set for super-fast racing in the Pyrenees

New Zealand mountain bikers return to a favoured stop in the French Pyrenees for the next rounds in the UCI World Series for both downhill and enduro competition this weekend.The popular venue of Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, perched in the Louron Valley, will host the second round of the UCI MTB World Series for downhill and the third row for enduro.Last year nine kiwi riders finished in the top-10 and they are all returning to look for further success across both disciplines.The enduro competition ...

Podium for Maxwell to maintain UCI MTB Cross-country World Cup lead

Emerging New Zealand mountain bike star, Sammie Maxwell, produced a brilliant performance to emerge from the pack to claim runner-up in the third round of the Whoop UCI MTB Cross-country World Series in the Czech Republic.The Decathlon Ford rider was forced to work her way through the field after an indifferent short track race result earlier in the week saw her start from 25th on the grid. Maxwell worked her way forward gradually, catching the leaders midway through the eight-lap race at t...

Kiwi riders look ahead after torrid short-track MTB cross-country races

Both New Zealand riders, Sammie Maxwell and Sam Gaze were impeded in an aggressive short track cross-country race at the UCI MTB World Series in Nove Mesto Na Moravé in the Czech Republic.Series leader after two rounds in Brazil, Maxwell came down in a melee involving several riders in the high-speed short track race, eventually getting back on the bike to finish 36th which means a fourth-row start in tomorrow’s main race.“In all seriousness, thanks to the crowds today for cheering me ...

Maxwell carries top seeding as MTB World Series heads to Europe

The UCI Mountain Bike World Series hosts the first cross-country competition in Europe for 2025 at the famed course in Nové Mĕsto na Moravé, the quaint mountain sports resort in the Czech Republic.After a double round in the steamy climes of Brazil, the XCO competition heads back to Europe with cool conditions and some rain forecast.It also begins six rounds in Europe, followed by two in North America, with a New Zealand rider at the top of the world cup rankings.After her win in the opening ...

Young kiwi talent earn gravity podiums in UCI World Cup downhill opener

New Zealand’s dynamic young talent bagged three podiums between them in downhill finals on the opening day of the Whoop UCI MTB World Series in Poland today.Tauranga’s Eliana Hulsebosch, in her first World Series final with for the highly rated Santa Cruz professional team, finished superbly to grab third place in the junior women’s final at the Szczyrk Mountain Resort in Bielska-Biala.She was joined with podium success by fellow kiwis in the junior men where Hawkes Bay rider Tyler Waite w...

Stevens-McNab and Blewitt lead kiwi gravity group in world series opener

The New Zealand gravity riders made their mark in cold and slippery conditions on the opening day of the UCI MTB World Series for downhill in Poland.Eight kiwi downhill riders have qualified through to the finals tonight with plenty of overnight rain making the course more challenging at the Szczyrk Mountain Resort.Leading the way was Rotorua’s Lachie Stevens-McNab with the Trek Gravity Factory rider sixth fastest in downhill qualifying to move directly to tomorrow’s final. He blasted down t...

Kiwi downhill and enduro MTB riders set for UCI World Series in Poland

Twenty-seven New Zealand riders have entered the UCI MTB World Series dual competition for both enduro and downhill in Poland this weekend.There are 12 riders from New Zealand entered in the second round of Enduro World Cup in Bielsko-Biala in southern Poland, with competition based over the Enduro Trails network on Friday and Saturday (local time).Meanwhile the nearby Szczyrk Mountain Resort is the base for the opening World Cup round for downhill, with 15 New Zealanders gravity riders entered ...

Kiwi young guns Goldsbury and Millward shine in Enduro MTB World Series

Kiwi teenagers Winni Goldsbury and Cooper Millward made stunning starts to the UCI MTB World Series at the opening round of the Enduro in Italy.Goldsbury (Specialised Gravity, Christchurch) has finished seventh in her debut in the elite women’s competition, while Cooper (Alexandra) placed second in the junior men in the gruelling two-day World Series event in Pietra Ligure, on the Italian Riveira.Enduro is the mountain bike equivalent of motor rally, where the contestants are timed over a seri...

Murray leads New Zealand enduro riders in UCI World Cup opener

The UCI MTB World Series returns to home base in Europe, starting with the opening round of Enduro competition in Italy.It is the first of 24 rounds across Enduro, Downhill and Cross-country competition in Europe before the final two rounds for XCO and Downhill in North America.There are 11 New Zealand riders competing in this weekend’s opening round of enduro competition at Pietra Ligure, a tourist city on the Italian Rivera, 60kms from Genoa.Leading the kiwi charge is Specialized Gravity tea...

Kiwi Para-cycling star ticks the boxes on her return to international racing

Waikato’s multi world and Paralympic medallist, Nicole Murray, has ticked off the key boxes in her return to international Para-cycling competition in Belgium.Murray, competing in the C5 category at the opening UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, finished fifth in the 58km road race on a lap course in Bruges.She rode in the lead bunch with a select group of seven riders fighting out for the sprint finish. The short 11.5km circuit meant that at one stage their women’s C5 was stopped to allow a f...

Proven performers take on mountain bike’s rising young riders

While exciting young mountain bikers continue to stretch the boundaries in the sport, some older heads will be keen to show they are far from a spent force at the Cycling New Zealand MTB Nationals in Rotorua this weekend.Leading the way is Canterbury 30-year-old Anton Cooper, making his return to the sharp end of cross-country racing as he looks to become the first kiwi rider to achieve 10 national elite titles.After illness forced him out of a tilt at the Paris Olympic Games, Cooper returns to ...

Andrews sets world record, kiwi Madison pairings claim Oceania success

Olympic Games double gold medallist, Ellesse Andrews set a world record, while the kiwi endurance riders dominated on the final day of the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Brisbane.Andrews set a world record in the time trial, increased this year to 1,000m to make it the same for both male and female riders.With her endurance background, the sprint star from the Paris Olympics clocked 1:04.697 in qualifying at an average speed of 56kph. This broke the first world record over the new di...

Stewart, Shearman dominate Omnium, as Andrews, Dakin win keirin finals

New Zealand riders continued their successful performances on day three of the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Brisbane.There was kiwi domination in endurance racing, with New Zealand riders to the fore in the four-discipline omnium competition in men and women, while there was a double win for kiwi sprinters in the keirin.World Tour road rider, Campbell Stewart showed he has lost none of his track abilities, winning the men’s Omnium in impressive fashion. He won the opening Scratch...

Botha bags world record twice in new individual pursuit distance

New Zealand cyclist Bryony Botha set a new world record and then lowered that time again on day two of the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Brisbane.Botha, a medallist at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships, has now added a world record to her palmares.She was fastest qualifier in the women’s 4000m individual pursuit, clocking 4:31:446 at the Anna Meares Velodrome, ahead of teammate Emily Shearman (4:32.588) and Australian Maeve Plouffe (4:35.633).Botha retu...

Proven performers, new faces enjoy Oceania Track Cycling opener

Some proven kiwi performers and some new faces enjoyed a promising opening day of the Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Brisbane.With most of the endurance riders on duties for their professional road teams, the championships are an excellent opportunity for coaches to bring in some new faces and promote young riders from the pathway programme.Opening day at the Anna Meares Velodrome at Chandler in Brisbane featured the team racing, with New Zealand combinations dominating men’s and women...

Wright betters star-studded field for breakthrough road cycling victory

Amid arguably the strongest group of UCI WorldTour riders, a young journeyman professional from Wanaka, Paul Wright, upset all predictions to claim the Cycling New Zealand men’s elite road national title in Timaru.Wright, 27, who has moved around some respected UCI Continental professional teams for several years, put all his cards on the table with an emphatic victory in the stern 190km test in South Canterbury.He formed part of an initial group that opened a lead on the second of eight laps,...

Cadzow captures Cycling New Zealand’s National Road Championship double

Paris Olympian Kim Cadzow will take two champion’s jerseys back to her WorldTour team after claiming the Cycling New Zealand Elite National Road Race title in Timaru today.The 23-year-old, who rides for EF Education-Oatly WorldTour team, added the road race victory to her win after yesterday’s time trial.After sitting safely in the peloton for most of the race, while EF Education-Oatly teammate Henrietta Christie marked any attacks upfront, Cadzow pushed off the front of the pack and used he...

World-Tour riders Cadzow and Fisher-Black win Cycling NZ time trial titles

WorldTour professionals Kim Cadzow and Finn Fisher-Black claimed the opening honours with victories in the time trial at the Cycling New Zealand Elite Road National Championships in Timaru.Cadzow successfully defended the title she won last year with the EF Oatly Cannondale rider securing the first national jersey for her WorldTour team with a dominate ride, as riders had to handle persistent light rain throughout.The Paris Olympian clocked 34:52.15 for the 24.4km individual test, to finish 32 s...

New team, new direction and renewed optimism for Finn Fisher-Black

At just 23 years and already one of New Zealand’s most seasoned WorldTour professionals, Finn Fisher-Black has returned home this week with his sights set on success in the Cycling New Zealand Elite Road National Championships in Timaru.Fisher-Black is buoyed with his fresh start for new team Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe, with a WorldTour podium at the UCI Tour Down Under in South Australia and top-10 at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race in Geelong.After two national under-23 time trial titles to hi...

Kiwi and Australian BMX Racers share titles at Oceania Championships

Two New Zealand elite BMX Racing riders will carry the plate of Oceania Champion on to the UCI world circuit after winning their respective titles in New Plymouth at the weekend.Paris Olympian Leila Walker, a teenager for another month, and fellow Cambridge rider Bennett Greenough won their respective elite titles at the championships, both dominating when it counted.With a dearth of elite male entries, the title was decided on points over three motos, with Greenough winning all three of his mot...

Road cycling pair share WorldTour podium ahead of national championships

New Zealand riders Aaron Gate and Laurence Pithie both earned podium places in the UCI WorldTour Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race in Geelong, near Melbourne.Following on from the debut WorldTour victory for Ally Wollaston in the women’s race on Saturday, Gate and Pithie finished second and third respectively in a sprint finish of the men’s race today.Swiss rider Mauro Schmid held off the favourites to win in blistering conditions that peaked over 40C deg, with Gate (XDS Astana) and Pithie (Red B...

Pro cycling aspirations heat up for road championship hopeful

Noted climber and time triallist, Kim Cadzow would love nothing more than taking the national champion’s jersey back to the UCI World Tour.The reigning elite time trial champion believes the move to make the notable climb to finish the road race will still not tilt things in favour of the pure climbers for the upcoming Cycling New Zealand National Elite Road Championships in Timaru on 6-8 February.Cadzow, who competed at the Paris Olympic Games, is excited to be returning to Timaru and believe...

Strong challenge to New Zealand BMX Racing riders for Oceania titles

A 36-strong Australian contingent has crossed the Tasman looking to test the best of the New Zealand BMX riders in the 2025 UCI Oceania BMX Racing Championships in New Plymouth this weekend.In the elite and under-23 competition, the Australians will out-number the hosts in the important BMX Racing international event that provides invaluable UCI ranking points.Two highly experienced riders lead the Kiwi men’s charge in North Harbour’s Michael Bias and Cambridge rider Dan Franks.The pair are ...

Taupo pair best in big wet, while Gale takes dusty gravity victory

It proved a Taupo double for Paris Olympian Sammie Maxwell and talented teenager Coen Nicol who slid their way to cross-country honours in the final round of the Mountain Bike New Zealand national series at Te Miro, near Cambridge today.Heavy and persistent rain turned the cross-country course into a slippery and muddy challenge for all, with Coen making full use of his cyclocross skills to claim the elite and under-23 race in 1:23.06.After placing runner-up last weekend at his home track in Tau...

Celebrated New Zealand cyclist looks forward to UCI WorldTour debut

New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, Aaron Gate will round-out his significant cycling achievements when he makes his first official start as a UCI WorldTour rider at the UCI Tour Down Under in Adelaide.The 34-year-old has joined XDS Astana team on the back of an outstanding palmares on the track and road. On the track, Gate is an Olympic medallist, double world champion and triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist, while on the road he won the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold. He has also scored 13 w...