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 Williamson, who has won by opening rounds in junior men’s downhill leading four compatriots in the top 10, with Auckland’s Sacha Earnest (Trek Unbroken) currently eighth in elite women, and Queenstown’s Indy Deavoll (Stoic Racing) fifth in junior female.
The Leogang Downhill course is considered a classic, with a tricky off-camber start, followed by a speedy open section into followed by steep drops as the course comes out of the woods.
There is a new design for cross-country, with Sam Gaze and Anton Cooper are the kiwi elite combatants,
The Enduro course will be six stages over 66kms, with 2000m of descents, with both kiwi elite females – Winni Goldsbury (Christchurch) and E-bike world champion George Swift (Warkworth) in the top 10 after the opening round.
Downhill qualifying starts late on Friday night (NZT), running into Saturday morning followed by short track cross-country. The downhill finals are from 9pm on Saturday through to early on Sunday morning, with cross-country on Sunday evening.
The New Zealand entries for Leogang are:
Leogang Entries
XCO, Elite: Anton Cooper (Lapierre PXR, Christchurch), Sam Gaze (Alpecin Premier Tech, Cambridge).
Downhill, Men Elite: Oli Clark (Mondraker Factory, Kaikoura), Wyn Masters (New Plymouth), Cooper Millwood (Yeti Fox NZ, Alexandra), Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (MS Racing, Rotorua), Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Unbroken, Rotorua), Seth Stylie (Yeti Fox, Auckland), Tyler Waite (Yeti Fox Factory, Clive), Luke Wayman (Yeti Fox Factory, Christchurch).
Women Elite: Bellah Birchall (The Alliance, Rotorua), Jess Blewitt (Scott Downhill, Queenstown), Sacha Earnest (Trek Unbroken, Auckland), Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory, Rotorua), Kate Hastings (Rotorua), Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz, Tauranga).
Men Junior: Seppy Binsbergen (New Plymouth), Malik Boatwright (Continental Atherton, Queenstown), Cole Hulsebosch (Tauranga), Jed Kuegler (New Plymouth), Dexton Lock (New Plymouth), Camden Rutherfurd (Nukeproof Axess, New Plymouth), Jack Sole (Queenstown), Sterling Stevens-McNab (The Alliance, Rotorua), Jonty Williamson (Yeti Fox Factory, Palmerston North).
Women Junior: Indy Deavoll (Stoic Racing, Queenstown), Capella Martin (Martinborough).
EDR Elite Male: Bradley Harris (Alexandra), Asher Hart (Tauranga), Joe Millington (Yeti NZ, Rotorua), Eli Robertson (Nelson), Marcus Sayers (Yeti-Fox, Alexandra).
Junior: Nico Schroder (Nelson).
Female Elite: Winnie Goldsbury (Christchurch), George Swift (Warkworth)
Sache Earnest in action. (Credit: Trek Unbroken)