2025 UCI MTB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 3 PREVIEW
Gravity riders are set for one of the toughest tests of skill and daring at the UCI MTB World Championships when the downhill racing begins tomorrow in Switzerland.
Riders face the renowned testing terrain of the downhill track in Champéry, near Valais on the border with France.
The infamous downhill track for the world championships is known for its extremely demanding technical features, made more challenging with new lines and the prospect of some rain.
Sixteen kiwi riders are set to compete in the downhill competition, with the 1.72km track starting at 1650m and twisting its way tightly down a 560m decent through the forest.
The New Zealand gravity team has celebrated world championship success from the junior women in the last two years, led by two rainbow jersey performances from Erice van Leuven, who is sidelined with injury this year.
This year kiwi success may come from the junior men with the Yeti-Fox Factory rider Tyler Waite (Clive) coming off a podium performance at the UCI World Cup last weekend in nearby Les Gets.
He heads a strong group including Kaikoura’s Oli Clark (MS Racing) and Palmerston North’s Jonty Williamson (Yeti-Fox).
The elite women are led by in-form Jess Blewitt (Cube Factory), with the Queenstown rider in the top-10 on the world standings. She is joined by former junior world champion Jenna Hastings, the Pivot Factory rider from Rotorua who earned her first elite top-10 finish at the weekend.
Lachlan Stevens-McNab, another Rotorua gravity star, made the final in the elite men at Les Gets and sits 13th on the overall standings.
There are 16 Kiwis competing, with some forced to withdraw after recent injuries, including two-time junior world medallist Sacha Earnest (Auckland), in-form Rotorua junior Kate Hastings and Queenstown’s Malik Boatright.
Juniors Indy Deavoll and Bellah Birchall from Queenstown and Rotorua respectively will make a final decision on racing after practice today, following injuries picked up last weekend.
Riders have the same qualification system as the World Cup. The leading 20 riders in the first qualifying run advance in elite men, with a further 10 from the second run. In elite women, there are 10 to qualifying from the first session and five from the second. In junior downhill the leading 25 men and 10 women advance directly to the finals.
There is further practice today, qualifying from 9pm Friday (NZT) and racing starting on Saturday evening (NZT) through to Sunday.
New Zealanders competing are:
Elite, Men: Sam Gale (Nelson), James Macdermid (Hamilton, Alliance), Wyn Masters (New Plymouth, Focus Bikes), Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (Rotorua, MS Racing), Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Rotorua, Trek Factory), Luke Wayman (Christchurch, Continental Atherton).
Elite women: Jess Blewitt (Queenstown, Cube Factory), Jenna Hastings (Rotorua, Pivot Factory).
Junior women: Bellah Birchall (Rotorua, High Country), Indy Deavoll (Queenstown), Eliana Hulsebosch (Tauranga, Santa Cruz Synd).
Junior men: Seppy Binsbergen (Okato), Oli Clark (Kaikoura, MS Racing), Sterling Stevens-McNab (Rotorua), Tyler Waite (Clive, Yeti-Fox Factory), Jonty Williamson (Palmerston North, Yeti-Fox Factory).