A significant contingent of 31 New Zealand riders will contest mountain bike events at the historic UCI World Championships in and around Glasgow next month.
The riders will contest downhill at the famed Fort William course in the Nevis Ranges nearly 200 kms north-west of Glasgow on 3-5 August, with the cross-country marathon on 6 August at Glentress Forest near Peebles in the Scottish Borders, around 100kms south-east of Glasgow. The cross-country titles will be decided at the same venue from 8-12 August.
This forms part of the UCI’s bold plan to host the world championships for 13 cycling disciplines over 11 days, incorporating road and track for able-bodied and Para-cyclists, mountain bike downhill, marathon, and cross-country, BMX racing, freestyle and flatland, trials, indoor and a Gran Fondo.
There is excitement in the MTB community with the downhill squad a mix of proven experience and exciting emerging talent, especially in the female ranks with current junior world champion Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory, Rotorua) moves up to elite to join national champion Jess Blewitt (GT Factory, Queenstown) who is currently ranked fourth in the world.
In junior ranks national champion Sacha Earnest from Auckland and Commencal professional Erice van Leuven (Wellington) have both won world cup titles this year.
The cross-country squad is headed by Oceania champion Anton Cooper (Trek Factory), currently 15th on world standings, and double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 20th, and the defending short-track world champion.
Gaze, who also won the marathon world title last year, will not defend.
Two-time overall national champion, Sammie Maxwell (NZ MTB Academy, Rotorua) is currently ranked fourth in the under-23 World Cup rankings, after back-to-back second placings in Austria and Italy.
The team is:
Downhill, Elite Men: Sam Blenkinsop (Crestline, Christchurch), George Brannigan (NS Bikes UR, Queenstown), James Macdermid (The Alliance, Hamilton), Brook Macdonald (MS Mondraker, Hawkes Bay), Ed Masters (Pivot Factory, New Plymouth), Toby Meek (MS Mondraker, Queenstown), Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (MS Mondraker, Rotorua). Non-travelling reserve: Sam Gale (Nelson),
DH Elite Women: Jess Blewitt (GT Factory, Queenstown), Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory, Rotorua), Kalani Muirhead (Wanaka).
DH Junior Men: Joshua Bonnar (KiwiDH, Arrowtown ), Angus Ferguson (Christchurch), Tyler Muirhead (Kiwi DH, Wanaka), Luke Wayman (The Alliance, Christchurch).
DH Junior Women: Sacha Earnest (Auckland), Caitlin Flavell (The Alliance, Rotorua), Poppy Lane (Mt Maunganui), Erice van Leuven (Commencal les Orres, Wellington).
Cross-country, Elite Men: Anton Cooper (Trek Factory, Christchurch)., Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck, Cambridge), Ben Oliver (MitoQ, North Canterbury),
XCO U23 Men: Caleb Bottcher (Palmerston North), Ethan Rose (Team Talley’s, Christchurch), Matthew Wilson (Team Talley’s, Auckland)
XCO U23 Women: Mia Cameron (Team Talley’s, Taupo), Samara Maxwell (NZ MTB Academy, Taupo).
XCO Junior Men: Ethan Woods (Motueka),
XCO Junior Women: Maria Laurie (Christchurch), Katie Ramage (Whanganui)
Marathon, U23 Men: Matthew Wilson (Team Talley’s, Auckland) Samara Sheppard (Wellington).
E-MTB: Bailey Fredericksen (Whakatane).
Unavailable: XCO: Finn McKenzie (Jr Men); DH: Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Elite Men) , Ryan Hastings, Joe Millington and Wyatt Stevens-McNab (all Jnr Men).
Caption: Jenna Hastings on her way to a junior women’s downhill world title and defending Sam Gaze celebrates victory in the short track cross-country at last year’s world championships. (Credit: Rob Jones)