An 11-strong team has been named by Cycling New Zealand to contest the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen.

Organisers expect up to 7,000 to attend with the Championship Elite racing on 2-3 August, following the Challenge (age group) and Masters categories on 28-31 July, with more than 40 New Zealand riders taking part.

It is the second time the world championships have been staged in Copenhagen with the track upgraded including new surfaces on straights and ramps, additional work on the turns and new start gate for the 5m ramp.

The city staged the world championships in 2011, as well as UCI World Cup competitions annually from 2008 to 2010.

The New Zealand team includes five elite riders, led by Paris Olympians Leila Walker (Cambridge) and Rico Bearman (North Harbour), along with Megan Williams (Rotorua), Michael Bias (North Harbour) and Bennett Greenough (Cambridge).

The Greenough family from the Cambridge club are well represented with Bennett in elite men, brother Jack in under-23 men and sister Lily in junior women.

The selected riders have been racing in Europe over recent weeks in two double rounds of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup and other competitions, although Bennett Greenough and Te Awamutu’s Brooke Penny are returning from injury.

There are three riders selected for junior men comprising Cooper Richardson (North Harbour), Finn Cogan (Cambridge) and Nicholas Cowie (Southland).

Waikato-based veteran Dan Franks was selected but has withdrawn.

The New Zealand BMX Racing elite team is:

Female, Elite: Megan Williams (Rotorua), Leila Walker (Cambridge)

Under-23: Brooke Penny (Te Awamutu)

Junior: Lily Greenough (Cambridge)

Male, Elite: Rico Bearman (North Harbour), Michael Bias (North Harbour), Bennett Greenough (Cambridge).

Under-23: Jack Greenough (Cambridge)

Junior: Cooper Richardson (North Harbour), Finn Cogan (Cambridge), Nicholas Cowie (Southland).