Strong New Zealand mountain bike team picked for worlds
New Zealand will boast arguably their strongest team across the board in recent memory for September’s UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
Mountain Bike NZ has named a short list squad for the championships to be held in Austria in August-September. The downhill and four-cross will be staged at Leogang from 31 August to 2 September with the crosscountry and trials at Saalfelden from 6 to 9 September.
The initial New Zealand long list has been whittled down to 24 confirmed selections with a further 10 riders selected pending further confirming results. Five selected riders have taken up the option to defer attendance this year as they focus on a longer term campaign next year.
The short list squad comprises 15 riders currently ranked in the top 30 in the world.
It’s led by the powerful group of New Zealand downhill riders, with five currently in the top 20 on UCI world rankings, led by 20 year old Hawkes Bay rider Brook Macdonald (MS Mondraker) who is ranked fourth with national champion Justin Leov (Trek World Racing) at No 10, while Wellington’s Sarah Atkin is 16th in the women’s rankings.
In crosscountry Whakatane’s Karen Hanlen and Wellington’s Rosara Joseph (Rabobank) are 23rd and 27th respectively on world standings.
Wellington’s Samara Sheppard is sixth among under-23 riders and 54th overall in the elite women’s rankings while outstanding North Canterbury prospect Anton Cooper (Trek World Racing) is seventh in junior men.
“The quality at the top end of our sport in both downhill and crosscountry is probably stronger than it has ever been,” said Andrea Murray, Performance Director, Mountain Bike NZ.
“They include not only some of our experienced professionals but some outstanding young prospects given that Brook Macdonald is just 20, Anton Cooper is 17 and Samara Sheppard only 22.
“It is very exciting that we have a number of young riders in the sport and the focus is on nurturing their development to the highest levels.
“We have put in place a clear performance structure and plan for the future and have raised the bar on our expectations and our riders seem to be responding to that.
“Some have taken the step to defer their representation this year so they can get all their ducks in a row for a major effort next year and beyond.
“We are still looking for further international results from some other riders before we confirm their selections.”
The short list team for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships is:
Crosscountry:
Under 19: Anton Cooper (Woodend), Nigel McDowell (Rotorua), Sam Gaze (Cambridge), Mary Gray (Dunedin).
Under 23: Dirk Peters (Rotorua), Brad Hudson (Christchurch), Tom Bradshaw (Wellington), Samara Sheppard (Wellington).
Elite: Rosara Joseph (Wellington), Karen Hanlen (Whakatane).
Downhill:
Under 19: Leo Sandler (Nelson), Louis Hamilton (Rotorua), Reece Potter (Takaka), Jake Robinson (Rotorua), Lawrence Cawte (Rotorua), Tom Burns (Dunedin), Dan McCombie (Dunedin). Sophie Tyas (Auckland).
Elite: Justin Leov (Dunedin), Brook MacDonald (Napier), Cam Cole (Christchurch), Sam Blenkinsop (Wanganui), Matt Scoles (Alexandra). Sarah Atkin (Wellington).
Riders selected pending further results:
Crosscountry, Junior: Tom Filmer (Nelson), Amber Johnson (Rotorua), Samantha Hope (Dunedin). Under-23: Matt Waghorn (Palmerston North).
Downhill, Elite: George Brannigan (Havelock North), Wyn Masters (New Plymouth), Kieran Bennett (Nelson), Matt Walker (Kawerau), Sophie Marie Bethell (Auckland), Veronique Sandler (Nelson).
Riders to defer selection:
Crosscountry, Junior: Craig Oliver (Christchurch), Brett Stokeman (Taupo). Under-23: Katie O’Neill (Rotorua). Elite: Carl Jones (Rotorua), Mike Northcott (Tokoroa).