Kiwi gravity riders line-up for UCI World Championships
By CyclingNZ High PerformanceA 15-strong New Zealand downhill team will contest the UCI Mountain Bike Championships in Italy in September.
This year the world championships are split with the cross-country titles next weekend in the Czech Republic, but the downhill is from 6-11 September at the famed Val di Sole mountain bike course at Trentino in northern Italy. The well-known stop of the UCI World Cup circuit hosted the world championships eight years ago.
The New Zealand team is led by a group of professional riders led by Brook Macdonald and Wyn Masters both from the GT Factory Racing; Ed Masters and national champion Rupert Chapman both from Bergamont Hayes Factory team; Sam Blenkinsop from Norco Factory Racing and 2015 national champion George Brannigan from Commencal/Vallnord.
The Kiwi gravity riders have struggled to find their form of 2015 this year, with many coming to grips with new teams and new machines.
Last year New Zealand had three downhillers in the world’s top 20 rankings but this year Macdonald leads the way at 22nd on the World Cup standings.
However there are good indications that they are all on the move and the world championships presents an ideal opportunity to shine, with Macdonald having a liking for the Italian course, finishing fourth there in last year’s World Cup.
New Zealand and Oceania Champion Alanna Columb is the sole elite female rider to compete.
The New Zealand downhill team is:
Elite Men: Brook Macdonald (Hawkes Bay, GT Factory Racing), Eddie Masters (New Plymouth, Bergamont Hayes Factory Team), Rupert Chapman (Canterbury, Bergamont Hayes Factory Team), Sam Blenkinsop (Dunedin, Norco Factory Racing), George Brannigan (Hawkes Bay, Commencal/Vallnord), Bryn Dickerson (Wellington), Wyn Masters (New Plymouth, GT Factory Racing).
Elite Women: Alanna Columb (Queenstown)
Junior Men: Simon Read (Queenstown), Cole Lucas (Rotorua), Ben Karalus (Canterbury), Oscar Perks (Nelson), Billy Meaclem (Canterbury), Liam Bethell (Auckland).
Junior Women: Shania Rawson (Tauranga).
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