Samara Maxwell in action. Photo / Decathlon Ford
Kiwi mountain bikers will pose a powerful challenge across the board from a 47-strong team for the upcoming UCI MTB World Championships in Switzerland.
Fifteen New Zealand riders are ranked inside the top 10 in the world across the disciplines of cross-country, marathon, downhill and enduro.
They will lead the Kiwi charge for the two weeks of the world championships from August 30 to September 14.
There are eight separate UCI World Championships to be decided, with venues across the Valais region of southwestern Switzerland where the Rhone River rises to meet the Matterhorn.
Mountain Bike New Zealand president Ryan Hunt said it was arguably the strongest overall team across the MTB disciplines to contest the UCI MTB World Championships. Young riders had been in thrilling form this season, he said.
Leading the way was current cross-country number one-ranked women’s elite, Samara Maxwell, who is also ranked fifth in short-track.
In enduro, Charlie Murray was second in elite men, with rookie Winni Goldsbury in the top 10 for elite women, along with George Swift, who will switch to E-Bike Enduro for the championships.
Alexandra’s Cooper Millwood has shown consistency this season and is sitting second overall in junior men.
Kiwi gravity riders have turned heads this season.
In elite level, Rotorua’s Lachie Stevens-McNab and Jess Blewitt from Queenstown are ranked in the top 10.
There were eight New Zealanders in the top 10 in junior downhill. Hawke’s Bay rider Tyler Waite is second in junior men, followed by Kaikoura’s Oli Clark on fifth, Jonty Wiliamson (Palmerston North) sixth and Malik Boatright (Queenstown) ninth.
In junior women, Tauranga’s Eliana Hulsebosch was third in the rankings with Bellah Birchall (Rotorua) fourth, Kate Hastings (Rotorua) seventh and Queenstown’s Indy Deavoll 10th.
Competition will be spread across the Valais region with enduro at Bellwald on August 30-September 1; downhill at Champéry from September 2-7; Marathon in Vergier on September 6; short-track in Zermatt on 8-9 September and cross-country at Crans Montana from September 10-14.
The New Zealand MTB team is:
Cross-country (XCO):
Elite, Female: Samara Maxwell (Taupō, Decathlon Ford). Male: Anton Cooper (Christchurch, Lapierre Racing), Sam Gaze (Cambridge, Alpecin-Deceuninck.
Under-23, Female: Amelie Mackay (Christchurch). Male: Ethan Rose (Trek Future, Christchurch), Coen Nicol (Taupō).
Junior, female: Dulcie Copeland (Tauranga), Millie Donald (Paraparaumu), Millie Junge (Christchurch), Kayley McMillan (Morrinsville). Male: James Climo (Hamilton), Fletcher Adams (Hamilton), Thomas Mollison (Auckland), Oscar Talbot (Geraldine), Benjamin Harding (Taupō).
Downhill (DH):
Elite male:, Sam Gale (Nelson), James Macdermid (Hamilton, The Alliance), Wyn Masters (New Plymouth), Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (Rotorua, MS Racing), Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Rotorua, Trek Factory), Luke Wayman (Christchurch, Continental Atherton).).
Female: Jess Blewitt (Queenstown, Cube Factory), Sacha Earnest (Auckland, Trek Factory), Jenna Hastings (Rotorua, Pivot Factory), Erice van Leuven (Wellington, NORCO Racing).
Junior male: Seppy Binsbergen (Taranaki), Malik Boatwright (Queenstown, Team High Country), Oli Clark (Kaikoura, MS Racing), Sterling Stevens-McNab (Rotorua), Tyler Waite (Napier, Yeti Fox), Jonty Williamson (Palmerston North, Yeti Fox).
Female: Eliana Hulsebosch (Tauranga, Santa Cruz Synd), Bellah Birchall (Rotorua, Team High Country), Indy Deavoll (Queenstown), Kate Hastings (Rotorua),
Enduro (EDR):
Elite male: Joe Millington (Rotorua, Yeti Development NZ), Charles Murray (Christchurch, Specialised Gravity), Lachie Ross (Upper Hutt), Ed Masters (Taranaki, Pivot Factory), Matt Walker (Kawerau, Pivot Factory).
Female: Winni Goldsbury (Christchurch, Specialized Gravity), Xanthe Robb (Nelson, Yeti Development).
Junior male: Cooper Millwood (Alexandra, Yeti Development).
Female: Iley Nunns (Wellington).
E-Enduro, elite female: George Swift (Nelson, Yeti-Fox Factory)
Cross Country Marathon MTB, Elite Female: Samara Sheppard (Wellington).
Unavailable: Ben Oliver, Annabel Bligh, Marie Laurie (all XCO), Rory Meek, Toby Meek, Nico Arnold, Angus Ferguson (Downhill), Ruby Ryan, Caleb Bottcher (Marathon).
-Cycling New Zealand