Cycling nationals Rotorua: Anton Cooper hot favourite for XCO crown

Anton Cooper in action at the Oceania Championships. Photo / Oceania Cycling

The king of cross-country mountain bike is set to extend his extraordinary run in the Cycling New Zealand XCO National Championships in Rotorua this weekend.

Anton Cooper, the 31-year-old Christchurch professional, is the hottest of favourites to add to his remarkable 10 elite championship titles at the famed Whakarewarewa Forest on Saturday.

Cooper will be hoping to make it lucky 11 elite wins before joining the new Lapierre PXR Racing, a five-strong Germany-based team looking to make its mark on the international scene.

Matthew Wilson, the 2024 champion and last year’s runner-up, is expected to provide the toughest challenge, with the Auckland-based Te Miro club rider proving competitive internationally, especially on the gravel circuits in North America.

Rotorua’s Caleb Bottcher and Taupō’s Corban Nicol, moving up to the elite ranks, will also fight for podium placings.

There will be an interesting fight for the elite women’s honours in the absence of UCI World Cup champion Sammie Maxwell, who is taking a sabbatical from the sport at present, Cycling New Zealand said.

Veteran Sonia Foote from Taupō MTB is a two-time national champion from more than 20 years ago but will be highly competitive, while Christchurch’s Amelie MacKay steps up after gaining significant experience on the world circuit in under-23 racing.

Favouritism may be with two riders with marathon experience. Australian-based Kiwi Samara Sheppard, a three-time national champion from 2017 to 2019, made her mark in the marathon distance both on dirt and road, Cycling New Zealand said.

Christchurch rider Mary Gray, a two-time national junior champion and elite podium placegetter in 2022, is the current national marathon champion, secured at the Whaka 100 last year.

The under-23 honours should be an exciting battle between Hamilton brothers Fletcher and Hunter Adams and Taupō’s Nicol Coen, who won the New Zealand Marathon title at the Whaka 100 late last year.

The Christchurch pair of Annabel Bligh and Maria Laurie are expected to be the main contenders for the women’s under-23 honours.

There are 133 entrants for the XCO racing, which gets underway at 9.15am from the Waipa MTB Park, with elite and under-23 women at midday and elite and under-23 men at 2.30pm. The XCC short track titles will be decided from 8.30am on Sunday.

The weekend doubles as the official national championships for enduro, with the Giant 2W Gravity Enduro attracting strong entries including several Australian competitors who will pose a significant challenge for the honours, led by the likes of Marcus Sayers and Harry Kneebone.

There will be plenty of local Rotorua support for Yeti Development NZ rider Joe Millington, who completed an excellent debut season on the world series, finishing 11th overall in the men’s elite competition.

Several well-known downhill riders are competing including elite podium placegetter Kate Hastings, brilliant international prospect Eliana Hulsebosch, while there are several well-known veterans racing including Nelson’s Rae Morrison and Beijing Olympian Kashi Leuchs.

The elite racing starts from 8.15am with the final wave from 10.30am.

The event is a collaboration between Cycling New Zealand, Mountain Bike NZ, Rotorua MTB Club and Crankworx, which wraps up its exciting annual pilgrimage to Rotorua.

-Content supplied by Cycling New Zealand