MTB: Collarbone call for Matt Walker

Kawerau mountainbiker Matt Walker will make a late decision today whether or not to contest the UCI Mountainbike World Championships in Austria.

The brother of Olympic BMX medallist Sarah Walker is recovering from a broken collarbone sustained during the season.

If Walker competes, he will join world number five ranked Kiwi rider Brook MacDonald, who is primed for the weekend's event.

The Hawkes Bay rider comes to the downhill competition on the back of victory in the last round of the world cup in Val D'Isere.

He leads a strong New Zealand contingent for the championships, with four kiwis ranked in the world's top 20. MacDonald (Napier, MS Mondraker) leads the way at five, Sam Blenkinsop (Wanganui, Lapierre International) at 14, Justin Leov (Dunedin, Trek World Racing) 17 and Cameron Cole (Christchurch, Lapierre International) at 19.

New Zealand's wealth of talent in downhill mountain biking for the championships could have been even stronger.

Havelock North's George Brannigan, who had climbed to 21 in the world in his first full season on the circuit with DeVinci Global, crashed heavily racing in the USA and has had to withdraw after suffering from broken ribs and a partially punctured lung.

The world championships are split over two weekends at two venues in the Austrian Alps, with the downhill and four-cross this weekend at the Leogang Bike Park and the cross-country and trials next week in nearby Saalfelden.

New Zealand has a 15-strong team competing in the downhill this weekend, with MacDonald amped for competition after returning from racing in the US.

"I've been in Whistler riding over there and having a bit of fun. There was lots of riding. Since I have been back I have been doing some ks on the road bike to get that last-minute training in.

"I am feeling real good coming in here. It should be a good week.

"I walked the track just before. It has changed a lot from last time. They have done a lot of work chopping out roots and building up the berms and making it more of a bike park. It is still fun and I think it is going to be fast and the times will be pretty close."

He has also given a thumbs-up to the addition of two big jumps.

"The jumps are good because those two other table-tops were way too small for the speed you had coming in so I think they have made a wise decision to put in the bigger jumps," MacDonald said.

Rotorua has three junior riders competing at the championships with Lawrence Cawte, Louis Hamilton and Jake Robinson entered into the junior men's division.

The competitors have had a practice run on the track with further practices today and tomorrow with competition starting on Monday.

DOWNHILL TEAM:

Elite men: Justin Leov (Christchurch), Brook Macdonald (Napier), Cameron Cole (Christchurch), Sam Blenkinsop (Wanganui).

Elite women: Sarah Aitken (Lower Hutt), Veronique Sandler (Nelson).

Junior women: Sophie Tyas (Coatsville)

Junior men: Leo Sandler (Nelson), Reece Potter (Nelson), Louis Hamilton (Rotorua), Dan McCombie (Dunedin), Lawrence Cawte (Rotorua), Jake Robinson (Rotorua).