Cycling: Downhill crowns on the line

Nelson's Kieran Bennett and Queenstown's Scarlett Hagen will face pressure to defend their downhill crowns when the national mountain biking championships finish in Wellington tomorrow. The Downhill is one of six events being contested this week, with the elite cross-country to be raced today.

Bennett is up against Levin's Nathan Rankin, who won the recent South Island championships, and New Plymouth's Wyn Masters and Michael Skinner from Auckland. Winner of the women's North Island Cup, Harriet Harper and British rider Tracey Mosely will push Hagen in the women's race.