British Cycling Announces British Team for 2016 World Championships

 Because at the end of the day, Mountain Bike racing (especially downhill) has a tiny audience, and unfortunately Womens competition is smaller again.

I'm not saying that's how it should be by any means - take Golf for example, it is one of the most competed sports in the World, and has the same gender issues as Mountan Biking had, but could you tell me who the greatest Women Golfer of all time is?

It's a shame, but sadly, how it's going to be for the foreseeable future.

 @timlake: Fewer DH races next year wont help matters

 Maybe if DH was in the Olympics it would get a little more coverage. But then do we want DH in the Olympics? Im on the fence about it.

 She was nominated for BBC sportswoman of the year a couple of years ago and I believe she was in there with the best and top three which if memory serves me included runner Jo Pavey so she is recognised. But mountainbiking proper is a small sport, racing smaller still and DH smaller still. Of course, if it were an olympic sport then there would be MBE's all round etc etc....of course when you have the likes of ping pong, beach volleyball, golf etc then it's probably best not to worry too much. With the exception of the cycling road race. Especially the womans. Van Veleutens crash was as knarly as it gets.

 @fartymarty: It wouldn't, can you tell me who the Olympic BMX champ was four years ago without Googling it? What about the men's champion for Beijing?

 @Fix-the-Spade: You're right. The only one I can remember was ACC in Beijing and Graves 3rd in Beijing. That's why I don't mind that its not in the Olympics. In a way I am happy MTB is still a bit of a niche sport.

 @simooo: fewer races? How many rounds compared to this year?

 @timlake: Annika Sorenstam Be the greatest women's golfer.

 @Fix-the-Spade, I can remember straight away, Maris Strombergs. He won both Olympics and there's a chance he could make it a third Olympic Gold this year. I think lots of people remember that tbh as it's such an achievement

@fartymarty, hate to disappoint but Graves got 6th

 @delcol: Colin Montgomerie? That's a bit unkind isn't it :-)

 @fartymarty: that is indeed a dilemma I share

 @john260164: There's an interesting article on the Dirt www about the Olympics and DH. They came to the same conclusion.

 @fartymarty: yeah saw that and meant to mention it. Interesting stuff. I can't really see why it couldn't be included, can't see it doing any great harm but would it be any good and do any good?

 I really like Josh but his performance should let Kerr be in there...

 "Mike Jones has been MIA all weekend and this morning we finally found out why. He said it's not that serious but his shoulder will definitely need a few weeks off. "
www.pinkbike.com/photo/13793725

 @AdamOdh: Josh is on pace apart from Leogang in relation to Kerr: www.rootsandrain.com/compare.html?i=798x1004

 yeah a bit sad but then you also have to think about up and coming racers

 @tabletop84: absolutely. I think it's fantastic that Greenland is on the team in his first year. He should be very proud of that.

 This is a bit of an insult for Tracey hannah or Myriam Nicole

 @zede: No insult at all. in my opinion the top three women in the world are British.

Tracy Hannah could upset things

And it's difficult to even say where myriam Nicole is in comparison considering how little racing she's done this year

 @vDijk: I think you have just offended a whole bunch of West Islanders (Australians) with that last comment.

 @fartymarty: Oh crap!...

 @vDijk: plus you clearly didn't understand my remark

 @mikeyspaff: both Hannah and Nicole can beat seagrave, and I'm sorry but carpenter isnt in good shape this year and curd is nothing in front of Nicole, Hannah, siegenthaler or Miller...
For the gold you are right though, I wouldn't bet against rachel

 @zede: I got your comment and agree. It's a race for 2nd. Plus I'm a Kiwi originally so your comment made me laugh.

 @zede: Now that I read it.. you are right, I didn't get it.

 who actually came up with the myth of the uk having no mountains?! look at map and you'll see that there are only a few flat places in the UK. Yes there are no big Mountains, but small ones are all over the place

 Not many mountains, but shitloads of hills!

 This depends on what you call a mountain and how high your idea of a mountain is.

 Even Suffolk has hills

 The U.K. Is full of mountains and hills we just don't have the tallest mountains but let's be honest, no one races from the top of Everest! Pretty much all of our mountains/hills are usable and we have some awesome terrain

 @Medacus: ok, I get all of you guys' points. But GB probably does something very different with their sports policy, because we never see SO many top riders from, say, Italy, Spain, Austria etc - the countries with real mountains and long established traditions of mountain sports.

 Tahnee is quite a bit younger than Rachel so will be up there for 5+ years at least.
- From what I can see the next generation are being pulled through by Rach who is putting time back into the sport helping younger girls to start racing.

Plenty more to come from UK DH racing

 There are plenty of young girls out here who race (just look at the bds) but I'm guessing that there are different limits to the numbers of junior women entered, plus because they are of school age, maybe others could not make it because of education and finances. (Parents get fined here if their kids are out of school when they are not ill)