British Cycling has announced today the 24 riders who will be competing for the Rainbow Jersey in Mont Sainte Anne in a few weeks time.
The team features previous World Champion Danny Hart and Tahnee Seagrave who returns from her injury sustained back at Fort William earlier this year. The team isn't short on talent with the likes of Matt Walker, Laurie Greenland and Reece Wilson in the mix for the title. It also looks like both Athertons will be out for Worlds this year with just a single female rider competing in the downhill. In the XC there is the Under 23 rider Evie Richards who has been on great form all season and could easily take the top spot. Annie Last has also been having a great season and she might just get another good result at the end of the month. Here's the full line up:
Downhill | “I think we’ve got some very real medal chances across the categories this year and I’m excited for the racing to start.
“In the elite men’s race, Danny Hart has a history of success on the Mont-Saint-Anne course, having taken third at the world cup last year and the victory at the world cup in 2016. Laurie Greenland, the 2015 junior world champion, has impressed this season, taking his first-ever victory at an elite world cup in Val di Sole last month. He, along with Matt Walker, are both showing excellent progression since stepping up to the elite ranks and are certainly ones to watch. They stand a chance of making it on to the podium this year, but even if they don’t the experience of competing against the worlds’ best elite men will support their development for the years to come.
“In the women’s event, it’s great to see Tahnee back from injury but similarly I know how disappointed Rachel Atherton is to miss out on defending her world champion title due to her injury – everyone at British Cycling wishes her a quick recovery. Tahnee won the first world cup of the season before sustaining her injury, and we can expect to see her back fresh and fully focussed on this event.
“This has been a breakthrough year for British Cycling and the support we’ve been able to offer the downhill riders. For the first time ever, we have been able to host a junior development camp at the Revolution Bike Park in Llangynog which gave ten high-performing junior riders the opportunity to undergo mechanic workshops, work on their lines through technical sections and to improve their communication methods to get the best out of their support team. The camp was a success, and it’ll be great to see the riders who attended put into practice what they learned over that weekend.”— Michael Vickers, Downhill Co-ordinator for the Great Britain Cycling Team |
Elite Men
Brendan Fairclough
Laurie Greenland
Danny Hart
Bernard Kerr
Matt Walker
Greg Williamson
Reece Wilson
Elite Women
Tahnee Seagrave
Junior MenJake Ebdon
Jamie Edmondson
Luke Mumford
Luke Williamson
XC | “With the Olympics drawing nearer, the world championships in Mont-Saint-Anne are an important opportunity to rack up more qualification points and the team we have selected reflects that.
“Annie has had a mixed season so far, with illness and misfortune affecting her world cup performances, however, she can take confidence from the results she’s had at other races this year and also from the knowledge she won a silver medal on this course at the 2010 junior world championships.
“Evie has worked hard to come back from injury and is making remarkable progress, consistently finishing in second place at the world cups this season. The steep nature of the course will play to Evie’s climbing skills and, for similar reasons, will also suit Isla, who has impressed during her first year as a programme member.
“It was great to see Frazer step up and not only ride but dominate in the elite category at the national champions this year having had a difficult start to the season with an injury. Cam and Sean have both shown progression in their training and competition, and so these world championships are an opportunity for them to build on this and see where they are at against the best in the world.
“All three of the junior riders we have selected have excelled this season and I will be looking for them to cement this at the world championships.
“Finally, we will be entering a team into the mixed relay event and, thanks to the strength we have within the team across the categories, we stand a good chance of putting down a good performance to contribute to our all-important Olympic qualification campaign. The team names for the mixed relay will be confirmed nearer the time.”— Simon Watts, Lead Coach |
Elite Men
Grant Ferguson
Elite Women
Annie Last
Isla Short
Under-23 Men
Frazer Clacherty
Sean Flynn
Cameron Orr
Under-23 Women
Evie Richards
Junior MenCharlie Aldridge
Harry Birchill
Junior Women
Harriet Harnden
Anna McGorum
For the first time ever, we have been able to host a junior development camp at the Revolution Bike Park in Llangynog which gave ten high-performing junior riders the opportunity to undergo mechanic workshops, work on their lines through technical sections and to improve their communication methods to get the best out of their support team.
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Your instructor for tonight: Loris Vergier.
lvsb.tomburridge.com
That said, I haven't tried to figure out whether she'll be racing. Obviously Vali is still most dominant and it takes something for her to not win gold (until the pressure to perform just goes out of hand) but Mille definitely stands a very good chance to get on the podium.
@NorCalNomad : I think the "wtf"-bit in your comment set a different tone for peoples reactions.
www.pinkbike.com/news/final-results-lenzerheide-world-cup-dh-2019.html
*Edit: I guess you probably mean Greg Williamson
There would be more sense in taking Katy Curd, but assume she is still injured/recovering.
The BDS Academy will be back. It's time to stop moaning and to start doing!
We will be supporting the young female riders offering them a free weekend that will supply them with all the knowledge and wisdom from the best the UK can provide.
I will be putting the call out to the industry to support this. If we get 10x companies to donate a few hundred pounds each we can make this happen. I will be looking for a Fitness Coach, World Cup Mechanic, Nutritionist, Pro Female Riders and a Mind Coach.
We will chose an uplift venue and supply medics and marshals on course. #safetyfirst
If you get a call, e-mail or knock on the door from me you better answer with a yes!
#ladiesfirst #mtbfamily
www.pinkbike.com/news/bds-academy-2016.html?fbclid=IwAR1AUF71HcMy1CvFJiBt5xiX85JEzcE07CripcSgGN1exABa6eic111b6Ws
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What about Stacey Fisher, Chloe Taylor & Becci Skelton??
Chloe finished 2nd on an Enduro bike and isn't doing too bad in EWS either!
Also think that Adam Brayton should have been included.
This is horseshit British cycling!
British Cycling is a joke!
Time for a Scottish and Welsh Go fund me DH team next year!
Mind you,we have enough current WC riders to make a great team,Joe Smith,Joe Breeden,Mike Jones,Matt Walker,you could also throw in some Welsh wannabes as well who reside in Wales,Rachel,Gee,and Tahnee.
Gee and Rachel,already qualify after the 5 year residency rule,Tahnee not there yet.The other criteria is to pass a language proficiency test,to be allowed on the team,i understand that Rachel is already on the case,Gee however is struggling trying to string a couple of sentences together.????
Go team Wales ????
It's an Eminem/Stan thing...
Dear Gee, I wrote you but still ain't callin'
I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom.
I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got 'em
There probably was a problem at the post office or somethin'
Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em...