British Cycling have today revealed the riders who will represent Great Britain at the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in Mont-Saint-Anne, Canada.
Reigning downhill world champion Steve Peat will be looking to defend his title, but will have team-mates Gee Atherton (currently leading the World Cup series) and Marc Beaumont (winner of the latest World Cup round in Val di Sole) snapping at his heels.
Rachel Atherton and Tracy Moseley both have a good shot at the women's title, and Manon Carpenter will make her World Champs debut after an amazing start to her first World Cup season; the Junior downhiller has posted times quick enough to put her in the top 10 Elites on three occasions so far this year.
Current junior trials world champion Joe Oakley will make his first World Championship appearance in the Elite Men’s category, where he will be joined by the likes of Andrei Burton, Ben Slinger and Ben Savage.
Commonwealth gold medallist Liam Killeen has been selected for the cross-country squad, along with 2009 national series champ Oli Beckinsale and women's national champion Annie Last. Fellow Olympic Academy riders Lily Matthews and David Fletcher have also made the cut, along with Olympic Development Programme riders Grant Ferguson, Kenta Gallagher and Steve James – all of whom have produced top 10 finishes at World Cups this year.
British Cycling’s performance director Dave Brailsford said: “The strength and depth of talent which GB has across all the mountain bike disciplines continues to increase and the size of the squad we’re sending to the World Champs reflects this. The Elite Men’s downhill team is testimony to the strength of talent – all eight of the riders selected have had a top 10 finish at World Cup level this year.
“It’s also good to see the number of young riders who have made it onto the squad again this year, particularly the crop of young talent we have in the Olympic discipline of cross-country with just under two years to go until London 2012.”
The 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships take place from 31 August – 5 September. Here's the full British line-up:
Downhill
- Gee Atherton (Senior)
- Rachel Atherton (Senior)
- Marc Beaumont (Senior)
- Ruaridh Cunningham (Senior)
- Brendan Fairclough (Senior)
- Fionn Griffiths (Senior)
- Danny Hart (Senior)
- Tracy Moseley (Senior)
- Steve Peat (Senior)
- Matt Simmonds (Senior)
- Joe Smith (Senior)
- Lewis Buchanan (Junior)
- Manon Carpenter (Junior)
- Sam Flockhart (Junior)
- Mark Scott (Junior)
Four-cross
- Scott Beaumont (Senior)
- Katy Curd (Senior)
- Fionn Griffiths (Senior)
Cross-country
- Oli Beckingsale (Elite)
- Liam Killeen (Elite)
- David Fletcher (U23)
- Annie Last (U23)
- Lily Matthews (U23)
- Grant Ferguson (Junior)
- Kenta Gallagher (Junior)
- Steve James (Junior)
Trials
- Andrei Burton (Elite 26in)
- Joe Oakley (Elite 26in)
- Daniel Butler (Elite 26in)
- Ben Slinger (Elite 26in)
- Ben Savage (Elite 26in)
- Sam Oliver (Junior 20in)
