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Mountain Biking Celebrates 25 Years of UCI World Championships

release by the UCI
Sam Hill  ©  Michal Cerveny
September 02, 2014 (Hafjell, Norway) – The UCI MTB World Championships, held this year Sept. 2-7 in Hafjell, Norway near Lillehammer, bring together all aspects of the sport, from the traditional Olympic cross-country (XCO) and the crowd favourite downhill (DHI), to the team relay, skill-testing trials and the newest event, the Eliminator (XCE).

Team Canada includes 39 athletes – 10 downhillers, 27 cross-country riders and two trialists – vying for the coveted rainbow jerseys that will be awarded over the week of competitons – full roster here.

Leandre Bouchard (Can)  ©  Michal Cerveny

Eliminator

The action begins on Tuesday with the Eliminator, to be held for the third time at the World Championships. Racing in heats of four riders at a time on a short, technically challenging circuit, the top-two advance from each heat until there are only four left to go for the world title.

Kathrin Stirnemann  ©  Michal Cerveny

In the Women’s category, Alexandra Engen started the year strongly with two wins and a second place in the World Cup, but after missing the second half of the season due to fatigue, she will also sit out the UCI World Championships. The top favourite will be Switzerland’s Kathrin Stirnemann, who won the World Cup title a week ago.

Fabrice Mels  ©  Michal Cerveny
On the Men’s side, there are at least three favourites, including outgoing World Champion Paul van der Ploeg (Australia), World Cup champion Fabrice Mels (Belgian) and the newest phenomenon, Argentina’s Andres Soto.

Team Relay

Wednesday is the Team Relay, a once a year event that pits four riders from each nation against each other. Each country enters an Elite Man and Woman, a Under-23 Man and a Junior Man – the Canadian team of Catharine Pendrel, Geoff Kabush, Leandre Bouchard and Marc-Andre Fortin will be in the medal hunt.

Geoff Kabush  ©  Peter Kraiker

Teams can send their riders off in any order they wish, so do they try to open a big lead with the fastest riders and hope they can hang on, or save them until last, and hope they can catch the early leaders? Perennial favourites are Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Italy and France.

Trials

All through the week, the trials competition will be held, providing spectators with a slower, but no less challenging series of events to watch. Competitors have to ride over, under and through a series of obstacle courses, all within a time limit and without putting a foot down. Traditionally strong countries in this unique event are Spain, France, Belgium and Germany.

Pendrel  ©  Michal Cerveny

Olympic cross-country

From Thursday to Saturday, the focus is the XCO, starting with the Juniors categories, then Under-23 and finally the Elite Men and Women. In the Junior competitions reigning Canadian champs Marc-André Fortier and Soren Meeuwisse are Canada’s best bets for a top result.

While every race has fierce competition, some of the biggest battles are expected to be in the Under-23 Women between defending champion Jolanda Neff (Switzerland) and Pauline Ferrand Prévot (France). Top Canadian contenders are Maghalie Rochette, Haley Smith and reigning 4x champ Frédérique Trudel. For the U23 men look for reigning Canadian champ Léandre Bouchard to be in the mix for top result.
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Jolanda Neff  ©  Peter Kraiker

 

The Elite Women’s race is shaping up to be between legendary Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa racing at home and former MTB Champ, Catharine Pendrel (Canada). Fellow Canuck Emily Batty will also be looking for a top result.  The men’s race will feature the continuing competition between defending champion Nino Schurter (Switzerland) and World Cup champion Julien Absalon (France).

Nino Schurter  ©  Michal Cerveny

Downhill

The final day of competition is devoted to gravity racing, with the Juniors Men and Women, Elite Women and Elite Men fighting for the world title in each category. The Juniors Men has been a race all year between World Cup champion Loris Vergier (France) and American Luca Shaw. Canada’s Jack Iles will be looking for another top result and perhaps even a podium if it all comes together on race day.

Jack Iles  ©  Peter Kraiker

For the Elite Women it should be a fight between defending champion Rachel Atherton (Great Britain), World Cup champion Manon Carpenter (Great Britain) and Emmeline Ragot (France). All three have won this season, and any of them could take the title. Canada’s three entries – reigning champ Vaea Verbeeck, Casey Brown and Micayla Gatto – are all eager to move up the ladder and will be looking for top-10 results.

Sam Hill  ©  Michal Cerveny

The Elite men’s race also has multiple contenders, including World Cup champion Josh Bryceland (Great Britain), American Aaron Gwin, Australia’s Troy Brosnan and Sam Hill, plus defending champion Greg Minnaar (South Africa). Of these riders, only Minnaar and Hill have won the Elite title before.

Canada’s top dog Steve Smith, who won his first WCup in Hafjell, is still out with an ankle injury. His teammate Mark Wallace leads Remi Gauvin, Kyle Sangers and Mckay Vezina for Canada.

The action begins on Tuesday, and you can catch all the action on www.redbull.tv.





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