April 18, 2007 – The UCI has updated its mountain bike rankings, just days before the first World Cup XC takes off this Sunday in Houffalize, Belgium. Francisca Campos Salas (CHI) and Chris Jongewaard (AUS) Dolphin lead the overall in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively. Riders from the Southern Hemisphere are high in the rankings, as they’ve already been racing all “winter.” However, our men are well-ranked because of the big points they earned at the PanAm Championships in March. Geoff Kabush (CAN) Maxxis, who won the men’s race in Argentina, is in second place overall. Seamus McGrath (CAN) Rocky Mountain-Haywood and Max Plaxton (CAN) Rocky Mountain-Haywood are also up there in the standings in 16th and 21st. Their medals at the PanAm’s have placed the Canadian men in second spot behind Australia in the Nations ranking.

Since Canada didn’t send a women’s team to the PanAm Championships and the North American season has just begun, the Canadian women are quite low in the rankings. Sandra Walter (CAN) X.O-Felt Women’s MTB Team leads the ladies in 150th spot, followed by Wendy Simms (CAN) Kona-LesGets in 233rd. As a nation, the Canadian women are ranked 38th, while Australia holds the top position.

After this weekend’s World Cup, however, the rankings will undergo some major transformations.

Men’s Individual Ranking

1. Chris Jongewaard (AUS) Dolphin 330
2. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis 290
3. Jader Zoli (ITA) KTM 280
4. Todd Wells (USA) 235
5. Clinton Robert Avery (NZL) 200
6. Dylan Cooper (AUS) 190
7. Murray Spink (AUS) 185
8. Cristobal Silva (CHI) 182
9. Burry Stander (RSA) 180
10. Stuart Houltham (NZL) 170

16. Seamus McGrath (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood 151
21. Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood 130
313. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona-LesGets 8

Men’s Nations Ranking

1. Australia 705
2. Canada 571
3. USA 535
4. Italy 469
5. New Zealand 460

Women’s Individual Ranking

1. Francisca Campos Salas (CHI) 290
2. Tory Thomas (AUS) 260
3. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda-Seven 260
4. Anja McDonald (NZL) 231
5. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s Team 230
6. Sabine Spitz (GER) Ghost International 220
7. Rosara Joseph (NZL) 220
8. Lindsay Gorrell (AUS) 200
9. Kaytee Boyd (NZL) 185
10. Kate Potter (AUS) 180

150. Sandra Walter (Can) X.O-Felt Women’s MTB Team 24
233. Wendy Simms (Can) Kona-LesGets 8
301. Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood 1
302. Caroline Lavoie (Can) 1

Women’s Nations Ranking

1. Australia 640
2. New Zealand 636
3. USA 634
4. Chile 610
5. Spain 354

38. Canada 33