Manchester welcomes the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup for a fourth consecutive year on 9-10 April with Great Britain Cycling Team targeting more success on home turf.
Unlike the previous three seasons, the National Cycling Centre hosts round two having previously opened the world cup season.
Reigning UCI BMX Supercross World Cup champion Liam Phillips fronts a Great Britain squad that features British champion Tre Whyte, Quillan Isidore and Kyle Evans.
Phillips missed the first round in Santiago del Estero as Evans and Whyte reached the quarter-finals in Argentina.
The fight for Rio Olympic places adds extra spice to the event with the points window closing on 30 May.
Team
Liam Phillips became the first rider to win three consecutive world cup events at the same venue when he completed a ‘three-peat’ in 2015. He followed up with wins in Angelholm and Santiago del Estero as the 2013 world champion successfully defended his title.
Having opted to skip round one, Phillips will not race in Saturday’s time trial superfinals, which he has won for three consecutive years. Instead he will have to qualify for Sunday’s racing through the motos.
Kyle Evans reached the final of this event in 2014 but could not repeat that feat last year, exiting in the semi-finals. The 22-year-old will race in the time trial superfinals and is therefore automatically qualified in Sunday’s racing as he chases a spot at the Rio Olympic Games.
After suffering from a crash in Santiago del Estero, Tre Whyte is set to recover in time to grace Great Britain’s home track. Whyte, 22, reached the final 12 months ago and will want to put an injury-disrupted 2015 behind him.
Quillan Isidore endured a home world cup to forget in 2015 as crashes in all three motos ended his weekend early. An under-16 world champion in 2012, the 19-year-old will be keen to send out a statement of intent as he begins his world cup campaign.
Although not selected as part of the Great Britain Cycling Team, Olympic Junior Academy Programme riders Blaine Ridge-Davis, Bethany Shriever and Wilfred Njuguna will have the chance to experience world cup racing.
Competition
UCI BMX Supercross World Cup elite men’s leader Corben Sharrah makes the trip to the UK as does world champion Niek Kimmann. Olympic champion Maris Strombergs is absent as is talented Australian Sam Willoughby.
In the women’s event, Australian Caroline Buchanan will look to build on her win in Argentina. She is joined by Olympic champion Mariana Pajon and Dutch rider Laura Smulders in what should be an exciting battle for the honours.
Venue
Renowned as a tight, technically challenging course, the indoor track at the National Cycling Centre has become a mainstay on the world cup circuit since 2013 and has developed a reputation as one of the sport’s leading venues.
Schedule
Saturday 9 April
5pm-7.25pm: Qualification motos
8pm-9pm: Time trial superfinals
Sunday 10 April
3pm-6.40pm: Supercross finals
How to follow
- Watch the action live on the British Cycling website.
- Watch Sunday's racing from 5.30pm on the Bike Channel (Sky channel 464, Virgin Media channel 552).
- Report, gallery and reaction on the British Cycling website.
- Follow @BritishCycling on Twitter for updates and join the conversation using #UCIBMXWC
