The recently crowned Olympic BMX Supercross champion Beth Shriever will be back in competitive action this weekend at the UCI BMX Supercross World Championships in Papendal.
Shriever made history in Tokyo last month, becoming the first British BMX rider ever to win gold at an Olympic event.
Shriever will be Great Britain’s sole representative in the elite women’s event, while in the elite men’s category, Ross Cullen – the reserve rider who supported the team in Tokyo – will be joined by fellow Great Britain Cycling Team riders Quillan Isidore and Paddy Sharrock.
In the junior events, Emily Hutt, Chad Hartwell, Matthew Gilston, Callum Russell, Oliver Cope and Mackensie Rennison will compete.
Performance Director Stephen Park said: “It has been an absolute honour to be able to support Beth with her Olympic ambitions, and to witness the press coverage and attention she has received as a result. Beth is a fantastic ambassador for the sport and has played a huge part in raising the profile of BMX Supercross.
“I think it’s testament to her commitment to BMX that she put her hand up to be selected for these world championships so soon after such huge accomplishments, and her desire to do the Great Britain Cycling Team jersey proud is admirable.
“Ross Cullen has also been selected to compete, and he fully deserves this opportunity having played such an integral role for the team in Tokyo. To see him get stuck in and make the most of the experience was brilliant, given the circumstances meant he was extremely unlikely to ride. Similarly, Quillan and Paddy have played their part by being elite-level training partners for Beth and silver medallist Kye Whyte, so will be relishing the opportunity to race at the world championships, especially with the increased popularity we have witnessed in BMX Supercross.
“It’s also pleasing to be able to select BMX riders in the junior categories, and to offer some support to the future stars of the sport.
“The BMX Supercross community has been buoyed by recent events, so I know the team will have a huge amount of support from home and I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on in Papendal.”
Olympic champion Beth Shriever said: “The past three weeks since I won the Olympics have been an absolute whirlwind, the support has been phenomenal, and I’ve loved every minute. The one thing the experience has taught me though is how much I actually enjoy racing, so it’s great we have another big race so soon on the horizon. I’m back in training, and I feel like my form is still there so I’m excited to race again this weekend.”
Great Britain Cycling Team for the UCI BMX SX World Championships, Papendal:
Elite Women
Beth Shriever
Elite Men
Ross Cullen
Quillan Isidore
Paddy Sharrock
Junior Women
Emily Hutt
Junior Men
Oliver Cope
Matthew Gilston
Chad Hartwell
Mackenzie Rennison
Callum Russell
