British Cycling has today announced the 14 cross-country mountain bikers who will represent Great Britain at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships which are scheduled to take place in Leogang, Austria, from 5th – 11th October.
The reigning Commonwealth Games champion Annie Last will line up for the Great Britain Cycling Team in the elite women’s cross-country race, alongside Evie Richards and Isla Short, while Frazer Clacherty will contest the elite men’s race.
Tom Pidcock will start in the under-23 men’s race, looking to add another rainbow jersey to his existing collection from the road and cyclo-cross disciplines. The 2019 junior world champion Charlie Aldridge, Sean Flynn and Harry Birchall complete the British entrants in the under-23 men’s race while Hattie Harnden and Anna McGorum will compete in the under-23 women’s race.
In the junior events, Rory McGuire, Corran Carrick Anderson, Anna Flynn and Eleana McGorum will represent Great Britain. The decision of which riders will line-up to compete in the cross-country team relay will be confirmed nearer the time.
Performance Director Stephen Park said: “I’m looking forward to the mountain bike world championships this year, we have some very strong podium contenders within the squad and having a brand new course adds to the excitement of the event.
“It was fantastic to watch Charlie be crowned the junior world champion in Canada last year, and I’m looking forward to seeing him step up and get to grips with the under-23 competition out in Leogang Equally, I’m keen to see how Tom Pidcock gets on following his expression of interest to race in this event straight off the back of his selection for the elite road worlds which takes place a fortnight before.
“In the women’s events, I’m looking forward to seeing Annie attempt to get back on the podium like she was in 2017 and bettering her sixth place finish from last year, and it’s good to see Evie is back from injury to make selection for the team again.
“The mountain bike season resumed in early August, so our riders are already back into the routine of training and racing, and prior to the world championships they have two world cup rounds which will give them a final chance to hone their preparations and be ready ahead of the worlds.”
The riders selected to represent the Great Britain Cycling Team in the downhill events will be announced in due course.
Great Britain Cycling Team for the UCI Cross-Country Mountain Bike World Championships:
Elite Men
Frazer Clacherty
Elite Women
Annie Last
Evie Richards
Isla Short
Under-23 Men
Charlie Aldridge
Harry Birchall
Sean Flynn
Tom Pidcock
Under-23 Women
Hattie Harnden
Anna McGorum
Junior Men
Corran Carrick Anderson
Rory McGuire
Junior Women
Anna Flynn
Eleana McGorum
