Cycling New Zealand National Mountain Bike Hub launches for 2020 season
Cycling New Zealand has announced the riders selected for the National Mountain Bike Performance Hub in 2020.
Entering its fourth year, the National MTB Performance Hub is looking to build from 2018 and 2019, which delivered some great success on the world stage.
Along with the core training squad, the Hub has also announced a schedule of open training camps in Rotorua and for the first time in Christchurch working with the Upper South Island Hub.
National MTB Hub coach Sam Thompson says: “The open training camps are an important part of the sport’s development programme and a valuable platform to educate riders on the bike as well as off it, helping them to develop as athletes and as people.
“The training camps will be open to all riders age from under 17 to under 23 who are competing at a national level, and will be spread across the year to target different aspects of training and development.”
The training camp schedule is:
Christchurch – 11-12 February
Rotorua – 24–26 April
Rotorua – 25–27 September
Rotorua – 7-9 December
This year the National MTB Performance Hub will comprise 10 riders throughout the country across the Under 19 and Under 23 ages groups. This core group of athletes will complete in campaigns across New Zealand and overseas targeting races to develop the riders in the pathway to the elite ranks.
The Hub will continue to receive invaluable support from local and national sponsors including Rotorua Lakes Council, Toi Ohomai, Red Stag, Unit2Go and Rotorua Energy Trust.
As more cycling facilities are being developed in Rotorua, the city is increasingly becoming a biking and lifestyle destination.
The squad will compete in the full New Zealand season starting with the Altherm Mountain Bike Nationals and Design Windows Oceania Championships in Dunedin this month. Internationally the squad will attending campaigns in USA and Europe at highly ranked UCI events.
The 2020 National Mountain Bike Performance Hub squad is:
Under-23: Jess Manchester (Rotorua), Sammie Maxwell (Taupo), Caleb Bottcher (Palmerston North), Matt Wilson (Auckland), Ruby Ryan (Rotorua), Connor Johnston (Rotorua), Josh Burnett (Invercargill/Dunedin).
Under-19: Ethan Rose (Christchurch), Adam Francis (Palmerston North), Jacob Turner (Christchurch).
CAPTION: North Canterbury’s Ben Oliver has graduated from the National Mountain Bike Performance Hub to the top-60 world ranked elite cross-country riders. (Photo: Cullen Browne)