New Zealand’s gravity riders have remained at altitude in the French Pyrenees from last weekend’s UCI MTB World Championships, to be joined by the Enduro peddlers for the latest round of the UCI World Series.
The riders have moved to Loudenvielle-Peyragudes in France where the Enduro competition winds up its World Cup, while the downhillers will complete their European campaign before the World Cup is decided in a final round across the Atlantic at Lake Placid.
Enduro and E-Enduro move on to the Dolomites in Italy next week where their season wraps up with the world championships in Val di Fasso in Italy.
New Zealand riders are in contention for final podium placings across both disciplines.
Specialized rider Charles Murray (Christchurch) is currently third in the elite men’s competition in enduro, just a handful of points behind Poland’s Slawomir Lukasik for runner-up behind leader Rich Rude Jnr (USA).
Matthew Walker and Ed Masters, both Pivot Factory, will make their presence felt, while LIV Racing’s Rae Morrison is the leading female in 11th place overall with fellow Nelson rider George Swift (Yeti Fox) in 15th.
Kiwi riders Joe Millington and Lachie Ross are both mid-table in the junior men’s competition, while Winni Goldsbury is fifth, although out of action with injury, and Xanthe Robb 9th in junior women.
Loudenvielle is arguably the most popular MTB location in France, with some daunting downhill tests mixed with stunning liaisons which are a substantial physical test at around 5000ft above sea level for the enduro riders.
The downhill riders have only had a couple of days to refresh from the world championships before an important round as the world series reaches a conclusion.
On a track created from scratch for the World Cup, the world's best riders will face the clock on impressive jumps and technical portions, through the steep forests of Loudenvielle. It is wild and fast in character, with a relatively flat and open section at the top giving way to a steep and wooded bottom half measures 2.4km with 540m of decent from 1500m.
Loic Bruni (France) comes in 200 points clear of compatriot Amaury Pierron in the elite men, and no doubt keen to erase memories of his mistake on the final section when he had the world title within his grasp last weekend.
Leading kiwi in the elite men is rookie Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Union) in 13th with a strong showing potentially lifting him into the top-10.
National champion Jess Blewitt (Cube Factory) is in fourth place in the women, and keen to cement her most successful season in the elite ranks as is Gravity Cartel rider Luke Wayman from Christchurch is fourth in the junior men, and within reach of a top-three finish to cement an outstanding season.
Of course, the kiwi junior women gravity riders continued their extraordinary run at the top of the world, led by Erice van Leuven who won her second straight rainbow jersey last weekend.
Rookie Eliana Hulsebosch (Union) from Tauranga, fourth at the worlds, leads the junior women’s world cup standings narrowly from van Leuven while Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory) is currently fourth within reach of GBR’s Heather Wilson for a potential kiwi shutout.
The enduro racing is on Friday with downhill qualifying and elite semifinals on Saturday and finals on Sunday. (Europe time).
New Zealand entries:
Downhill, Elite men: Sam Blenkinsop (Zerode). George Brannigan, Cameron Clemett, James Macdermid (Alliance), Brook Macdonald (Forbidden Synthesis), Wyn Masters (Gravity Cartel), Toby Meek (Meekboyz Racing), Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (MS Intense), Lachie Stevens-McNab (Union)
Elite women: Jess Blewitt (Cube Factory), Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory).
Junior men: Oli Clark (Union Sinter), Ryan Hastings, Rory Meek (MeekBoyz), Oliver Nicholls, Seth Stylie (Alliance), Tyler Waite (Yeti Fox Factory), Luke Wayman (Gravity Cartel), Charlie Wiffin.
Junior women: Bellah Birchall, Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory), Eliana Hulsebosch (Union), Erice van Leuven (Commencal les Orres).
Enduro, elite men: Ben Karalus, Edward masters (Pivot Factory), Charles Murray (Specialized), Brady Stone, Matthew Walker (Pivot Factory).
Undeer-21: Matthew Fairbrother, Asher Hart, Joe Millington (Yeti Fox Factory), Lachie Ross.
Women elite: Louise Kelly, Rae Morrison (LIC Racing), George Swift (Yeti Fox Factory).
E-EDR, Elite women: George Swift.