Much-admired North Canterbury rider Ben Oliver is keen to disprove the adage that nice guys come second.

In four of the last five years, he has finished behind current world No 9 ranked Anton Cooper, who will be chasing his eighth cross-country elite crown at the 2022 Torpedo7 Mountain Bike National Championships in Christchurch.

Oliver, a former national under-23 champion, has developed into an excellent allround rider, not just on the off-road trails, but also on the road as part of the NZ Cycling Project team, in the Tour of Southland and NZ Cycle Classic.

Without significant sponsorship funding, Oliver has paddled his own waka on the international stage, flying solo against professional team riders.

Oliver is keen to add “national champion” to his strong resume to start a massive 2022 season, where he hopes that first-rate form can earn a spot on a global professional team, as well as earn selection to his second Commonwealth Games, having finished fourth at the Gold Coast.

“I have not done a cross-country race for a while but there’s no reason my form shouldn’t be good,” said Oliver. “I want to go for the jersey and give Anton a run for his money. There’s no reason why not.

“It is tough to still do this unless you had some hope of getting in a team. This year is about targeting results and pushing my case to get into a team. I am aiming for the top teams although there are not many spaces for new riders.”

Oliver hopes a strong showing will be the start, pushing on the Oceania Championships in Brisbane and then the opening three world cups which are all in the selection window for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Standing in his way this week is fellow North Canterbury superstar, Anton Cooper, who is chasing an eighth national title as he re-emerges from an outstanding 2021 season, and is coming back after breaking his arm in a bike-vs-vehicle collision.

The pair form part of 320 riders competing over the weekend with the cross-country at Crocodile Park in Halswell on Saturday, with the downhill competition at nearby Christchurch Adventure Park on Sunday.

Others to watch in the elite male category includes Craig Oliver, brother of Ben, and Rotorua’s Sam Shaw, while Ethan Rose from Christchurch is favourite in the under-23 category along with Nelson’s Cameron Jones and Palmerston North’s Caleb Bottcher.

Taupo’s Sammie Maxwell took out the overall honours last year and is still in the under- 23 class, with competition likely from Nelson’s Josie Wilcox.

While no general public will be allowed to view either event, there will be live timing and limited streaming of the finish.

Details and full entries: www.mtbnationals.nz