British Cycling has today announced the team who will represent Great Britain at the forthcoming UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Saint-Anne, Canada, taking place on 31 August – 5 September 2010.

World Champion Steve Peat will be looking to defend his title in the Downhill competition whilst Gee Atherton, currently leading the World Cup series, and Marc Beaumont, winner of the last World Cup in Val di Sole, also make the squad. First year Junior Manon Carpenter makes her debut at World Championship level having already scored three top 10 results in the Elite Women’s Downhill World Cup this year.

Current Junior Trials World Champion Joe Oakley makes his first World Championship appearance in the Elite Men’s category and Commonwealth Cross Country Gold medallist Liam Killeen has also been selected.

Great Britain’s Olympic Academy rider and current National Champion Annie Last has had a strong season this year with two podium finishes at World Cup level in the Under – 23 category. She is joined by fellow Academy riders Lily Matthews and David Fletcher, whilst Olympic Development Programme riders Grant Ferguson, Kenta Gallagher and Steve James – all of whom have produced top ten finishes at World Cups this year – also make the selection.

British Cycling’s Performance Director Dave Brailsford said: “The strength and depth of talent which GB has across all the mountain bike disciplines continues to increase and the size of the squad we’re sending to the World Champs reflects this. The Elite Men’s Downhill team is testimony of the strength of talent – all eight of the riders selected have had a top ten finish at World Cup level this year and their team includes Steve Peat who is the current World Champion, Gee Atherton who is currently leading the World Cup series with one round remaining and Marc Beaumont who won the most recent Downhill World Cup in Italy last weekend.

“It’s also good to see the number of young riders which have made it onto the squad again this year, particularly the crop of young talent we have in the Olympic discipline of Cross Country with just under two years to go until London 2012.”

Riders:

XC

Elite Men Oli Beckingsale Liam Killeen   U23 Men/Women: David Fletcher Annie Last Lily Matthews   Junior Men: Grant Ferguson Kenta Gallagher Steve James

DH

Senior Men/Women: Gee Atherton Rachel Atherton Marc Beaumont Ruaridh Cunningham Brendan Fairclough Fionn Griffiths Danny Hart Tracy Moseley Steve Peat Matt Simmonds Joe Smith   Junior Men/Women Lewis Buchanan Manon Carpenter Sam Flockhart Mark Scott

4X

Senior Men/Women: Scott Beaumont Katy Curd Fionn Griffiths

Trials

Elite 26” (and 20” if desired) Andrei Burton Joe Oakley Daniel Butler Ben Slinger Ben Savage   Junior 20” Sam Oliver