MEN

NICK CRAIG

DIAMOND BACK RT

D.O.B: 3-4-1969.

Born in Ashton under Lyne. Nick now lives in High Peak, Derbyshire, with his wife
Sarah and son Thomas. Nick started racing when he was just nine years old. Nick has
been a multi National Cyclo-Cross champion and is the reigning National Mountain
Bike Cross Country champion. Sydney will be his first Games.

BIKEmagic says:
Craigy’s got a stack of race nouse, and the ability to mix-it-up with some of the
best riders around. We’d frankly be staggered if he got a podium placing, but expect
a top ten finish from this likeable bloke.





OLIVER BECKINGSALE

SCOTT UK

D.O.B: 7-6-1976.

Born in Bristol now lives Nailsea Somerset. Oli graduated from Sheffield Hallam University
in 1996 with a degree in recreational management. He has been racing for nine years.
Oli was twice the National Under 23 Mountain Bike Cross Country champion. He is a
regular competitor in the World Cup events and in 1999 raced the World Cup in

Sydney on the Olympic circuit. Sydney will be his first Olympic Games. Oli is looking
to peak in late season, and at the World Cup final has had his best ever result of
14th.

BIKEmagic says: Can
young guns go for it? Oli has a lot of pressure on his young shoulders and if he
can keep his head, perhaps his relative inexperience might pay off if he goes for
reckless moves that payoff.



Who’s going to win?

Everyone’s money is on Cadel Evans, set to dominate on a home course.

WOMEN

CAROLINE ALEXANDER

WCPP / Y2K TEAM

D.O.B: 3-3-68.

Born and still lives in Barrow-in-Furness. Caroline used to be a draughts woman.
In 1995 she was the European Mountain Bike Cross Country champion. She is the only
British woman to have won a round of the World Cup series when in Round 3 of the
1997 World Cup series in St. Wendel, Germany, she beat the Olympic champion Paolo
Pezzo by 1.31 min. She is a multi National Cyclo Cross and Mountain Bike Cross Country
champion, and won a bronze medal in the European Mountain Bike Cross Country Championships
this year. She has also retained her Mountain Bike crown this year. Sydney 2000
will be her second Olympic Games.

BIKEmagic says: Cazza
has been very quiet of late, and with a mass of miles under her belt and huge amounts
of race experience, I think we could see a podium placing.





LOUISE ROBINSON

STOURBRIDGE CC-WCPP

D.O.B: 12-1-1965.

Born in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, but now lives in Stourbridge, West Midlands. Louise
is the daughter of Brian Robinson who was the first British rider to win a stage
in the Tour de France. Brian and his brother Des rode in the 1952 Olympic Road Race
in Helsinki. Louise was a junior cross country runner finishing 4th at the National
Junior Cross

Country Championships at the age of fourteen. This year she finished in the silver
medal position at the inaugural World Cyclo Cross Championships and is the reigning
National Cyclo Cross champion. The Sydney Olympic Games will be her first Games.

BIKEmagic says: Living
in the shadow of your dads TDF stage win can’t be easy, but Louise has a traditional
upbringing which brings classic race strategy to the fore. We’d expect a top ten
placing from her.



Who’s going to win?

Paola Pezzo would be a good bet, but Barbara Blatter might be in with an outside
chance.