Selection Criteria Cross-Country Mountain Bike World Championships

Fort William 3rd to 9th September 2007

As a home World Championships it is anticipated that the interest in competing in the 2007 event will be high. As a result, we expect competition for selection for the Great Britain team to be a hard fought contest, and hope as a result to field one of the best World Championships teams we have produced. The event being held in the UK is of course an exciting prospect, and we hope by these selection criteria to be able to ensure that the Great Britain team is of a high calibre, with potential medallists, top tens and also the opportunity to showcase the best of the developing British riders on their home ground.

The aims of the GB Cycling Team at the MTB XC World Championships remain consistent with previous year's selection criteria. These are simply to win medals and gain top ten placings in International competition. Selections may also be made of younger, or less experienced riders who have an identified need to experience competition at this level and are deemed to have the potential to win medals in Major Championships in future years, particularly with a view to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

There are 7 events in the cross country discipline where selections will be made. These are:

Elite Men
Elite Women
U23 Men
U23 Women
Junior Men
Junior Women
Team Relay

In all disciplines we are targeting podium and top ten performances.

Any riders targeting selection for this event must be prepared to commit fully to a programme of preparation and training which may include one or more residential camps. Failure to attend other than by a Doctor's certificate will result in deselection from the World Championships team.

Riders targeting World Championships selection should notify the Olympic Programmes admin office, and must be prepared to commit to the UK Sport Whereabouts system if this is deemed appropriate. For further information on this system please see www.100percentme.co.uk

Reserves will be named for each event. The Selection Panel may reconvene at a date between selection and the competition to withdraw a rider from the World Championships if there is a case put forward by the National Coach or other suitably qualified individual that a rider is likely to under-perform to a significant degree. A de-selected rider may be replaced only with another rider named as part of the team who is clearly performing better and is deemed likely to achieve a top 10 position. This can occur at any time between the selection deadline and competition but replacements can only be drawn from the selected athletes (including reserves) whose names were published at the time of selection.

All selections are discretionary and will be made by a selection panel by 25th July 2007. The composition of the selection panel will be at least three individuals from the following posts:

• National Coach, MTB XC
• Performance Director
• Performance Manager
• Performance Manager - ODP
• Other expert advisers as nominated by the Performance Director