The British Cycling MTB Cross-country Series returns to Dalby Forest for the first time since 2012 for round three on Sunday.
Elite men’s and elite women’s leaders Liam Killeen and Bethany Crumpton will be on the line in Yorkshire in what are arguably the strongest fields of the series so far in each respective category.
How it works
Riders score points across five rounds based on their finishing positions. A rider’s best four scores count towards their overall total, the rider with the highest total is crowned series champion.
Elite men
Round one winner Grant Ferguson returns to domestic mountain bike action after missing the visit to Newnham Park.
The Betch.NL Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team rider spent three days on the road at the Tour de Yorkshire with the Great Britain Cycling Team before last weekend’s European mountain bike championships. The 22-year-old saw his race ruined by a broken shifter in Sweden.
In the Scotman’s absence in Plymouth, Malvern Cycle Sport’s Liam Killeen powered to the win, one better than this second behind Ferguson at Pembrey Country Park and the duo are set to lock horns again.
David Fletcher (Pines Cycles – Felt-Enve) and Jason Bouttell (X RT- Elmy Cycles) have performed well so far to occupy top-three positions behind Killeen in the overall, but it is presence of the Cannondale Factory trio that could mix up the rankings.
Italian Olympic bronze medallist Marco Aurelio Fontana is joined by German teammate Manuel Fumic, a two-time Olympian who was seventh at London 2012 and fourth at last year's world championships.
World under-23 cross-country champion Anton Cooper, still only 21, completes the triad.
Elite women
Successive third-places have put Boot Out Breast Cancer CC’s Bethany Crumpton, 21, in the ascendency with Rock and Road Cycles’ Kerry MacPhee in pursuit.
But the return of Novus OMX Pro Team’s Annie Last and 100% me’s Evie Richards will pose a threat to the top two.
The burgeoning Richards, winner at round two, added another medal to her collection with bronze for the Great Britain Cycling Team at the European championships while British champion Last is set to make her debut in this season’s series.
Nineteen-year-old Isla Short is another to watch, the talented Scot taking second behind Richards at Newham Park.
Venue
Situated on the southern slopes of the North York Moors National Park, Dalby Forest has been used for two UCI Mountain Bike World Cups. Maintained by the UK Forestry Commission, the forest is home to a number of trials.
How to follow the racing
- Follow @BritishCycling on Twitter for updates from both events throughout the racing.
- Report, results, images and reaction will appear on the British Cycling website.
