A promising squad of 12 junior downhill riders has been selected to represent the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Italy.
Eight men and four women have been confirmed by the AusCycling National Selection Panel to compete at Val di Sole in August.
Junior national champions Daniel Turkovic and Tilly Boadle are among the 10 riders who will be making their debut for the ARA Australian Cycling Team at their maiden UCI MTB World Championships.
Victoria’s Boadle has already shown impressive form overseas this year, winning bronze at the first UCI MTB World Cup in South Korea.
Tilly Boadle in action at the GWM Mountain Bike National Championships. Image: Matt Rousu
Joining them is Toowoomba’s Oliver Colthup and Jindabyne’s Matilda Henness, who return for their second consecutive year representing the green and gold on the world stage.
Selected for their first UCI MTB World Championships are Byron Best, Bryn Couzin, Oliver Kinghorn, Bailey Mills, Jonte Tummon and Rhys Wellings.
GWM MTB National Championships silver medallist Zuri Acheson and Rebecca Sams, who won the AusCycling Downhill National Series junior title, will also make their first appearance in the green and gold.
Qualification for Downhill will take place on August 28, followed by the finals on August 29.
ARA Australian Cycling Team| 2026 UCI MTB World Championships | Downhill
Junior Men
- Byron Best (Outlook Riders Alliance, QLD)
- Oliver Colthup (Toowoomba MTB Club, QLD)
- Bryn Couzin(Western Sydney MTB Club, NSW)
- Oliver Kinghorn (Woolgoolga MTB Club, NSW)
- Bailey Mills (Kooralbyn Valley MTB Club, QLD)
- Jonte Tummon (Hobart Wheelers Dirt Devils, TAS)
- Daniel Turkovic (Garigal Gorillas, NSW)
- Rhys Wellings (RATS Cycling Club, QLD)
Junior Women
- Zuri Acheson (Garigal Gorillas, NSW)
- Tilly Boadle (Red Hill Riders MTB Club, VIC)
- Matilda Henness (Jindabyne Trail Stewardship, NSW)
- Rebecca Sams (Tamworth Mountain Bikers, NSW)