Worlds: XCO riders ready to rip at Glentress

The off-road action continues with members of the ARA Australian Cycling team ready to rip around the cross-country course at Glentress from Tuesday.

Nine mountain bikers were selected to compete at the 2023 UCI World Championships in Scotland across the XC formats including short-course, Olympic and E-MTB.

Rebecca Henderson knows what it takes to stand on the podium at a World Championships with bronze medals in the cross-country Olympic in 2019 and 2020.

While this World Cup season has been a work in progress, her recent performance at Val di Sole has given the Canberra rider plenty of confidence to know at her best she is still a huge chance come race day.

I” have no idea what to expect from the course but have just been working to get in the best shape I can physically and tackle the racetrack once we get there.

“I’ve had only a couple of rides on the MTB since Val di Sole, but we know in XC the most important thing is to be physically ready so that's where I've focused my energy the last block,” the 15-time national champion said recently.

While in the Under 23 women Zoe Cuthbert like all riders will go in with little history on the course at Glentress Forest.

But the Canberran is amped just to be on the start line.

“After not being able to race World Champs for three years and a six-week break since the last World Cup, I’m super keen to see what I can do at Glentress forest this year,” she said.

Two riders will line up in the elite men with current Australian champion Sam Fox and Cameron Ivory sporting the fresh green and gold kit.

Scotland will be Dominic Paolilli’s third World Championship and the Victorian has been preparing in the best way possible

"I have spent nearly two months in Europe already racing and training so hoping all that experience will help me achieve a result I am proud of come race day,” the current Under 23 national champion said.

Joel Dodds will join Paolilli on the start grid.

Having completed the junior men’s road race on Saturday Cohen Jessen jumps back onto the fat tyres in the junior men xco.

He will be joined by Levi Dougherty and Jack Ward in the field.

“Keen as to race Glentrees forest, the course looks like it has lots of jumps so should be good fun and seems to be lots of spots for overtaking making for a exciting race.

"Race preparation has been going well and feeling awesome on the bike so hopefully I can do some good, said Ward who is the Junior men national champion.

There will also be one Aussie contesting the E-mtb race, Queensland's Caleb Dodds.

For more coverage of the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the UCI Cycling World Championships, visit our Glasgow 2023 Hub.