Daniel McConnell of Australia competes in the Men's Cross Country mountain bike event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. © Paul Gilham/Getty Images

STRENGTH, ENDURANCE, PRECISION AND THE ELEMENTS COLLIDE IN CROSS COUNTRY CYCLING

The tranquil backdrop for the London 2012 Mountain Bike competition provides the perfect contrast to the rough and tumble cross country cycling discipline. Located in Essex, the course has been purpose-built for the Games on the grounds of Hadleigh Farm surrounding Hadleigh Castle which was built during the reign of Henry III in the 13th Century. French Mountain biker Julien Absalon is looking for a third consecutive gold medal, but the Aussies will be in his tracks hoping to bag Australia’s first ever mountain bike medal.

Athletes to watch

Victorian Daniel McConnell was Australia's sole male representative at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, finishing 39th. In 2011 Chris Jongewaard and Sidney Taberlay moved up the world rankings to place themselves in the mix for the quota place Australia has already secured.

Cycling Australia's Female MTB Rider of the Year Rebecca Henderson was unstoppable in 2011 but Victorian Jenni King has leapt out of the blocks to begin 2012. Victorian mountain bike specialist Katherine O’Shea was the highest ranked female rider at the end of 2011 so the girls are in a tight tussle for Olympic selection should Australia qualify.

 

MOUNTAIN BIKE FORMAT

Competitors complete laps of an undulating race circuit designed to produce a specific winning time rather than a specific distance. Races are over 40-50km for men, and 30-40km for women. The riders start together and must complete a set number of laps of the course. The winner is the first past the finish line. The number of laps depends on the track and weather conditions and a decision on the number of laps can be made by organisers at the latest two hours before the start of the race to determine the optimum finish time- 2hr 15min for men, 2hr for women.

Men and women compete separately and riders are seeded on a starting grid according to their current world ranking.

 

QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION

Mountain bike Olympic qualification is based largely on the UCI World Ranking of each nation, accumulating between 23 May 2011 and 23 May 2012. For Australia to achieve Olympic quotas we must be ranked in the top 24 countries for men and top 18 for women.

Additionally, places are available through continental allocations. Australia will have at least one male representative after Chris Jongewaard won the 2011 Oceania Championship title and earned Australia a male Olympic quota place.

For all the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>


AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

Australia is yet to win a medal in Olympic mountain bike racing despite the nation’s strength in the sport. Since its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Australia’s cycling champion Cadel Evans contested the men’s event finishing ninth. Evans competed in cross country again at the Sydney 2000 Games, bettering his result to seventh before switching to road at the Beijing Games. Australia’s best performing female has been dual Olympian Mary Grigson who placed sixth at the Sydney 2000 Games.

To learn more about the history of cycling and Australia at the Olympics click here>>>