Spoke

HIGH PERFORMANCE

For such a small country population-wise, New Zealand is disproportionately represented on the world downhill scene. Why is this? Is it something in the water? Our penchant for Weet-Bix? Or maybe there are folks out there that genuinely want to see our young riders get the best possible opportunities for success on the international stage.

Let’s focus on that last one. We know there’s a lot of quick Kiwi kids out there, but not many get a chance to prove themselves on the World Cup circuit. For a lucky few, there’s a possibility.

Thanks to the Cycling New Zealand MTB National Performance Hub, the cream of the under-19 crop was selected to take on the world in Europe earlier this year.

For starters, what exactly is the MTB National Performance Hub? Surfacing a few years ago, it’s a scheme to

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