Cycling New Zealand has named an 11-strong elite team to contest the UCI BMX World Championships in France next month.
It includes Tokyo Olympic semi-finalist Rebecca Petch, although she will bypass the event to compete on the track for New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in London on the same weekend.
National champion Michael Bias (North Harbour) leads the team along with fellow Aucklander Rico Bearman who will compete in the under-23 male, after his recent World Cup win in Glasgow.
Also included is Europe-based Waikato rider Baylee Luttrell and Cambridge brothers Bennett Greenough (U23) and Jack Greenough (Junior).
They will join a healthy number of Challenge and Cruiser class riders competing in age group competition with racing from 26 to 29 July for Challenge and Cruiser classes before Elite competition on 30 and 31 July.
The Cycling New Zealand/BMX NZ elite team is:
Elite women: Rebecca Petch (Te Awamutu club); Caitlin Georgantas (Hamilton). Elite men: Michael Bias (North Harbour); Under 23 women: Baylee Luttrell (Hamilton); Under-23 men: Rico Bearman (North Harbour), Rico d’Anvers (Cambridge), Bennett Greenough (Cambridge); Junior Women: Megan Williams (Rotorua), Leila Walker (Cambridge); Junior men: Jack Greenough (Cambridge), Louis Hunt (Cambridge).
Non-Travelling reserve: Jackson Gaze (North Canterbury).