Talented Australian downhill mountain biker Troy Brosnan,
in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Adelaide schoolboy Troy Brosnan is the rising star of
Australian mountain biking and has been signed by a United
States racing team.
Brosnan (16), in Dunedin for the Oceania championships,
leaves next month to spend seven months with the professional
Monsterenergy Specialised team in Southern California.
He will be the only junior on the World Cup series.
"I didn't believe it when I was asked to join the team,"
Brosnan said.
It was an opportunity not to be missed and Brosnan knows he
has the chance to move into the big league.
Brosnan's career path was pointed in this direction when he
started riding BMX bikes at the age of 3.
He concentrated on this sport for five years and switched to
mountain biking at the age of 11.
He was encouraged by his father, Baden Brosnan, who is a keen
road and cross-country bike rider in Adelaide.
But there was a gap of three years after Brosnan had given up
BMX before he started downhill mountain biking.
"I didn't do much for three years and my teacher at school
encouraged me to try downhill," he said.
"I like downhill because of the number of spectators who
watch the races and the atmosphere," he said.
He still gets scared by the thought of tearing down a steep
hill flat out.
"Some of the big jumps stir me up," he admitted.
"Before the race runs, I get nervous."
Brosnan has won two junior Australian titles, the under-15 in
2007 and the under-19 last year.
His goal is to compete in world championships and follow in
the footsteps of Australian Sam Hill, who has won world
titles.
In his spare time, Brosnan likes to relax by surfing at
Adelaide beaches.
He is the rider to watch in the under-19 downhill event on
the Signal Hill course on Sunday.
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