Commonwealth Games medallists Anton Cooper and Sam Gaze will head a 30-strong New Zealand team for the world mountain biking championships.
The championships for both cross-country and downhill will be staged at Vallnord, Andorra, on September 1-6.
The elite cross-country riders are chasing qualifying points and selection for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, while the downhill riders are looking to again force their way into contention.
The New Zealand team features six riders from Otago, including Queenstown's Kate Fluker, who had a top-20 finish in the last round of the world cup after finishing 25th at the world championships in Norway last year.
Wanaka's Paul Wright and Dunedin's Shannon Hope will compete in the men's and women's under-19 cross-country respectively, while Oamaru's Connor Sandri and Queenstown duo Matt Lawton and Mathew Gillan will contest the men's junior downhill.
Alana Columb (Queenstown) will contest the women's elite downhill.
Cooper, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist, was the best of the New Zealand cross-country riders at last year's world championships, finishing sixth in the under-23 race, but compatriot Gaze, who won the silver medal in Glasgow, has been in top form this year, finishing fifth and seventh in the opening two rounds of the under-23 category of the world cup.
The New Zealand downhill squad is headed by former Wanganui rider Sam Blenkinsop, who was in top form for fifth at the world cup in Scotland last weekend riding for new team Norco Factory, after finishing seventh in Hafjell last year.
Brook MacDonald (Trek World Racing) was the leading New Zealander on the podium in fifth at last year's world championships, and will again be a contender along with his fellow Hawkes Bay rider and national champion George Brannigan.
Another heading to Andorra in form will be Taranaki's Wyn Masters, on the back of his 11th placing in Scotland.
Mountain biking
New Zealand team
Cross-country: Karen Hanlen, Kate Fluker (elite women), Sam Gaze, Anton Cooper, Ben Oliver, Jack Compton, Craig Oliver (under-23 men), Paul Wright, Nathan Johnston, Harrison Mudgway (under-19 men), Jemma Manchester, Shannon Hope (under-19 women).
Downhill: George Brannigan, Sam Blenkinsop, Brook MacDonald, Wyn Masters, Matt Walker, Rupert Chapman, Edward Masters (elite men), Alana Columb, Sophie Tyas, Veronique Sandler, Amanda Monk (elite women), Connor Sandri, Jack Humphries, Cole Lucas, Matt Lawton, Gareth Burgess, Mathew Gillan, Kim Newton (junior men).
