Tauranga’s Eliana Hulsebosch will spearhead a powerful Kiwi junior presence at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Pal Arinsal, Andorra, as New Zealand riders look to maintain strong momentum in round six of the season.

Organisers, facing worsening weather, moved qualifying earlier in the day but later cancelled all junior finals.

Only elite races will proceed as planned.

The demanding terrain marks the final stop before a three-week mid-season break.

New Zealand gravity riders continue to shine on the world stage, with 10 ranked inside the top 12 across elite and junior categories.

Among them is 17-year-old Hulsebosch, racing for Santa Cruz Syndicate, who currently sits fourth in the junior women’s downhill standings, just two points off second place.

Rotorua duo Bellah Birchall and Kate Hastings also feature in the top 10, sitting fifth and seventh respectively. Hastings has impressed in her debut season, achieving her ranking in just three starts.

In the junior men’s field, Tyler Waite from Hawke’s Bay leads the Kiwi charge, sitting second overall for Yeti-Fox Factory, only eight points off the top spot.

Kaikōura’s Oli Clark and Palmerston North’s Jonty Williamson follow closely in fifth and sixth.

Elite gravity riders are also delivering consistent results.

Lachlan Stevens-McNab is finding form with his new Trek Factory team. Photo: Trek Factory/Red Bull Content

Trek Factory’s Lachlan Stevens-McNab from Rotorua holds 12th in the men’s standings after back-to-back fourth places in Leogang and La Thuile, following a sixth-place finish in Poland.

Jess Blewitt of Cube Factory, based in Queenstown, is ninth overall in elite women. Blewitt’s string of top-10 finishes — 10th in Leogang, and ninth at both Bielsko-Biala and La Thuile — has moved her up the rankings.

Joining her in the elite field are strong Kiwi prospects including former junior world champions Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory), Erice van Leuven (Norco Race), and two-time junior world medallist Sasha Earnest (Trek Factory).

In cross-country, Taupō rider Sammie Maxwell leads the elite women’s standings for Decathlon Ford in her rookie season.

Maxwell has won one round and finished second in the other three, putting her in top form heading into the weekend.

World champion Sam Gaze returns to racing after the birth of his first child.

Based in Andorra, he brings valuable local knowledge to the course. Christchurch’s Anton Cooper, riding for Lapierre Racing, continues his return to form after injury.

Cross-country short track and downhill qualifying begin early Saturday morning (NZT).

The downhill finals run from 9.30pm Saturday into early Sunday, with the cross-country races starting from 7pm Sunday through to early Monday morning (NZT).

With elite and junior riders both in the hunt for podiums, New Zealand’s contingent — led by Tauranga’s Hulsebosch — will look to make a strong statement in the mountains of Andorra.