A setback for the New Zealand mountainbike team for the World Championships which start in Canberra today with Rotorua's Monique Avery breaking an arm in a training accident.
Fourteen of the New Zealand team will compete in the junior and under-23 women's cross country competition today on a demanding course at Mt Stromlo.
Manager Chris Mildon says it's such bad news for Avery as she was definitely one of their top hopes.
Mildon says the steep section, known as the Hammerhead, has already claimed plenty of victims.
Mildon says there are hopes of a strong performance from Wellington's Samara Sheppard in today's under-23 class and Sarah-Kate McDonald from Clyde in the
junior division.
