New Zealand has another cycling world champion after Hawkes Bay teenager Brook McDonald won the junior men's downhill title at the UCI Mountainbike World Championships in Canberra.
Third fastest in timed qualifying, McDonald clocked a superb 2:36.49 to win from Australian's Shaun O'Connor by more than a second, in a time that would have placed him in the top 20 in the elite championship.
His victory is the seventh rainbow jersey won by New Zealand cyclists this year following Alison Shanks in the track individual pursuit, Sarah Walker in BMX and World Cruiser class, Sam Webster in the sprint and keirin and the NZ team in the team sprint at the world junior track championships.
McDonald's win put the seal on an outstanding world championship for the New Zealand mountainbike team, who earned five top-10 finishes.
