25 May 2012

One spot given to New Zealand mountainbikers

5:16 am on 25 May 2012

New Zealand has been awarded one men's and one women's mountainbiking spot in the London Olympics.

The spots are based on three criteria specified by governing body the UCI, including nations ranking and performance within the individual continental regions.

What happens next is that nations will decide whether to accept all qualified spots and then name their riders to the teams.

Any unclaimed spots will be re-allocated by the UCI.

Whakatane's Karen Hanlen is the likely women's selection for New Zealand after Rosara Joseph broke her wrist at a World Cup event last week, while New Zealand may struggle to fill the men's spot.