TROY: “ROAR ON THE AUSSIES!”

Troy Brosnan has urged passionate Australian fans at Cairns to cheer the local heroes to possible victory. Brosnan, from Adelaide, is one of the favourites for the men’s downhill after a great start to this season, featuring a win at Vallnord and second place at Lenzerheide.

But Jack Moir and Mick Hannah are among other homegrown racers hoping for glory in front of rabid crowds on the Smithfield course. And Brosnan reckons their support could be crucial – especially on the long finishing section as riders pedal their guts out to the tape. “I think to have all the Aussies on that last stretch of pedalling at the very end can only help me push harder to the finish line,” the 24-year-old said.

Brosnan, who made the switch to Canyon from Specialized at the start of the season, is likely to be battling it out with South Africa’s Greg Minnaar at the top of the leaderboard. 29er bikes have exploded onto the DH scene this year – and none more so than the Santa Cruz V10 that Minnaar has been blazing a trail with throughout 2017.

But even though the Smithfield course would seem to favour bigger wheels, Brosnan believes they don’t suit his personal style of riding. “For me, 29ers are a rider’s choice,” he says. “The taller riders like Greg suit them really well, but I have tried one and it did not work for me at all. Being so small it felt like too much bike that I don’t need.”

And why would the Aussie rider want to change anyway when his Canyon Sender has delivered such excellent results all season? “The team and myself have progressed the bike to be faster and faster and it all has just clicked,” he explains. “It has been a great switch for me. I did not imagine I’d have won a World Cup race in my first year on a Canyon and I’m over the moon with how the team is going.”

Although Brosnan will be pushing himself to the limit in Cairns, he’s adamant he won’t be feeling the pressure to take down a World Championship. “I am super excited for Worlds in Cairns – it’s in Australia and on a track I do really well at,” he says.

“But to be honest I’m just going there to have fun and ride my bike - whatever happens I will have a smile on my face!”