A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which makes them heavier, more complex and less efficient on smooth surfaces. These typically include a suspension fork, large knobby tires, more durable wheels, more powerful brakes, straight, extra wide handlebars to improve balance and comfort over rough terrain, and wide-ratio gearing optimised for topography, application and a frame with a suspension mechanism for the rear wheel. Rear suspension is ubiquitous in heavier-duty bikes and now common even in lighter bikes. Dropper posts can be installed to allow the rider to quickly adjust the seat height.
The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are the world championship events for mountain bike racing in the disciplines of cross country, downhill, and four-cross. They are organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the governing body of world cycling.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Glasgow 2014, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Commonwealth Games as governed by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). It took place in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 3 August 2014.
Catharine Pendrel is a Canadian cross-country mountain biker from Harvey Station, New Brunswick. A member of the Canadian National team since 2004, Pendrel was the world champion in cross-country mountain biking in 2011 and 2014 and the 2007 Pan American Games champion. She is also the current reigning Commonwealth Games champion when she won gold in Glasgow. Additionally, Pendrel is the 2010 World Cup Champion as well as the winner of the 2012 UCI and 2016 World Cup Series. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Cathkin Braes is an area of hills to the south east of the city of Glasgow, in Scotland. It lies to the south of the districts of Castlemilk, Fernhill and Burnside, and to the east of Carmunnock.
The European Mountain Bike Championships (EMBCs) are an annual mountain bike racing championship in Europe. They have been held since 1989, and on an annual basis since 1991. There have been 28 editions as of 2017.
Anton Cooper is a New Zealand cross-country cyclist who races for the Trek Factory Racing XC Team. He is the 2015 World Under 23 Cross-country Mountain bike champion and the 2012 World Junior Cross-country Mountain bike champion. One of the two contenders for the country's 2016 Summer Olympics quota spot, he developed chronic fatigue earlier in 2016 and the nomination went to Sam Gaze instead. Cooper represented New Zealand at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, finishing sixth in the Men's Cross-country Mountain Bike final.
Jolanda Neff is a Swiss cyclist, who primarily rides in the cross-country cycling and cyclo-cross disciplines, for the Trek Factory Racing team. She won the gold medal in the women's cross-country event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Gracie Elvin is an Australian former racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2012 and 2020, for the Faren–Honda Team and Mitchelton–Scott. Elvin is a two-time winner of the Australian National Road Race Championships, with victories in 2013 and 2014, and the first Australian rider to record a podium finish at the Tour of Flanders for Women, with second in 2017.
The Triathlon competitions at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, were held in Strathclyde Country Park. The men's and women's individual events were held on Thursday 24 July and women's triathlon was the first medal event of the Games. Mixed team relay was held on Saturday 26 July for the first time ever in major multi-sport Games. Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC member, commented: "We are delighted the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee has embraced the Triathlon Mixed Relay. Triathlon is on currently on a high in the United Kingdom, and the Mixed Relay will offer an extra opportunity for the people of Glasgow to watch another thrilling and unpredictable event live on their city streets."
Cycling is one of seven optional sports that were included in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Cycling has appeared consistently since their first appearance at the 1934 British Empire Games in London with track and road events at every Games since and mountain biking being included from 2002.
Canada competed in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 3, 2014. It was the nation's 20th appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930. Canada competed in 16 out of 17 sports with the only exception being netball. Canada's team consisted of 265 athletes and 100 support staff, the largest team for a games not hosted by the country. On September 12, 2012 former Commonwealth Games medalist Chantal Petitclerc was named as the Chef de mission of the team, marking the first time a former para athlete was named to the post.
Samuel William Gaze is a New Zealand cross-country and road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam Alpecin–Deceuninck. He won the under-23 Cross-Country at the 2016 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships and the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. He also competes on occasion in road racing events, winning the National Criterium Championships in 2017 and 2018.
The women's cross country mountain biking competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland was held on 29 July at the Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails. Mountain biking returned to the program, after last being competed back in 2006.
The 2014 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships was the 25th edition of the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, held in Hafjell and Lillehammer, Norway.
Alice Barnes is an English racing cyclist, who rides for UCI Women's WorldTeam Human Powered Health.
Phetetso Monese is a cross-country mountain biker who placed 21st at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He currently races on the Ace - The Sufferfest - Lesotho MTB Team and is the highest ranked black African rider on the UCI rankings. Phetetso Monese is also part of the first Basotho team to feature as part of the podium of the UCI Lesotho Sky stage race coming 2nd overall and winning day 4 of the event. Monese has qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Olympic cyclist from Lesotho.
The women's cross-country eliminator (XCE) is an event at the annual UCI Urban Cycling World Championships. From 2012 to 2016 the UCI world championships in the XCE were held as part of the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.
The 2018 European Championships were the first edition of the European Championships. It was a multi-sport event which took place in Berlin, Germany, and Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom from 2 to 12 August 2018. Around 1,500 athletes competed at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin, whilst at the same time more than 3,000 took part in the other championships in Glasgow. Each European Championship will be organised by the respective federation and host city.
The 2018 European Road Championships and European Track Championships were held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, from 2 to 12 August 2018, the championships were part of the first European Championships with other six sports events happening in Glasgow and Berlin.
