Alexandra’s Cooper Millwood earned a silver in the UCI mountain bike world series in Italy in the junior men’s enduro event in Pietra Ligure. 

Cooper who has been signed by the Yeti NZ development team, was outstanding and competed with fellow Alexandra rider Marcus Sayers who finished in ninth.

Third after the first day, he was fastest in three of the four stages on the second day, and ended up only 14 seconds behind winner Melvin Almueis (France).

Cooper said he was stoked with how he was riding and thanked his coach Steve Wallace.

“It’s been a big goal of mine to get on the podium, and now I’ve got my sights set on that top step.

“I’ve got five more races coming up across Europe over the next few months as part of the UCI World Series, and I’m aiming to stay consistent and hopefully fight for the overall title,” he said.

Cooper on his bike in Combloux France in 2024. PHOTO: Clancy Kelly

Riders tackled over 100km of riding along with seven timed stages totalling 20kms with 1480m of climbing and 1899m of descents.

Last year Cooper competed in Austria, France and Switzerland and had one podium finish in Leogang, Austria.

His first trip to Europe he financed on his own, leaving school to work full time at Central Organics early in 2024.

This season his next UCI MTB World Series event is in Bielski-Biala in Poland.

Enduro is the mountain bike equivalent of motor rally, where the contestants are timed over a series of short downhill tracks, which are joined by lengthy liaison trails, with riders with the skills of downhill and the endurance of cross-country.

Cooper’s been making podiums for a few years, here he is first place (middle) with Cam Moir (on left) second, and Oscar McNally third in the Crankworx Summer Series (U17) in March 2023. PHOTO: Crankworx

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