Phil Dixon is targeting medals for Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics

Great Britain coach Phil Dixon is aiming for a good start to the season at the 2010 Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup at Dalby Forest.

The three-day competition on the 6.5km North Yorkshire course begins on Saturday, 24 April.

Dixon, who is in charge of the British Olympic mountain bike programme, told BBC Radio York: "They're a young bunch, they're developing bike riders.

"We hope to achieve a great performance from the team as a whole."

The GB team is likely to include seniors Liam Kileen, Annie Last, Lily Mathews and Dave Fletcher, plus juniors Steve James, Katie Wintonn, Grant Ferguson and Kenta Gallagher.

"Kileen has done two Olympics, so he's very much a professional now," added Dixon, "He was fifth in Athens and seventh in Beijing.

"Dalby Forest is the start point of the year for us so we're looking for some good results."

The course includes testing sections rejoicing in names such as Dixon's Hollow, Worry Gill and Medusa's Drop.

"The course is great. It's got everything and it's great for spectators," said Dixon.

"There's a long way to go before the main target of our year which is the World Championships in September."

The event is preceded by a new race, the Pro Spring Eliminator, on Friday, 23 April, when some of the top World Cup riders will race around Pickering town centre.

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