Alister Martin competed in the men’s mountain bike cross-country event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games – the discipline’s Olympic debut – finishing 32nd in a field of 43 starters at the Georgia International Horse Park course.

Martin was a convert from road racing who had concentrated on the mountain bike discipline since 1990. Martin Earley, the experienced road professional-turned-mountain-biker who also competed at Atlanta, finished 25th. Martin’s own result of 32nd was a creditable Olympic debut in the newest event on the cycling programme.