Canada’s team for the UCI mountain bike world championships in Vallnord, Andorra announced

Not surprisingly, Canada’s representation at the UCI mountain bike world championships, beginning August 31 and running until September 6 in Vallnord, Andorra, features some heavyweights in the Canadian offroad riding world. This year, as has been the case for many other notable events during the 2015 season, Catharine Pendrel and Raphael Gagne are a couple of the more star-studded names.

It’s only fitting, then, that one of the most prestigious closing events of 2015 should feature the two riders as well.

Pendrel will be racing in the Elite women’s category, where the two-time world champion and six-time Canadian champion will be joined in wearing Canada’s colours by Emily Batty, Mikaela Kofman, and Sandra Walter, herself a three-time Canada Cup champion. Currently ranked second in world standings, with Batty in the eighth position of that list, Pendrel’s involvement in UCI mountain bike world championship competition makes Canada the only country with more than one rider in top-10 international rankings.

Gagne, of course, tips the scales of Canada’s prestige at these competitions even more. With wins earning him titles at the US Cup, the Pan-American Games, and the Canadian national championships, the Quebec-based rider has contributed extensively to Canada’s solid standing. Focused on securing Olympic qualification points for Canada in the elite men’s race, Gagne’s ranks are joined by Geoff Kabush, eight-time Canadian cross country champion, Leandre Bouchard and Derek Zandstra.

The under-23 category, meanwhile, is represented by Canadian champions Alexandre Vialle and Haley Smith, with Canadian junior champions Rapael Auclair and Laurie Arsenault also donning the Maple Lead for the event. Steve Smith, Matthew Beer and Mark Wallace will compete in the downhill course, meanwhile, riding in the Elite men’s category. Magnus Manson, meanwhile in his rookie junior season, will represent the junior women in the downhill category, while Georgia Astle will represent the women.

TEAM CANADA – 2015 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

(* denotes current Canadian champion
CROSS-COUNTRY – ELITE MEN
Léandre Bouchard (Alma, QC)
Raphaël Gagné * (Québec, QC)
Geoff Kabush (Courtenay, BC)
Derek Zandstra (Trenton, ON)

CROSS-COUNTRY – ELITE WOMEN
Emily Batty (Brooklin, ON)
Mikaela Kofman (Toronto, ON)
Catharine Pendrel * (Kamloops, BC)
Sandra Walter (Coquitlam, BC)

CROSS-COUNTRY – U23 MEN
Peter Disera (Barrie, ON)
Marc-André Fortier (Victoriaville, QC)
Marc-Antoine Nadon (Timmins, ON)
Alexandre Vialle * (Prévost, QC)

CROSS-COUNTRY – U23 WOMEN
Catherine Fleury (Alma, QC)
Maghalie Rochette (St-Jérome, QC)
Haley Smith * (Uxbridge, ON)
Frederique Trudel (Breakeyville, QC)

CROSS-COUNTRY – JUNIOR MEN
Raphael Auclair * (Québec, QC)
Rhys Verner (Squamish, BC)
Quinton Disera (Barrie, ON)
Sean Fincham (Squamish, BC)

CROSS-COUNTRY – JUNIOR WOMEN
Soren Meeuwisse (Orillia, ON)
Laurie Arsenault * (Terrebonne, QC)
Emily Handford (West Vancouver, BC)
Mackenzie Myatt (Musquodoboit Harbour, NS)

DOWNHILL – ELITE MEN
Matt Beer (North Vancouver, BC)
Steve Smith* (Cassidy, BC)
Mark Wallace (Duncan, BC)

DOWNHILL – JUNIOR MEN
Jack Almond (West Vancouver, BC)
Henry Fitzgerald (West Vancouver, BC)
Magnus Manson * (Sechelt, BC)

DOWNHILL – ELITE WOMEN
Casey Brown (Revelstoke, BC)
Claire Buchar (Whistler, BC)
Miranda Miller * (Garibaldi Highlands, BC)
Vaea Verbeek (Grandby, QC)

DOWNHILL – JUNIOR WOMEN
Georgia Astle *(Whistler, BC)