Canadian MTB team heads to Norway for Worlds
A large group of Canadians is heading to Hafjell, Norway to race in the 2014 Mountain Bike World Championships being held September 2-7.
A total of 39 athletes will represent Canadian hopes at Worlds, the focus on cross country racing, with 27 riders competing in the XCO competition.
“Our cross-country program has been one of the strongest in the world over the last Olympic cycle with World Titles and World Cup titles,” said Jacques Landry, high performance director for Cycling Canada. “We are heading to Norway with the objective to continue our momentum of performance at the highest level as continue our road to Rio 2016.”
Catharine Pendrel and Emily Batty highlight the women’s cross-country roster. Pendrel won her fifth Canadian title this year, and finished the World Cup ranked second despite missing the opening two races of the year due to injury. Batty finished fourth in the World Cup, within striking distance of Pendrel in the standings. The pair also went 1-2 at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland earlier this summer.
Worlds prep- training in France @CanMTBcycling #Alpe d’Huez http://t.co/NRHhDRXy5M
— Emily Batty (@emilybatty) August 27, 2014
The women’s World Cup champion, Jolanda Neff will race in the U23 competition at Worlds, as yet ineligible for the Elite ranks. Sandra Walter and Mikaela Kofman will round out the women’s elite team for Worlds. Walter earned her third Canada Cup title, while Kofman his shown considerable improvement over the las two years.
@mikaela and @emilybatty in the Team Canada pain cave! Double workout? pic.twitter.com/XqPivsr9Q3
— Cycling Canada MTB (@CanMTBcycling) August 27, 2014
The men’s team includes Scott-3Rox teammates Geoff Kabush and Derek Zandstra. The pair finished first and second respectively at the 2014 Canadian Championships, with Kabush claiming a record eighth title. Raphaël Gagné has had an excellent season this year, earning his spot on the World’s roster. Evan Guthrie has enjoyed a breakout season in 2014. The Norco rider was part of a lead group that along with Gagné, animated the Canadian Championships by forcing Kabush, Zandstra and Max Plaxton to push hard just to keep up. Guthrie also made his World Cup debut at Mont Sainte Anne, finishing 36th overall after starting 82nd.
The U23 teams include national champions Léandre Bouchard and Frédérique Trudel. Evan McNeely earned his spot in part for his seventh place finish at the Mont Sainte Anne World Cup U23 race. McNeely’s Norco teammate Haley Smith also excelled at Mont Sainte Anne, and will race in the U23 women’s event.
@mikaelafudge and @hale_smith spinning up Alp D’Huez with Team Canada. #lightbrightandclear pic.twitter.com/z7UxLrCqyJ
— Cycling Canada MTB (@CanMTBcycling) August 27, 2014
The downhill team is made up of some strong riders, including Kyle Sangers and Mark Wallace. However, the much anticipated performance of Steve Smith will not happen. Smith was sidelined ahead of the Mont Sainte Anne World Cup with an injury. The Devinci rider has yet to fully recover, and will not race in Norway, where he has been the only athlete to win the Norwegian World Cup since its inclusion on the circuit in 2012.
On the women’s side, Micayla Gatto, Casey Brown and Vaea Verbeeck will represent Canada.
TEAM CANADA – 2014 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
XCO ELITE MEN
Raphaël GAGNÉ (Québec, QC)
Evan GUTHRIE (Peachland, BC)
Geoff KABUSH (Courtenay, BC) *
Derek ZANDSTRA (Trenton, ON)
XCO ELITE WOMEN
Emily BATTY (Brooklin, ON)
Mikaela KOFMAN (Toronto, ON)
Catharine PENDREL (Kamloops, BC) *
Sandra WALTER (Coquitlam, BC)
XCO – U23 MEN
Mitch BAILEY (Barrie, ON)
Léandre BOUCHARD (Alma, QC) *
Peter DISERA (Barrie, ON)
Jérémy MARTIN (Boischatel, QC)
Evan MCNEELY (Kingston, ON)
XCO – U23 WOMEN
Catherine FLEURY (Alma, QC)
Rachel PAGEAU (Chicoutimi, QC)
Maghalie ROCHETTE (St-Jérôme, QC)
Haley SMITH (Uxbridge, ON)
Frédérique TRUDEL (Breakeyville, QC) *
XCO – JUNIOR MEN
Felix BELHUMEUR (Quebec, QC)
Felix BURKE (Mt-Tremblant, QC)
Marc-André FORTIER (Victoriaville, QC) *
Guillaume LAROSE GINGRAS (Lac Beauport, QC)
Rhys VERNER (Squamish, BC)
XCO – JUNIOR WOMEN
Laurie ARSENAULT (Terrebonne, QC)
Paige FOXCROFT (Nottawa, ON)
Marine LEWIS (St-Sauveur, QC)
Soren MEEUWISSE (Orillia, ON) *
DOWNHILL – ELITE MEN
Remi GAUVIN (Nanoose Bay, BC)
Kyle SANGERS (Kingston, ON)
Mckay VEZINA (Newbury Park, CA)
Mark WALLACE (Duncan, BC)
DOWNHILL – ELITE WOMEN
Casey BROWN (Revelstoke, BC)
Micayla GATTO (North Vancouver, BC)
Vaea VERBEECK (North Vancouver, BC) *
DOWNHILL – JUNIOR MEN
Jack ILES (Whistler, BC)
Max SCHARF (Salmon Arm, BC)
Daniel SHAW (North Vancouver, BC) *
TRIAL
Jeff Anderson (Vancouver, BC) [Elite Men- 26” Trials]
David Herr [Elite Men- 26” Trials]
