Canadians to watch when World Cup racing returns in Mairiporã, Brazil

World Cup racing is back, kicking off with two stops in Brazil, and Canadians are ready to get into the mix. With the Paris Olympics looming on the horizon, there’s no easing into the 2024 season. This will be full-on racing from the word “Go!” Here’s the Canadians to keep an eye on in Mairiporã this weekend as well as an update on a few international favourites.

Canadians flock south to find speed

Men

With the World Cup starting with two rounds in South America it is a great opportunity for the Canadian (and American) riders to start the season not necessarily closer to home, but at least on more even footing with their European competitors. For Gunnar Holmgren, the return to Brazil will be a welcome opportunity. After a breakout result in the country, he’ll be looking for a chance to continue his march up the World Cup standings, to try to get a top result for his new KMC Ridley team and, finally, to try meet Canada’s Olympic Qualification standards. The Ontario racer has a few solid results in Greece, Spain and South Africa already this year. With a new Euro team, he’ll be looking to take the next step and maybe finally nab that top-10 elite finish.

Newly minted elite Canadian champ Carter Woods will join Holmgren to race against the big boys this year. After an impressive under-23 career that saw the Vancouver Islander earn Canada’s first u23 World Cup win in a while, Woods moves up to see what he can do against the established pros. With a World Cup win last year, the Giant Factory Off-Road racer is also in the mix for Olympic qualifying. He’ll have to find his feet in the crowded elite field fast with Paris so close. After some strong US Cup results in Fayetteville and California, he’s already on his way.

Those two will be joining a returning cast of fast under-23 racers, like emerging talent Cole Punchard, Zorak Paillé and Noah Ramsay, and elites like Leandré Bouchard, Tyler Orschel and Raphael Auclair in Brazil.

Women

Jenn Jackson leads the Canadian women into the Brazil season opener, and will wear the maple leaf version of her Liv Factory Racing kit when she does. The elite national champion already has a string of strong results, including a sweep of the HC, C1 and short track US Cup week in Arkansas. With those early season victories, Jackson could be rolling into Brazil with the confidence she needs to race her way into the front of the women’s field.

Emilly Johnston (Trek Future Racing) is another Canadian to watch this week. The Comox, B.C. racer looks to have opted to stay in the under-23 category this year, though her World Cup podium and other results last year opened the opportunity to race up into elites. She’s already had a podium in Mairiporã last week at a UCI HC race, so she’s settling into the Brazilian heat well.

Another under-23 racer landing in South America with momentum is Ella Macphee. The Pivot Cycles-OTE racer joined Jackson on several US Cup podiums in Arkansas last week. That added to some significant hardware brought home from a series of early-season races in Puerto Rico. It’ll be her World Cup under-23 debut, so we’ll all get to see where she lines up against the international field.

Race to Paris

The race within the race for the first part of this season for Canadians will be to qualify for one of Canada’s two spots on the start line for the Olympic mountain bike event. Since Canada is currently ranked solidly outside the top eight, it is looking unlikely that the nation will earn a second berth in the men’s or women’s event. So only the top male and top female rider will get the opportunity to race in Paris.

Olympic qualification and Cycling Canada’s selection policy are labyrinthian. But any rider still has the opportunity to set themselves apart and earn the spot.

Internationals: Returning champs and notable absences

With the European crowd being notorious reticent to travel outside the continent, there are a few notable absences from the start list this weekend. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot is staying closer to home. The world champion is laser-focused on performing for the French crowd when the Olympics land in her back yard this summer. Puck Pieterse, the young World Cup XCO overall champion last year, is continuing her impressive spring on the road. Reigning Olympic champion Tom Pidcock is, likewise, focusing on the WorldTour until closer to the Paris Olympics.

That still leaves plenty of star power to light up the racing in Brazil. Reigning men’s World Cup winner and world champion will be in Mairiporã. Last time Schurter raced in Brazil, he made history by matching Julien Absalon’s all-time World Cup win record. The Swiss sensation seems to have a special relationship with the Brazilian fans and will look to their support to add to that tally of wins over the next two weeks.

Schurter will be challenged by Swiss rival, Mathias Fluckiger and by a resurgent Jordan Sarrou. With the Olympic on home turf this year, the past world champion will be looking to be at his best this year.

On the women’s side, Loana Lecomte – also intent on performing well in her home Olympics in a few months – will be up against the ever-strong Elie field favourites. Evie Richards, Alessandra Keller, Mona Mitterwallner and a growing field of U.S. elites will all be primed for the start of the 2024 season.

Schedule: 2024 Mairiporã World Cup XCO/XCC

Racing in Brazil starts on Friday with the under-23 short track (XCC) races. Introduced in 2023 as a separate race, the short, 20-minute efforts are thrilling but, for the u23’s, not televised.

Live action starts Saturday. The elites have their chance on the XCC course to open up the legs before Sunday’s main event. The under-23 men’s XCO follows. Sunday is the under-23 women’s XCO as well as the elite men’s and women’s XCO races.

FloBikes has the broadcast rights for World Cup mountain biking in Canada this year. The internet streamer acquired the Canadian rights late, following the demise of GCN+, so this will be the first weekend of live mountain bike World Cup coverage. Under-23 XCO and elite XCC and XCO events should all be available either on Flo or on the Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel.