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Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships bringing new bike partner, Ridley Bikes, when it returns to Winnipeg this month

With the Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships just a few weeks away, returning to Winnipeg between October 23 and 25, Belgium-based Ridley Bikes -- with the support of MEC -- has been named the event's official bike partner.

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With the Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships just a few weeks away, returning to Winnipeg between October 23 and 25, Belgium-based Ridley Bikes — with the support of MEC — has been named the event’s official bike partner. The European cycling name joins Volvo, the championships’ existing presenting sponsor.

MEC, of course, is the European brand’s exclusive retailer in Canada

To representatives from MEC, the events of late this month in Manitoba reflect the growing prestige of cyclocross as a unique — and in some ways, uniquely Canadian — cycling discipline. “Cyclocross is a growing and exciting market for MEC,” said MEC cycling product manager Tim McDermott, speaking on the company’s behalf. “Cyclocross brings together the best in road and mountain biking disciplines and is inclusive of all riders.”

The diversity of those riders is often an asset in the discipline, in fact, with a versatile, well-rounded grasp of both cross-country and road riding required to succeed on the tricky ground of a cyclocross course. In many cases, like when hiking a bike is inevitable, it also requires nimble feet and a sturdy pair of shoulders. Overlapping other cycling disciplines as it does, it’s like cyclocross itself represents the a vibrant, comprehensive, and growing cycling community in Canada.

Ultimately, it’s that community that MEC and Ridley Bikes are both eager to support. “We are proud to support the cyclocross community in Canada,” McDermott added, “as participation numbers in the sport continue to grow.”

The attendance of recent Canadian cyclocross championship events, too, reflects what the national cyclocross scene has become. Last year, 35,000 people descended on The Forks in Winnipeg for the 2014 competition. This year’s turnout is expected to be similar, with a deeper, more aggressive field of competition coming from across Canada, the United States, and elsewhere worldwide. Three full days of racing begin with the Kick Cancer Cyclocross Derby, kicking off on Friday, October 23. On Saturday, it’s the Canadian championships, with many of those international riders coming for the Manitoba Grand Prix of Cyclocross on Sunday.

As a fresh new partner of the event, Ridley will be on site at the MEC tent, showcasing its newest cyclocross bikes with NoTubes Elite riders Jake Wells and Ally Stacher — both of whom are sponsored by Ridley’s American wing, and both of whom will be sharing their experiences of riding on Ridley bikes. For this year’s competing riders, Ridley will also be fueling their engines, so to speak, in the form of a waffle breakfast each morning.

Those unable to attend the high point of the national cyclocross calendar can follow via livestream at the event’s official website.