Québec Singletrack Experience highlights region’s up-and-coming trails in seven stages

Quebec City provides relaxed base camp to return to throughout the event

Philippe Tremblay March 7, 2017

The Québec Singletrack Expérience—a seven-day mountain bike stage race in the Quebec City Region—will debut this summer. The event starts on July 29 in the Shannahan section of the Vallée Bras-du-Nord. The next day, it take riders through the the Saint-Raymond section. The race then features stages in the Valcartier Military Base, Lac Delage, Lac-Beauport, Sentiers du Moulin and Mont-Sainte-Anne, which hosts a round of the UCI World Cup each year and will host the 2019 UCI mountain bike world championships.

Designed as a leisure-tourism event to attract athletes from elite to amateur levels, the race will cover between 300 to 400 km. The organizers expect the fastest riders to cover the course in approximately 17 hours, with the slower riders taking about 35 hours. Throughout the course of the event, Quebec City’s Mérici Collégial will serve as the races base camp.

Image: Alice Chiche/Quebec Singletrack Experience

“Our participants will be able to settle in at the downtown hub for seven days and enjoy simple logistics that can only make their experience exceptional,” said François Calletta, director general of Groupe Pentathlon. “I’ve participated in several stage races and I can tell you the logistics is often exhausting. The athletes usually have to pack and lug their equipment around each day, and then endure long transfers between base camps.” Having one base camp will also allow racers to relax well and enjoy the evening activities, which will include campfires, tasting local fare and opportunities to explore the city. Additionally, participants will be able to do yoga sessions and get massages.

The singletrack of the Quebec City Region is what the race hopes to showcase.Calletta firmly believes that participants unfamiliar with the riding in the area will be delighted to discover world-class mountain biking. “It’s a great event to help the world discover the region’s trails. People will be impressed with the quality of the rides we have here. We are still quite unknown,” Calletta said.

“These are perfectly handmade singletrack trails developed during the past eight to 10 years. We are confident this event will showcase these beautiful trails within close proximity of Quebec City,” Calletta said. “We have three lakeside finishes. The race features very diverse and gorgeous sites, and the reality is that you only have to travel 20 or 30 minutes from downtown Quebec City.”

After each stage, racers return to the base camp in Quebec City. This location will make it easier for racers’ families to enjoy the week. Family members will be able to travel from the base camp to each stage to spectate or enjoy other activities in the region. With races that travel around more remote areas, families have a harder time sharing in the experience. Participants and their families can explore the historic district of Old Québec which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

A typical day will start with breakfast from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. The racers depart for the start at 8:45 a.m. with stages slated to begin at 10 a.m. After the races, the riders make their way back to the base camp for dinner from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. From their arrival back in Quebec City until 10 p.m., athletes will be able to participate in the after race activities before heading off to bed.

There will be individual and team categories for racers of all ages and abilities with a total of 250 spots open for the event’s inaugural edition. Full course details will be released at a later date. The Québec Singletrack Expérience wraps up the day before the 2017 UCI World Cup at Mont-Sainte-Anne, so QSE riders can then watch the pros take on the trails outside of Quebec City.