Preview: Canadians to watch when World Cup racing returns at Lourdes, France

The off-season is almost over, World Cup downhill is almost here and the UCI is throwing riders straight into the deep end. Lourdes, France returns to kick off the 2022 calendar on March 26-27 with steep rocks and sketchy lines.

The last time World Cup racing visited Lourdes was in 2017. Back then, riders were still debating was between 27.5″ and 29″ wheels. That year was an epic rain fest with hints of snow. That year, the race was on April 30. The two years before, racing was in mid-April. This year, the race is two full weeks earlier. With high-mountain weather conditions always unpredictable, riders will have to be ready for anything.

RELATED: How to Watch: 2022 Lourdes World Cup DH

France loves Canada

Lourdes has traditionally been kind to Canadian racers. In 2016, Canadian downhill icon Stevie Smith stood on the podium in second. Chainsaw looked to be kickstarting his comeback from injury with the French podium, though that was tragically cut short. Finn Iles (Specialized) won the junior men’s race in his first year on the World Cup circuit.

In 2017, Mark Wallace (Canyon Cllctv) finished on the podium in second. Miranda Miller (Kona) was sixth in the elite women’s race. Iles won the junior men’s race again, repeating his result from 2016.

Wallace and Iles head back to Lourdes with the momentum of past results in France as well as their strong finish to 2021. The two top Canadians shared a World Cup podium at the penultimate race last year in Snowshoe, W.Va.

New Canucks cross the Atlantic

While Iles and Wallace are back to a venue where they’ve had success already, Lourdes will be a new challenge for the fleet of fast young Canadians racing the infamous French venue for the first time.

Jackson Goldstone (Syndicate), the reigning junior men’s world champion, and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Factory Team) lead the junior ranks. But they’ll be joined by a speedy group of young riders including Trek RockShox’s Tegan Cruz, who heads from Pemberton, B.C. to France for his first year of World Cup racing.

In the elite ranks, past Canadian champ Magnus Manson (Forbidden Synthesis) returns, along with the strong contingent of racers working their way through the ranks. Seth Sherlock (Intense Factory Racing), Lucas Crus and Eliot Jamieson (Norco Factory Racing) are still building momentum as they transition from fast junior years into the tough elite ranks.

Who to watch from the rest of the world

With the World Cup starting on home turf, the French will be looking to exert the dominance they’ve shown for the past few years. Alexandre Fayolle delivered for the home crowd in 2017. Before that, Aaron Gwin won in 2015 and 2016.

In 2022, the scene at the top looks much different. A quartet of French riders, including Amaury Pieron and Thibaut Daprela (Commencal Muc Off), Loic Bruni (Specialized) and Loris Vergier (Trek Factory Racing), could all take the win. They’ll be challenged by the always-consistent Troy Brosnan (Canyon Cllctv) and Scottish wet-weather master, 2020 world champion Reece Wilson (Trek Factory Racing).

The women’s field also looks much different in 2022. Rachel Atherton, winner in 2016 and 2017, is still on the sidelines. Tracey Hannah, now retired, was second behind Atherton the last time Lourdes hosted a race.

In their place, Myriam Nicole (Commencal Muc-Off) and Tahnee Seagrave (Canyon) have stepped up. In 2021, though, it was young racer Vali Höll (RockShox Trek) taking the World Cup overall title.

Marine Cabirou (Scott), 2020 world champion Camille Balanche (Dorval) and Syndicate’s new signing, Nina Hoffmann are all potential winners on any given weekend, too.

Rachel Atherton: Winning run 2016

All the action in Lourdes starts Friday, March 26. Finals take place Sunday, March 28. For one more year, you can watch all the action live on Red Bull TV.