17th BC Bike Race heads back to Island roots
Canadian classic returns to west coast with eight days of racing from Cowichan to Campbell River
Photo by:
Margus Riga
Way back in the early 2000s, the first BC Bike Race traversed from south to north on Vancouver Island. Since then, the Canadian XC stage race classic has grown, shifted to a more single-track focus and visited new towns from North Vancouver, all along the Sunshine Coast and up to Squamish and Whistler and, for two years, shifted to the rocks and roots of the Okanagan.
For the 17th edition, BCBR is getting back to its roots with a full eight days of racing on Vancouver Island. From July 3-9, a huge field of 684 riders will race the island’s iconic west coast trails from Cowichan to Campbell River. The tent village is also back this year,
Read more on the race, and the solid field of top elite racers, in BCBR’s 2023 race announcement below.
Canadian Cycling Magazine / Canadian MTB will be along for the ride all week. Our publisher Sam Cohen will be testing his skills, honed in Toronto’s Don Valley and around the GTA, against the west coast singletrack.
From BC Bike Race
The 17th edition of the BC Bike Race is set to begin July 3-9, in Crofton BC, with a return to both the heralded summer dates & to the west coast. This Vancouver Island edition will challenge the 684 participants from 35 countries to the “Ultimate Singletrack Experience,” Island-style.
Beginning in Crofton (Cowichan Valley) and finishing in Cumberland (Comox Valley) riders will tackle a total of 7 stages including a prologue. The event will change its format slightly this year by only using two main basecamps (Crofton and Cumberland) but will include Nanaimo and Campbell River as remote stages.
On the start line and returning to defend their 2022 titles will be Sandra Walter, and Peter Disera. With past winners Andrew L’Esperance, Geoff Kabush, Cory Wallace, and Katerina Nash also stepping up to embrace the return to the Coast. Rocky Moutain Race Face racer Remi Guavin has signed up for some mid-season training and will hope to come out lean, mean and ready to tackle the remainder of the Enduro World Cup (EDR) season.
Every one of the competitors has a story, a reason, and a passion for mountain biking – this should be an incredible week of racing!
Check out the 2023 competitors HERE
Maple Mountain, Mt. Tzouhalem, The Abyss, South Benson, Cumberland, Snowden, and back to Cumberland; this year’s route will be a heavy dose of wicked Island singletrack managed and perfected by some amazing clubs, trail builders, and communities. Thank you to Mosaic Forest Management for supporting the BC Bike Race and providing public access to privately managed forest lands. We would also like to acknowledge that this event will take place on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples.
All the riders will be privy to the sweat equity that has recently gone into all the regions’ trails. The extensive inventory of trails is constantly changing, growing, and improving. That level of care and attention is the magic that has made this area legendary as a destination for mountain biking the world over. We will see you on the start line; stay tuned for the 17th edition of the BC Bike Race.
