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Canadian National MTB champs preview: Hardwood Ski and Bike hosts 25th national event

Racing begins today at classic Ontario venue

Photo by: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

The Canadian XCO and XCC Championships are kicking off! The races, held at Hardwood Ski and Bike in Oro Station, Ontario, get underway Thursday, July 21 with the XCC events.

The XCO races for Cadet (u-17), junior (u-19), u-23, elite and masters men and women get underway Saturday, July 23.
Sunday sees trade and provincial teams duking it out in the team relay.

If you are in the area and want to go watch, it’s free for spectators.

Cross country Olympic (XCO)

Elite Men

In 2021, Léandre Bouchard and Jenn Jackson won their first elite XCO titles and are expected to be hungry for the win. Bouchard, who raced the Olympics in 2016, started his own new team, the Forresco Holdings Proco RL Pro Team in 2022. Although he famously crashed at going well over 50km/h back at the Brazil World Cup, he’s returned to race the last two World Cup events. It will be interesting to see how his legs are.

Gunnar Homlgren, the 2021 u-23 champion is racing elite now and could be a wildcard for the win. He was the top Canadian at the season opener in Brazil and has been on form this season. Another rider to watch is Peter Disera (Norco) who has several elite national champs and raced in Tokyo Olympics. His younger brother, Quinton Disera, is now racing for Canyon Devo Racing and has several strong US Cup and Canada Cup results already in 2022.

Noticeably absent from the XCO champs will be British Columbia’s Geoff Kabush. Former national XCO and ‘cross champ, Kabush had several problems on his flights home from Europe, with cancelled flights and misplaced baggage. To make things worse, his flight to Toronto was cancelled.

Elite Women

Jackson and her teammate Emily Batty and Laurie Arsenault will have strength in numbers through their Canyon MTB Racing team. It should be noted that Jackson broke her arm at Leogang World Cup and as been recovering at home in Kamloops. She’ll be keen to defend the maple leaf, but it will be her first race back.

Batty looks to be back to her formidable form. The Ontario racer is rising rapidly through the World Cup ranks this season. Jumping up to 17th in Lenzerheide and a big top-10 finish in Vallnord, Andorra.

Among the favourites challenging Canyon MTB’s trio are XCO veteran Sandra Walter (Liv Canada) and Tokyo Olympian Haley Smith (Maxxis Factory Racing). Smith is splitting her calendar between gravel and World Cup events, with much success already this year.

Emily Batty back in top-10 at Vallnord World Cup XCO

 

Under-23

Carter Woods didn’t race the nationals last year, but he did win two u23 World Cups. Woods was back on top of the podium again last Sunday, winning the Andorra WC event, making him a favourite again in Ontario this weekend.

In the women’s race, defending champ Emilly Johnston could snag another championship jersey. Roxane Vermette and Marianne Théberge, who challenged the Vancouver Island rider for the win last year, will be her main competition.

Juniors

Stimulus Orbea is the team to watch in both the men’s and women’s junior races. Ava and Isabella Holmgren have traded wins with their teammate, Squamish’s Merin Lowe.

Ava Holmgren and Ian Ackert podium at Moosejaw US Cup junior XCO

World ‘cross standout Ian Ackert (Stimulus-Orbea) is also looking good for the win. But he’ll have fierce competition with Zorak Paillé who has had some solid results at US Cups in 2022.

Course Map: 2022 Canadian MTB Championships – Hardwood Ski & Bike

Canadian MTB Champs map