Long socks and big descents: Weekend race preview

It is another big weekend of racing in Canada, with the cross country action swinging back east for the second round of Canada Cup racing in Baie-Saint-Paul, Que, the Tall Socks Classic XCM in Ontario and the first Nova Scotia XC of the season.

Back in B.C. it’s all about riding back down the mountain, with the BC Enduro Series stopping in Kelowna for the Chainline Enduro, Island Cup returning to Forbidden Plateau for a second year, and the opening weekend of Whistler Bike Park.

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Overseas, Albstadt World Cup will be keeping Canada’s top cross country racers busy all weekend, with XCC on Friday, U23’s racing on Saturday and Elite Men and Women racing Sunday.

Canada Cup / Coupe du Quebec: Baie-Saint-Paul (XCO / XCC)

Canada Cup XCO racing returns after two months off, with the Short Track (XCC) format coming along with it. A lengthy break following the Bear Mountain Canada Cup in Victoria, B.C. while the rest of the country thawed out should have given everyone time to sort out any changes in training plans that needed to be made after the early season west coast shake down. The top pro’s and Team Canada athletes may be in Germany, but Canada has such a deep pool of cross country talent raight now that racing at Baie-Saint-Paul will be fast and fierce all weekend. XCC goes Saturday, XCO on Sunday.

Cannondale XCM Series: Tall Socks Classic (XCM)
Ontario XCM Series heats up in the Ganaraska Forest and the Tall Socks Classic after a frigid start to the series at H2i XCM. Riders should enjoy much warmer weather than the opening round, but if not, there’s sweet special edition socks to warm tired toes after the race.

RELATED: Riders battle blizzard to finish H2i XC Marathon

Chainline Cycles Kelowna Spring Classic Mountain Bike Festival
MEC BC Enduro Series / XC Marathon

The Kelowna Spring Classic takes place over two days on the Crawford Trails network in the hills above the Okanagan Lake. On Saturday riders will set out for an XC Marathon race, while Sunday the MEC BC Enduro Series sticks to the downhill for five timed descent stages.

Island Cup – Forbidden Enduro
Forbidden Plateau hosts the third round of enduro racing on Vancouver Island and, like the second round at Hammerfest trails, this event is on track to sell out before Sunday’s start time. Held on the trails below an abandoned ski hill, Forbidden Enduro was popular last year when the venue made its debut on the Island Cup circuit and should be another great event in 2018.

Nova Scotia – Victoria’s Secret XC
The Atlantic province is set to host a Canada Cup round later this summer, so you can be sure that the locals will be ramping up ahead of the big event. Nova Scotia’s been producing some strong XC talent lately, with Forward Racing’s Andrew L’Esperance and Mackenzie Myatt both first learning to push pedals in the province, so expect some great racing when the Canada Cup heads there later this year.

Whistler’s Opening Weekend
It’s not really a race, but opening weekend at Whistler Bike Park is always worth celebrating. Here’s to another summer of laps at the world’s premier bike park.