‘The Nomad’ follows Cory Wallace’s wildly different take on a world-travelling race schedule

Cory Wallace is perhaps the most interesting man in Canadian mountain biking. The Nomad, a new film about the Jasper racer, is here to prove it.

Recent years have witnessed Wallace summit Mount Kilimanjaro by bike, bikepack across the Serengeti, tour across Madagascar, win races in South and Central America, earn WEMBO 24-Worlds titles in Italy and Scotland, Everest in the shadow of Mount Everest, all on top of a full race calendar in North America that’s included LifeTime Grand Prix, BC Bike Race, and mountain bike and gravel events across Western Canada.

It’s almost exhausting just to think about but, The Jasper, Alta.-raised endurance racer has a list of wins, accomplishments and adventures every year longer than most will collect in a lifetime. These adventures take him all around the globe, though on a very different route than the usual World Cup circuit. And, while many elite racers rack up frequent flyer miles, Wallace takes a very different, more connected approach to travel that frequently sees him bikepacking between races, often staying with locals along the way.

That approach is the subject of a new film, The Nomad. It focuses on Wallace’s recent trip to Guatemala as a window into his world-travelling ways.

“My first trip to Guatemala was back in 2008 while on a bike tour through Central America from Panama to Mexico. Guatemala struck me as an adventurous place, ideal for my nomadic life on a bike. There was a high energy level with action everywhere, big volcanoes, jungles, highlands, and what looked like endless cycling routes through diverse landscapes,” says Wallace. “Each year I return the relationships deepen, new acquaintances are made, and it gets tougher to leave. I’ve also started to venture to the far-off corners of the country, finding some amazing places around Lago Atitlan and up in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes Mountains.”

The Nomad: Cory Wallace

Interestingly, this is the second Nomad film made about Albertan mountain biking this year, perhaps showing that wandering is deeply engrained in the Western Canadian mindset.

This long-overdue look at Wallace’s wonderful wandering existence is the work of renowned adventure film creators, Stirl and Rae Media Haus. Here’s what Kona, Wallace’s long-time sponsor has to say about The Nomad:

Cory Wallace loves to combine adventure, racing and travel. The two-time Canadian Marathon winner and four-time 24hr World Champion has spent the last 16 years chasing all kinds of crazy races around the world, from Mongolia to Nepal, from Australia to Italy, and everywhere in between. A bike adventurer through and through, Cory also has a heart of gold. He weaves humanitarian efforts into everything he does, fundraising for meals and helping Nepalese cyclists raise money for a training center, as well as inspiring kids to get a taste for riding bikes wherever he travels.

“I thought I’d do this until I was about 30 years old, then retire and move on, but the lifestyle is intriguing, and I want to get deeper and deeper into the cultures that I visit. Every new day is surprising when you’re overseas. I never thought I’d do it this long, but the more I travel and the more I experience, the more I want to do it. I mean, the memories are something you’ll always take with you.” – Cory Wallace

In mid-February Cory found himself back in Guatemala, preparing to race the El Reto, a four-day stage event in the heart of the Central American nation. In the weeks leading up to the race Cory was joined by Matt Clark of Stirl and Rae Media in the hills above Xela, deep in the country’s western highlands. Capturing the entirety of someone’s personality and interests is never easy, but Matt succeeded in portraying the essence of Cory on film. The Nomad gives us a great insight into Cory’s passions. We see Cory immersed in the local scene, connecting with the locals and riders, completely disconnected from the distractions we all face every day.

“When I come to countries like Guatemala, it’s just so interesting every day and every ride. When you’re out there, you just want to experience it all. You want to be in the moment right there. There’s just so much energy—you want to be part of it. I’ve always found the cycling community open all over the world. Even if you don’t speak the same language, the bike is that connection in that world.” – Cory Wallace