Was Val di Sole Canada’s best World Cup weekend ever?

Four wins in four days, highlighted by a historic 1-2 finish in the elite men’s downhill on Canada Day. The Canucks had a big weekend at the Val di Sole World Cup in Italy. Possibly our country’s best weekend ever?

Building on a long history of success

Canadian mountain bikers are, historically, not short on World Cup successes, to be clear. Our nation’s cross country racers have topped the standings at international races since the series started in the early 90s. Names like Alison Sydor, Marie-Hélène Prémont, Catharine Pendrel, Emily Batty, Geoff Kabush and Roland Green line the history books of mountain biking.

Steve Smith famously re-launched Canadian downhill with his phenomenal World Cup overall title, bringing new life to a tradition that started in the earliest days of World Cup, and even pre-World Cup racing.

The sensational Val di Sole World Cup

But in all of those individual accomplishments, there has rarely, if ever, come together in one weekend like they did in Val di Sole. Three riders won four World Cup races with four riders on the podium. There were enough fast Canucks that the podium champagne must have had a maple flavour to it.

Carter Woods bookended the weekend with cross country wins in under-23 XCC Thursday and XCO on  Sunday. Bodhi Kuhn picked up the torch of Canadian junior downhill success with a win on Friday.

Then, in a moment historic on its own, Jackson Goldstone and Finn Iles stood on the podium together as the winner and silver medalist of the elite men’s downhill World Cup. Canadian men have won races, and won an overall title, but no Canadian men have taken the top two spots in one weekend.

True, there were no Canadian women on the podium this weekend. But, after a decade of the women’s cross country program leading the charge for our country, the men’s downhill are leading. But they are not alone. Emilly Johnston has a podium of her own already this year. After a stellar junior career, Gracey Hemstreet is sitting just off of the podium in her first year of elite women’s racing. Instead of a pendulum swinging towards the Canadian men, 2023 is a broadening of our athlete’s opportunities for success.

The new enduro advantage

With Enduro joining the World Cup program this year, there are still opportunities to set an even higher bar than in Val di Sole, when the next combined weekend includes EDR.

Emmy Lan is next-to-unstoppable in the under-21 women’s racing and is often joined by Elly Hoskin or Lily Boucher. The under-21 men aren’t far off a win of their own this year.

Jesse Melamed is now among the discipline’s dominant riders, with Rhys Verner looking to join him after a win of his own in Italy.

Should the stars and race calendars align, it could be a big year for Canadian racing!