Weekend Preview – Everyone is racing everything everywhere across Canada

It’s a huge weekend of racing in Canada with multiple provincial championships being decided in three different disciplines, the start of the BCBR stage race, an Enduro World Series Qualifier event in Ontario, and a wide range of regional events from coast to coast across the country. Oh yeah, and a combined XCO and Downhill World Cup in Val di Sole, Italy. We’re tired just listing these events, good luck to everyone racing!

B.C. Bike Race

A B.C. mountain bike stage race mainstay for over a decade now, the BCBR is keeping things fresh with a new starting location in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Racers will hit Maple Mountain and Mount Tzouhalem on Day 1, before returning to classic venues in Cumberland, the Sunshine Coast and Squamish. Canadian three time Olympian Geoff Kabush (Yeti Maxxis) returns to defend his BCBR title, as does last years Women’s winner Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team). Kabush will face off against 2016 winner Cory Wallace (Kona), Sea to Sky local Quinn Moberg (Rocky Mountain) and five time ABSA Cape Epic winner Karl Platt from Germany in his first ever BCBR appearance.

CNES – Blue Mountain, Ont. – EWS Qualifier

The MEC Canadian National Enduro Series makes the series first Ontario stop of the year this weekend when it lands on the trails of Blue Mountain. This is the only EWS Qualifier event in Canada held East of the Rockies, so if you’re looking to test yourself against some of Canada’s best, Blue Mountain is the place to be.

BCES – Steedz Enduro – Canmore, Alta 

Before the MEC CNES was the Canadian National Enduro Series, it was the B.C. Enduro Series. Not that organizers limited themselves to B.C. trail networks before this year. With the move to elite level enduro racing, BCES remained as a more low-key, family friendly series for those looking to try out enduro before heading to the big show. Canmore Nordic Centre hosts this round of the BCES this weekend way up in the Rocky Mountains.

FMB Gold – Big White, Kelowna

The FMB World Tour lands at the Big White Ski Resort outside Kelowna, B.C. this weekend. Along with the “Gold” level status comes big names, so make your way up from the lake to watch some seriously impressive slopestyle athletes throw down at Big White’s recently opened bike park trails. Then go for a ride yourself after.

BC XCM Champs – Stomp Classic XCM – Kamloops, B.C.

Stake Lake outside Kamloops hosts the B.C. XC Marathon provincial championships this weekend. The revived B.C. interior classic marathon race promises a diverse selection of trails, from groomed to rock bluffs over the course of its 60 km distance. The Stomp jersey’s have been showing up at B.C. XCM Premier Series events all spring, so the locals will be fit and could prove hard to beat this weekend.

BC Downhill provincial championships / BC Cup — Sun Peaks Resort, Kamloops, B.C.

Not far from where the spandex clad will be battling it out at the Stomp Classic XCM, B.C.’s best gravity racers will be fighting for their won provincial championship jersey at Sun Peaks Resort outside Kamloops. The event pulls double duty as a BC Cup round and B.C. Downhill provincial championships.

O-Cup #5 – Sir Sam’s Ski and Bike – Haliburton, Ont.

After hosting two rounds of Canada Cup XCO racing, the Ontario Cup XC series settles back into the provincial schedule with O-Cup #5 at Sir Sam’s Ski and Bike in Haliburton, Ont. While the international names may be absent there is still a very strong pool of local racers in the area sure to be fired up from their chance to watch, or race against big names like Haley Smith and the Disera borthers. And, in the middle of an Ontario July, the temperatures are sure to be scorching.

Island Cup – Hornby Enduro

Enduro racing lands on the legendary trails of Hornby Island for the first time when Island Cup series bobs its way across the water from Vancouver Island. While the trail network has plenty of visitors all year long, there’s been few organized races on the small island since the legendary Bike Fest event ran it’s final races over a decade ago.

Dawn of the Tread XC – AB Cup – Edmonton

The third round in Alberta’s provincial XCO series has racers returning to the provinces capital city for the ominously named Dawn of the Tread. Gold Bar park is the venue for this round of racing and, with summer weather in full effect, racers should be anything but cold and clammy by racing’s end. (We’re assuming that’s what Zombies feel like?)

Miller Meadows XCO – Meaghers Grant, N.S.

Miller Meadows is the provincial XCO championships for Bicycle Nova Scotia, held at Miller Meadows Park in Meaghers Grant.

White Rock XCO – Hilsborough, N.B.

Velo N.B. is hosting White Rock XCO in partnership with the Codiac Cycling Trails group. The next round of the New Brunswick XC mountain bike series is held at the White Rock Recreation Area in Hilsborough and, aside from an excellent event poster and categories (including a Half Pints kids race, that’s about all we can tell you.

CPEI Citizen Series #3 – Tour de Pants, Bonshaw Hills Provincial Park

From the race organizer’s description Tour de Pants “was created as a contra event to the Tour de France to celebrate Mountain Biking in P.E.I.” That’s enough to convince us it is a worthy event. Add in the excellent name, and that it is the first race to be held on new Bonshaw trails, and this is definitely a race you should hit up if you’re nearby.