Who to watch at Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup finals

Hint: Its (almost) all about the Canadians this weekend

Terry McKall October 5, 2023

World Cup racing is drawing to a dramaatic conclusion this weekend at none other than Quebec’s iconic Mont-Sainte-Anne venue. The rocky slopes of MSA have played host to the globe’s best since the early 90s and now, in 2023, host the final round of the season. That means that, for the most part, the stakes are high. It is more than just one win on the table. It is season titles.

Iles celebrating with the huge Canadian crowd in 2022. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Several Canadians are in the running this year. After winning his first elite World Cup at home at MSA last year, Finn Iles has a chance to become only the second Canadian man to win a World Cup overall. It’s an outside chance, he has to not only beat his teammate Loic Bruni, but the French racer has to have a pretty bad day out.

Jackson Goldstone’s camo kit helped him sneak onto another World Cup podium in France. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Jackson Goldstone also, quite remarkably, has a chance to unseat Bruni and become only the second Canadian man after Steve Smith to win the World Cup downhill title. Standing in the way is Bruni, six time world champion and current World Cup leader, and Trek’s Frenchman, Loris Vergier, currently ranked second. But the two Canadians will have the crowd on their side. That seemed to help in Les Gets and Loudenvielle, the two French World Cups. Hopefully Iles and Goldstone can take full advantage.

It’s not all about the overall, though. Snowshoe saw several big results from young Canadians. Jake Jewett had his best-ever elite World Cup result in 12th while Seth Sherlock made a fantastic return from injury to finish 23rd. There’s a whole armada of maple-fuelled youth in the junior ranks, too, all looking to make an impression as the world arrives here in Canada.

Carter Woods on the podium at Val di Sole u23 XCC World Cup — Photo: Michele Mondini

Cross country Canadians

On the cross country side, another group of Canucks are chasing lofty goals at Mont-Sainte-Anne. With a pair of under-23 XCO wins already this year, including last weekend in Snowshoe, W.Va, Carter Woods will aim for the top podium step again this weekend. While France’s Adrien Boichis has the overall title locked up, Woods is chasing more than a win. With Paris Olympics on the horizon, the Canadians are looking to rack up as many UCI points as possible to try secure a secong berth in the men’s XCO event.

Gunnar Holmgren on Fluckiger’s wheel. Photo: GCN

Joining Woods in that quest is Gunnar Holmgren. The Orillia, Ont. racer nearly landed his first elite 1op-10 in Les Gets before a flat tire let the air out of his effort. But Holmgren gets one more chance this year at a track close to home. It is a few years since a Canadian man was pushing the front of an elite men’s World Cup and it is thrilling seeing Holmgren make his way through the field.

Picture by Thomas Maheux/SWpix.com – 11/08/2023 – 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships – MTB Cross Country – Glentress Forest, Peebles, Scotland – U23 Women Cross-country Olympic – Emilly Johnston – Canada

Emilly Johnston will also be hunting for another podium in the under-23 women’s race. After an early success, the Vancouver Island racer worked her way back within sight of the podium in Snowshoe, where she finished fifth. Always strong technically, MSA could be a good course for Johnston to show her speed and skills on Sunday in the XCO.

The elite women’s field is fantastically strong right now but Jenn Jackson and Laurie Arseneault are working to make an impression on the front of the race. Jackson’s not always got along with the MSA course, but every year is another chance. For Arseneault, it is a chance to race in her home province, not just home country. A wildly supportive Quebec crowd will surely be worth a few extra watts come Sunday.