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Racers descend on Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup

July 31, 2014
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The mountain bike world has descended on Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que., for the next round of the 2014 World Cup. The longest continuously running stop on the World Cup calendar, Mont-Sainte-Anne hosts eliminator, downhill and cross country races.

Catharine Pendrel of Team Luna and Emily Batty of Trek Factory Racing are fresh from a gold and silver finish at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The pair had previously gone one-two at the Canadian national championships, with Pendrel taking her fifth national title.

Both will face the full World Cup field during Sunday’s race, which is deeper than either the Canadian championships or the Commonwealth Games. However, both are well positioned in the World Cup standings.

Pendrel missed the first part of the season after breaking her collarbone during training. She’s rebounded quickly, earning back-to-back podium finishes at the Czech and German World Cup races.

Batty started the season strongly, with a second-place finish in Cairns, Australia, but has struggled at the European rounds. Being back on Canadian soil may be just the reset she needs.

In the men’s cross country standings, Raphael Gagné of Rocky Mountain and Geoff Kabush of Scott-3Rox Racing are the top prospects. Neither has made the World Cup a focus this year. However, Kabush claimed a record eighth Canadian title after claiming the top spot in the US Cup series.

Max Plaxton, who rides for Cannondale Sho-Air, struggled early in the season with injury. He’s attempted to rebound and get back on pace, and has performed well in Mont-Sainte-Anne in the past.

Fans are excited for the return of La Beatrix, a technical section that had long been a staple of the XCO course until recent years.

Steve Smith won the downhill World Cup title last year, but was sidelined with injury during the first part of the 2014 season. Despite his late start, he’s ranked fourth overall in the points. Mont-Sainte-Anne is where the Devinci rider started his run to the title, winning the Quebec event. A strong performance during Saturday’s race could set up a rematch of the 2013 season battle with Gee Atherton of Great Britain.

Micayla Gatto is ranked 10th in the women’s downhill standings and is Canada’s strongest rider this year. Gatto sits well back in the points, so will aim to improve her ranking overall.

The eliminator takes place on Friday.

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