Worlds are here again and Canada is poised for what could be a stellar year. Finn Iles rolls into Les Gets hot off his first World Cup win and with a fleet of fast downhillers following him in the junior ranks. Emily Batty is on the rise, even with a series of crashes and injuries. And Canada’s under-23 and juniors are all posting strong results, both in North America and overseas. Over 50 Canadians will be in France to face off against an international roster of the world’s best, fighting for rainbow jerseys and medals all week.
In Canada, fans won’t be able to watch on Red Bull TV. Instead, it is FloBikes that has broadcast rights this week for all the world championship racing.
Les Gets – The Venue
Les Gets, France has a long history in mountain biking but it last hosted world championships back in 2004. In the last couple of years, the venue has had a thrilling return to the World Cup calendar. In 2019 and again in 2021, it delivered riveting racing in XC and downhill.
Located in France’s Haute-Savoie province, near the border with Switzerland, the venue boasts amazing tracks and, if you can look away from racing, a breathtaking view of Mont Blanc in the distance.
Downhill – Iles versus the French
French riders remain the dominant force in downhill, both men’s and women’s, and will be hunting for nothing less than gold at their home world champs. They roll in a little injured, though. Amaury Pierron is nursing a heavy crash at Vallnord World Cup. Loic Bruni, always a threat at worlds, dislocated his shoulder in practice for Mont-Sainte-Anne. That pins the home crowd’s hopes on Loris Vergier.
In Canada, though, all eyes are on Finn Iles. The Specialized racer landed his first elite World Cup win – at home at Mont-Sainte-Anne, no less – at the last round of racing before worlds. He’ll be fired up to keep that momentum going.
On the women’s side, Camille Balanche’s very strong season was disrupted by a broken collarbone at Mont-Sainte-Anne. The Swiss racer will be in France, but is unsure of racing at this point. That opens the door wider for Myriam Nicole to defend her 2021 world championship title on home soil. She’ll be challenged by Vali Holl, the winner at Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup.
Canada’s…
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