Cross country season is well underway and, with the Paris Olympics looming on the horizon, Canada’s fastest are getting after it early. With most of Canada still covered in snow, or at least supposed to be, the Canucks are chasing UCI races abroad.
Two big HC (hors categorie) events on either ide of the Atlantic Ocean, in Spain and Puerto Rico, offered early opportunities to collect chunks of UCI points. The Canadians took full advantage, earning podiums on this side of the ocean and getting footing in the elite field in Spain. Should be an exciting year!
Massi Supercup Banyoles
Carter Woods (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) and Gunnar Holmgren (KMC Ridley) earned top-15 finishes in the elite men’s race at Shimano Supercup Massi, a classic HC XCO in Banyoles, Spain. A French trio walked away with the podium, with Victor Koretzky (Specialized) leading BMC teammates Jordan Sarrou and Totouan Carod.
Woods was the first Canuck across the line in 11th. That’s one better than the Vancouver Island racer finished last week at the Internacionales Chelva Gsport Challenge, a HC event in Chevla, Spain and shows Woods is settling into his first year of elite racing nicely after a very strong U23 career. Holmgren finished a few spots back in 14th. It’s a strong sign he’s carried the momentum from his impressive 2023 season from Pivot Cycles-OTE to his new spot on KMC Ridley.
Emilly Johnston fourth in under-23 women’s race behind Germany’s Kira Bohm, Sara Cortinovis of Italy and the U.S.A.’s Sophia Waite. It’s a strong opener for the Comox Valley racer’s second season with Trek Future Racing.
In the elite women’s race, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos) added another win to her campaign towards Paris Olympics, finishing with over a minute advantage to Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing) and the U.S.A.’s Savilia Blunk (Rockrider Ford)
Tropical Mountain Bike Challenge
Way over on the ohter side of the Atlantic, another group of Canadians had great success taking on a wildly muddy edition of the Tropical Mountain Bike Challenge, a HC-ranked UCI race in Salinas, Puerto Rico.
Ella McPhee flew to a podium in the elite women’s race, finishing behind U.S. XCO star and Snowshoe XCC World Cup winner Gwen Gibson in the XCO. That follows a third behind Gibson in the short track XC in Salinas. It’s a set of fantastic results for McPhee, who is still under-23 and recently joined Pivot Cycles-OTE’s impressive talent deveopment program.
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