Seven major Canadian events to look forward to in 2023

2023 is gearing up to be a massive year for mountain biking in Canada, with major events taking place from coast to coast from spring to late fall. This year’s calendar also looks a little different than years past, with several major events moving to new dates.

Here’s where and when to catch the most exciting mountain bike events in Canada in 2023.

Mont-Sainte-Anne hosts World Cup finals

World Cup mountain bike racing has a new organizer, new rules, new venues and a completely re-organized schedule for 2023. In all that excitement, Canada’s venerable Mont-Sainte-Anne venue takes a prime position as the final spot for XC and Downhill World Cup racing. The racing will be hot, but the temperatures could be cool. With series finals honours comes a new date in early October.

Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup lands in Quebec on Oct. 6-8.

Crankworx is back and has a new date

Canada’s biggest mountain bike festival is celebrating two decades of hosting gravity-fed racing and riding in Whistler, B.C. this year. The original Crankworx festival is now part of a four-stop World Tour, but Whistler remains its home base and, this year, the series’ grand finale.

For 2023, Crankworx moves into a late July spot on the calendar for the first time ever. The new date is, in part, a way to avoid the first combined UCI cycling world championships. That event, which brings road, mountain and other race formats together, conflicted with Crankworx usual time.

Crankworx Whistler runs from July 21-30

Canadian XC national championships land in Nova Scotia

Canadian cross country mountain bike national championships are headed all the way east for 2023. Maple leaf jerseys for XCO and XCC will be handed out after racing in Kentville, Nova Scotia. The venue’s hosted a few Canada Cup events to prepare for the big show, so racing should be exciting!

Canadian XC national championships run from July 22-23 in Kentville Nova Scotia

TransRockies turns 20

Way back in the early aughts, TransRockies Challenge brought mountain bikers to the high Rockies for a thrilling mix of racing and adventure. That was a full two decades ago now…