The end of the year always brings its A-game in terms of cycling excitement. Last month, the National Team wrapped a successful 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and Junior Track World Championships, and focus abroad is turning to the Santiago 2023 Pan and Parapan American Games in October. But the changing of seasons also means there’s lots to celebrate on home soil. 

This weekend marks an important milestone: Cycling Canada’s first-ever event in the Yukon, hosted by our Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO) partner, the Cycling Association of Yukon. The Canadian XCM Championships will take advantage of the territory’s unparalleled scenery, attracting top competitors from all across the country to experience mountain biking way up north. This is an important step towards our goal of making cycling events available and accessible nationwide. 

To highlight this special place and the community that calls it home, we partnered with Air North to create a short film called Together on the Trail: Mountain Biking in the Land of the Midnight Sun. On Saturday, locals and race-goers will gather to enjoy a special in-person premiere before everyone has the chance to view the film online next week. 

We also saw the end of this year’s Canada Cup competition. An incredible 16 events over three months resulted in 19 category winners in BMX racing, mountain bike downhill and cross-country. We’re thrilled with the growth of this series and want to give a huge round of applause to the event organizers who make it happen! 

And there’s always more to look forward to, with the 2023 Canadian Championships in BMX freestyle and cyclo-cross and a packed 2024 calendar on the horizon. The Esport season, comprising of weekly public calendar events on Zwift, will start up again in November, with some exciting new event developments and unlocks available for all Zwifters. So enjoy the long weekend and rest up – there’s lots of cycling ahead!

Michaels Woods Auctions Off 2023 Tour de France Jersey
Bid to win the kit Michael Woods wore during his incredible solo win on Stage 9 of the 2023 Tour de France. All proceeds from the auction will go to support Cycling Canada’s HopOn program, helping more kids to discover the joy of cycling. Bidding opens on Sept. 8, full details here. 

Canada Totals 19 Medals at 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships 
The Canadian National Cycling Team concluded 11 days of fierce competition at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, GBR, held from Aug. 3-13. All details here. 

Canada Earns Three Medals at 2023 UCI Junior Track World Championships 
With 10 athletes selected to compete across endurance and sprint events, the maple leaf had a strong presence with three medals won, including a World Champion and a new Canadian record. All details here. 

Canada Cup Racing Wraps Up 
Riders battled it out from June to August in Canada’s pinnacle off-road racing series. Congratulations to the 2023 Canada Cup leaders! Full rankings available here.

Other National Team News:

• U23 rider Riley Pickrell won Stage 2 of the Tour de l’Avenir 
• Finn Iles (Elite Men) secured the bronze medal at the UCI Mountain Bike World Series DH World Cup in Andorra. He will be race with the leaders jersey at the next World Cup in Loudenvielle, FRA

2023 Canadian XCM Championships
Whitehorse, YK
Sept. 1-3

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH, END)
Loudenvielle, FRA
Sept. 1-3
 
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (XCC, XCO, DH, END)
Les Gets, FRA
Sept. 7-17
 
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
Québec, QC
Sept. 8
 
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
Montréal, QC
Sept. 10
 
Chrono féminin et Tour de Gatineau
Gatineau, QC
Sept. 16-17
 
Western CX Challenge
Canmore, AB
Sept. 23-24
 
UCI BMX World Cup
Sarrians, FRA
Sept. 23-24
 
UCI MTB World Cup (XCC, XCO, DH)
Snowshoe, USA
Sept. 28 – Oct. 1

Coaching Courses 
Skills & Tactics Theory and Training to Race Courses begin in October. Register here.  

Cyclo-Cross National Ranking Series 
Beginning in 2022, Cycling Canada in conjunction with our Provincial/Territorial partners and local organizing committees established a process for nationally sanctioning select cyclo-cross events in order to establish a Cyclo-cross National Ranking. Click here to learn more. 

UPDATES TO EVENTS
Please make note of the following changes for the 2023-2024 season: 

• The Atlantic CX Challenge originally scheduled for Oct. 7, 2023, in Kentville, NS, will now take place on Oct. 28.
• The Canadian Track Championships for Junior and U17 initially scheduled on March 22-24, 2024 at the Vélodrome Sylvan Adams – Centre multisports Desjardins in Bromont, QC, will now take place on March 29-31. The Para portion of the Championships, initially planned to take place alongside the Elite and Masters in January, has moved to join the U17 and Juniors in Bromont. 

We are proud to be part of a dynamic and outstanding cycling community whose many achievements and contributions go beyond performances on the bike. In an effort to recognize some of these many noteworthy achievements, Cycling Canada would like to highlight the following individuals and accomplishments: 

• Feeling inspired? Reach out to hopon@cyclingcanada.ca  to learn about how you can get involved in helping kids HopOn and come along for the ride.

• The Valley Devo Club got the visit of Olympian Haley Smith during the Canadian MTB XCO Championships in Kentville, NS. “We had a bit of rain but the kids had a great time and the parents all said how much they loved the ride. HopOn is blessed to have such a great role model and spokesperson in Haley” – Peter Dewar, Valley Devo Club
• The Road Worlds for Seniors by Motitech is an initiative that helps seniors, including those living with dementia, stay active and engaged. Every year, thousands of cyclists from long-term care homes, retirement communities and day activity centres from around the world participate. Come join the fun, join a medal ceremony or cheer on the Canadian teams with a shoutout! Find out more here.
• B.I.CYCLE (Black and Indigenous Cycle) is a grassroots community group that strives to improve access to cycling for historically disadvantaged Black and Indigenous communities.  If you would like to donate or be supported through B.I.Cycle to become a HopOn Instructor you can find more information here. 
• The Coaching Association of Canada’s (CAC) National Coaches Week is fast approaching! From Sept. 16 to 24, keep an eye out on our social media platforms where we will celebrate coaches from our community! 

Monna is a vocal advocate for safe cycling education and infrastructure in Ottawa, ON, and penned this article in response to a recent accident. More than anything, it shows Monna is going the extra mile to make a difference and create a safer environment for cyclists.
 

Click here to learn more.