May 27, 2018 (Mont Tremblant, Que.) – The 2018 Canada MTB Cup returned to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, for Round 3 this past weekend during the newly launched Crossroads Tremblant bike festival. Ideal weather conditions greeted riders and fans for a great weekend of racing and cycling camaraderie.

The Canada MTB Cup XCO races were held on Saturday and Mont-Tremblant, a regular stop on the national series circuit, served up some great racing once again, as Maghalie Rochette (QC) Clif Bar Pro and Felix Burke (QC) Rocky Mountain (East) continued their winning streak from last weekend at Round 2 in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec.

With many of Canada’s top riders racing in Europe at the Mercedes-Benz UCI MTB World Cup, the door was open for up-and-coming riders to gain valuable points at this UCI C2 and UCI Junior sanctioned event.

The 5-lap Senior Women’s 25.5km race saw Rochette dominate by 1:35 over Ontario’s Jenn Jackson (AWI Racing) in second followed by Elyse Nieuwold (ON) Pendrel Racing in third at 5:55 behind.

Jackson with 465 points continues to top the Series standings and is followed by Nieuwold with 405 points. Rochette, who missed the first round at Bear Mountain in B.C. is third overall with 400 points.

Burke, a U23 rider, was on fire on his home course that he helped design taking the win in the 30.6km, 6-lap Senior men’s race ahead of two American riders, Stephen Hyde (Cannondale-CXWorld) at 1:15 behind and Daniel Johnson (Bear Pro Team) at 3:04 back.

Burke leads the men’s Series with 500 points over second-placed Evan Guthrie (RaceFace/Fox/On the Edge/Kal Tire) with 375 points. Alexandre Vialle (Equipe du Quebec/Toyota St-Eustache) is third overall with 360 points.

B.C.’s Holden Jones (Pendrel Racing) is in a close battle with fellow B.C. rider Carter Woods (Cycling BC) in the Junior Expert men’s Series. Jones won the first round at Bear Mountain in Victoria, B.C. back in March, but Woods rebounded at Round 2 in Baie-Saint-Paul last weekend. Jones won again at Mont-Tremblant as the duo faced off in a 2-up sprint finish to the line. Tyler Clark (Team Ontario/Homestead Racing) took third. Jones has now regained the Series lead with 285 points to Woods’ 270 as Clark moved into third with 177 points.

The Junior Expert women’s race was won by Czech national team rider Tereza Saskova (Czech National/Specialized), who dominated the race defeating Series’ leader Marianne Theberge (Mathieu Performance) by nearly five minutes. Madeline Robbins (USA National) took third.

Theberge with 270 points still leads the Series overall and is followed by Mireille Larose-Gingras (Equipe du Quebec/Sigma) in second with 210 points and Robbins in third with 190 points.

U17 women’s rider Nicole Bradbury (NCCH p/b Franklin Templeton) took her first win in Tremblant as Juliette Larose-Gingras (Velo Cartel X BL Coaching) finished second and now leads the overall standings with 255 points to Bradbury’s 240.

In the U17 men’s Series Owen Clark (Homestead Racing) captured the leader’s jersey winning at Tremblant and has 255 points, while former leader Jakob Yells (River City CC) trails with 213 points.

The Canada MTB Cup XCO series continues on June 10th at Horseshoe Resort, Ontario, with the fourth stop on the circuit.

Tremblant results here.
Baie-Saint-Paul results here.