May 18/05 1:16 am - MTB Canada Cup Season Opener in Bromont

Posted by Editoress on 05/18/05
 

Canada Cup and Quebec Cup Mountain Bike series
Courtesy MondialduVelo.com

The Canadian And Quebec Mountin Biking Season Opens This Wee-End In Bromont – Large Participation Expected

The 2005 Canadian competitive mountain biking season will open this coming week-end with the Quebec Cup and Canada Cup of Mountain biking at Ski Bromont. Over 1000 riders of all ages are expected for this event, presented by Cycles Lambert, which is the first leg of the Canada Cup and SISU Quebec Cup mountain biking series, presented by Cycle DEVINCI.

The Canada Cup series includes five race week-ends throughout the summer, starting in Bromont, moving next to Mont Tremblant the following week-end, and finishing up in August at Sun Peaks Resorts in BC.

The Quebec Cup series, on the other hand, includes 10 race week-ends, the largest 5 of which will be presented in the "Quebec Cup Premium" format. This upgraded format is organized by the Mondial du Vélo in collaboration with the Quebec Cycling Federation (the "Fédération Québécoise des Sports Cyclistes", or "FQSC"), and provides event services similar to a World Cup. This Premium series, organised with the support of SISU and presented by Cycle DEVINCI, includes events in Bromont, Mont Tremblant, St-Félicien (in the Lac-St-Jean region), St-Mathieu-du-Parc (near Trois-Rivières), and Chantecler in the Laurentians.

A world class field

The organizers of the Bromont event expect the participation of Olympic medalist Marie-Hélène Prémont in the Cross Country event on Saturday. Recent winner of a World Cup event and currently tied for first place overall, Prémont will surely be one of the prime movers and shakers of this week-end in Bromont.

Bromont – the place to be this coming Victoria Day week-end

In addition to the Canada Cup and SISU Quebec Cup Premium mountain bike events, presented by Cycle Devinci, Bromont will also host a mountain bike endurance event, the "Hydropak Enduro", the same week-end. This type of event, for both teams and individuals (!), pits competitors against the clock and themselves as they try to do the largest number of laps of a 6 km mountain bike course within 12 hours.

Activities begin in Bromont on Friday the 20th of May, when the riders take to the cross country and downhill courses for official practice sessions.

Competition begins Saturday morning with the first cross country start set for 8:30, with starts throughout the day; the pros, including Marie-Hélène Prémont, will go off at noon. The downhillers then take to the slopes at 9:00 am on Sunday. The 12 Hours of Bromont will then start at 10:00 am, running to 10:00 pm, followed by the inevitable post-enduance race party.