MTB World Cup Mont-Sainte-Anne preview: Get ready for a grand finale

Trek MTB squads have set themselves up for high stakes racing at one of the best venues of the year

In a blink, we’ve come to the end of the 2024 MTB World Cup season.

Cross Country racing kicked off the circuit in Brazil nearly six months ago. Since then, we’ve experienced one of the most exhausting and exhaustive seasons ever, with the Olympic games breaking up a slate that featured 16 different World Cup weekends, encompassing eight XC rounds and seven downhill rounds.

Mont-Sainte-Anne will feature both disciplines — the third World Cup to do so this year. Many riders argue it’s the best race of the season. The backdrop? Stunning Canadian fall foliage. The racing? Fireworks on a naturally technical track for both XC and DH. 

Trek’s MTB squads will be going all out to end the season on a high. If you’ve somehow missed the racing to this point, don’t worry, just tune in this weekend to pack in a year’s worth of drama.

Mont-Sainte-Anne is all about the views.

The tracks and conditions

But first, the weather.

Cool, with a simmering threat of rain, especially on Saturday when junior and elite DH finals will take place.

Mont-Sainte-Anne is mean enough without any interference from Mother Nature. The Olympic-distance course is steep and twisty, with roughly 170 meters of elevation gain within a 3.52-kilometer loop. The fact that Jolanda Neff has thrived here in the past should tell you everything about how demanding this course is. The DH course is also one of the steepest of the year, with nearly 650 meters of elevation drop in a 2.48-kilometer run. Only the hardiest technicians will be in contention for the win.

There may be no better test of riders’ skill and mettle on the World Cup circuit.

Name a more dynamic duo than Isabella Holmgren and Madigan Munro.

The stakes

The Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC is in position to rack up multiple overall podiums with another big weekend.

Riley Amos has a commanding lead in the U23 men’s XCO and XCC standings, and will be looking to cap a breakout season in style. Madigan Munro is third in both the U23 women’s XCO and XCC standings, and can solidify her first ever overall podium finish. Meanwhile, Evie Richards, the elite women’s XCC World Champion, is in a battle to take the final podium spot in the discipline, just six points behind Rebecca Henderson in the standings.

Lidl-Trek’s Isabella Holmgren is currently fourth in both U23 women’s standings, but only because she has been dividing her weekends with road racing. No rider has been more consistently dominant, winning all four of her World Cup XCO starts and two of her four XCC starts (while placing 2nd in the races she didn’t win.) Oh yeah, and she won two World Championships in Andorra. Small detail, that.

Loris Vergier looks GOOD in rainbow stripes.

Trek Future Racing’s two North American stars are also eyeing up season-long rewards on their home continent. Bjorn Riley missed last weekend’s race in Lake Placid due to illness, but he’s expecting to race in Mont-Sainte-Anne to consolidate a pair of overall silvers. His teammate, Emilly Johnston, has had a great season in short track, and currently leads Munro by 52 points for second place in the standings.

Trek’s elite men’s downhillers are riding high into Mont-Sainte-Anne. Loris Vergier? World champion. Reece Wilson? Coming off a triumphant return to a World Cup podium. The Union’s Lachie Stevens-McNab? Just won the U.S. Open against a stacked field. TFR’s Bodhi Kuhn is also returning to race on home soil after missing World Championships and Loudenvielle with an ankle injury. This race means everything to him. This quartet is going to be a blast to watch.

Bjorn Riley took his first career World Cup XCO win in Les Gets.

Trek also features two of the best junior women’s riders in the sport. TFR’s Sacha Earnest has her sights set on her first World Cup win in an incredibly consistent season. She is currently sitting fourth overall. Just ahead of her, The Union’s Ellie Hulsebosch is in third overall, just five points behind second place Heather Wilson. 

The cherry on top? Hattie Harnden is joining the elite women’s fray. She just completed a dream enduro season that featured two World Cup wins and the overall title. Last year, she took the podium in Mont-Sainte-Anne in just her second elite downhill World Cup start ever. We can’t wait to watch her try to top the feat.

Bodhi Kuhn is cooking up something special for Mont-Sainte-Anne.

How to watch

Racing will stream on Max in the United States, Flosports in Canada, Eurosport Channels and discovery+ in Europe, and Claro in Mexico, Central America, and South America. If you don’t see your country listed, or for more information, click this link to the UCI MTB World Series website

All of this weekend’s XC racing — both U23 and Elite, short track and XCO — will be broadcasted. For DH racing, you’ll be able to watch all of Saturday’s finals. You can follow live timing for qualis and semi-finals on the UCI website

For results and a glimpse behind the scenes for both squads, be sure to follow Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC and Trek Factory Racing Downhill on Instagram. Here’s the schedule for both disciplines this weekend:

Jolanda Neff is looking to close a tough season on a high at one of her favorite venues.

XC racing schedule

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • Women’s U23 short track — 4:30 p.m. ET
  • Men’s U23 short track — 5:05 p.m. ET

Friday, Oct. 4

  • Women’s Elite short track – 4:30 p.m. ET
  • Men’s Elite short track – 5:05 p.m. ET

Sunday, Oct. 6

  • Women’s U23 XCO — 9 a.m. ET
  • Women’s Elite Olympic – 11:15 a.m. ET 
  • Men’s Elite XCO – 2 p.m. ET
  • Men’s U23 Olympic – 4 p.m. ET

Lachie Stevens-McNab has been one of the breakout riders of 2024.

DH racing schedule

Friday, Oct. 4

  • Women’s Elite qualifications — 12 p.m. ET
  • Men’s Elite qualifications — 12:30 p.m. ET
  • Women’s Junior qualifications — 1:45 p.m. ET
  • Men’s Junior qualifications — 2 p.m. ET
  • Women’s Elite semi final — 2:45 p.m. ET
  • Men’s Elite semi final — 3:15 p.m. ET

Saturday, Oct. 5

  • Women’s Junior final — 11:30 a.m. ET
  • Men’s Junior final — 12 p.m. ET
  • Women’s Elite final — 1:15 p.m. ET
  • Men’s Elite final — 2 p.m. ET