Dozens of elite cross-country bikers compete in 2024 Canmore Canada Cup

Cross-country mountain bikers from across the world are taking part in the 2024 Canmore Canada & Alberta Cup, which runs until Saturday.

"We look forward to welcoming athletes and mountain bike enthusiasts to experience the warmth and hospitality that define our province," said Joseph Schow, Alberta's minister of tourism and sport.

More than 200 athletes, coaches and technical officials will participate in the event, held at the Canmore Nordic Centre.

The event will feature both cross-country Olympic-style races and cross-country short circuit formats, with an adaptive category for both.

"Emphasizing speed and technical skill, this race is part of the Canada cup circuit and boasts one of the most challenging courses in the series, testing the riders' endurance, bike-handling skills and strategy," states a Government of Alberta news release.

"(In the adaptive category) para-athletes use power-assisted hand cranks to propel their bikes. This adaptive category is the first of its kind in cross-country mountain biking in Alberta."

Seventy Alberta athletes will enjoy the home-course advantage, including Logan Sadesky from Canmore.

Sadesky won the overall Canada cup title for the 2022 cross-country season, and secured second place at last year's Canada cup in Canmore.

"The Canmore Canada cup has become a go-to event for many athletes, given the venue and the technical challenge of the course," said Ron Sadesky, president, Alberta Nationals Mountain Bike Race Association.

"In addition to the world-class racing, 2024 will see a festival atmosphere with an Expo, food trucks and a beer gardens."

The Alberta Government is providing $75,000 in funding toward the competition, and it expects thousands of spectators, meaning an injection of about $200,000 into the local economy.

"Hosting events like these not only provides an opportunity for Alberta athletes to partake in elite competition in front of a hometown crowd, but they also boost the economies of the host communities, creating jobs and raising Alberta’s profile as the best place in the world to live, visit and play," said Schow.