The North American portion of the Crankworx World Tour kicks off this week, with stops at Whistler, BC; Silverstar in Vernon, BC; Sugarloaf in New Brunswick, Canada; and a series wrap-up at Mont Sainte-Anne (MSA) in Quebec. Ahead of the MSA stop, trail builders are working on three new trails — a slopestyle course, a complete dual slalom track, and a lengthy jump line.
After Crankworx, MSA will leave the trails open to the public, except for certain features that will be removed from the slopestyle course. And at 2.2km long, the “Air DH” jump line will become the longest lift-served jump trail in Quebec.
3 new pro-level trails
“Mouvement Production Québec, the producer for Crankworx MSA, is working with Velosolutions Canada to build the three new trails that will be used for the competitions,” Amélie Bussière, Mouvement Production Québec’s Marketing and Communications Manager, told Singletracks via email.
Bussière followed up with more information on the build, crediting two Canadian professional mountain bikers who played key roles in the new trails. Both Bas van Steenbergen and Matt MacDuff played significant roles in the development of the dual slalom and slopestyle courses.
The new Air DH jump trail will also be a part of the Crankworx MSA festivities and competition. Velosolutions Canada is building the trail and sponsoring the Crankworx Air DH event, which is at the center of it all. Upon completion of the trail, press material for the event say it will be the “first lift-serviced trail of its kind in Québec.”
While they don’t specify exactly what that means, we can assume they are talking about length and trail type. With much of Quebec, including lift-served bike parks, known for its rough, rowdy, and rocky trails, a proper lift-served, 2.2km flow trail could be a first in the region.
And, obviously, it will be big. “The course is being designed as an expert-level (black diamond) trail,” Bussière wrote. “Construction is still underway, but riders can expect approximately 25 features spread throughout the course, including a mix of shark fins, step-ups, long jumps, and tabletops. The final layout is still being refined, but one thing is certain: it will offer a riding experience unlike anything else currently found at Mont-Sainte-Anne.”
Riding the same course as the pros?
After the pros are done with the Air DH jump line for Crankworx, it will be open for you and me to send it. In fact, Bussière mentioned that the Air DH line is slated to open a few weeks before the event, if all goes according to plan.
“Air DH and Dual Slalom will remain open to the public after the event concludes,” she said. But what about the slopestyle course?
Well, yes and no. While the press materials boast of a “slopestyle line that will remain partially in place after the event to support rider progression,” just how partial that is still seems to be up for discussion. The release mentions the removal of the “pro-only features,” while the “main line will become a permanent addition to the network.”
But, maybe not. “The Slopestyle course built for the competition is currently designed specifically for elite athletes and is not intended for public use as built,” Bussière said. “Any potential public opening would first require modifications to the course to ensure it meets the appropriate safety and operational standards, which could include changes to or removal of certain competition-specific features. The exact approach has not yet been determined; discussions regarding the future of the course are still ongoing with the mountain, and decisions will be made once those evaluations are complete.”
So, yes, they’re potentially removing “pro-only features,” but it also sounds like a big “we’ll see.”
World Cups at MSA
MSA has hosted World Cup racing since the 90s. For roughly three decades, the Quebec mountain resort has been a familiar stop on the DH racing circuit.
However, for 2026, World Cup racing unfortunately skips MSA, to the disappointment of many. In an official statement last year, MSA had this to say about its omission from the race calendar:
We were very disappointed to learn that Mont-Sainte-Anne will not be hosting the Mountain Bike World Cup in 2026.
This decision was made by Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), producer of the UCI Whoop Mountain Bike World Series, which has been mandated by the International Cycling Union (UCI) to manage this series until 2030.
The removal of Mont-Sainte-Anne from the 2026 calendar is based solely on WBD’s own profitability considerations.
The exceptional quality of the events delivered at Mont-Sainte-Anne has never been questioned. On the contrary, it has been highlighted once again by the UCI. Mont-Sainte-Anne remains a historic and iconic stage of the World Series, prized by athletes, teams, the public, and the mountain biking community.
MSA’s statement goes on to say that they are hopeful for 2027. For now, we are glad to see Crankworx filling the void, making it the first time the classic event has visited the iconic venue. Crankworx MSA is set to kick off September 3-7 and will be the final stop of the 2026 season.
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