Mountain bikers dream of the bucket list rides they hope to complete one day, perhaps once we retire. Apparently, professional mountain bikers have the same dreams. Even the GOAT.
Inarguably the greatest male cross-country mountain bike athlete of all time, Nino Schurter is planning to race this year’s BC Bike Race for the first time. With 10 World Championships, nine overall World Cup XC titles, three Cape Epic wins, and an Olympic gold medal, the GOAT, who officially retired from World Cup racing last year, is looking to add one more mountain bike stage race win to his accolades. And it won’t be a gimme.
The BC Bike Race is no cakewalk
For the hundreds of amateur riders who sign up to race BC Bike Race each year, simply finishing the seven-day stage race in one piece is a bucket-list achievement and a major accomplishment. For the professional racers, it can be a grueling, albeit scenic, chess match.
Schurter will face more than one previous BC Bike Race winner in this year’s competition. Canadian National Champion and two-time BC Bike Race winner Geoff Kabush is a fan favorite and is sure to give Schurter a run for his money. Another former winner racing this year, Cory Wallace, is a fellow Canadian and is a six-time World Solo 24 Hour Mountain Bike Champion.
And then there’s Peter Disera, who won in 2022. He’s a Canadian XCO National Champion and former Olympian like Schurter and Kabush.
The men’s field is clearly stacked yet there’s still a very good chance a young up-and-comer could post the best overall time by day seven. The BC Bike Race in particular rewards consistent performance aided by daily recovery… plus a little bit of luck.
The women’s BC Bike Race field is equally stacked
Maghalie Rochette broke her hand during last year’s race, ending her attempt at a second overall win. This year, she’s back and will surely be looking for redemption.
Katerina Nash has won the BC Bike Race six times, beginning in 2009. Her most recent win came in 2023.
Two-time winner and last year’s fastest woman, Sandra Walter, is also racing this year, which suggests it’s really anyone’s race.
This is the BCBR’s 20th Anniversary and the last to span seven days
The BC Bike Race has been showcasing some of the best singletrack on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, since 2007, when the first race was held. This year, 800 riders from 35 countries will race daily stages as the race moves from Cumberland to the finish in North Cowichan. The race begins May 23.
In 2027, BC Bike Race moves to a five-day format with a start in Squamish on the mainland. The race will be limited to just 450 riders. In addition, there will be a new “Enduro Course” option that features three to five timed stages per day, and is limited to 150 riders.
Registration for the 2027 BC Bike Race is now open.
Who’s your favorite to win BC Bike Race this year?
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