Wi-Com Solutions Stage 6: CANMORE, AB

Dates:  July 18, 2023

The Location:

Canmore, Alberta is a hidden gem set in the Canadian Rockies. It's a small town with a big heart and a rich history. If you're a fan of mountain biking, then you'll be pleased to know that Canmore has a long-standing love affair with this sport.

Throughout the 1900s, Canmore was a coal mining town, but as the industry declined, the town reinvented itself as a tourist destination. With its stunning scenery, it wasn't long before people started flocking to Canmore to explore the great outdoors.

Fast forward to the 1980s, and mountain biking was just starting to gain popularity. Canmore was quick to embrace this sport and became one of the first places in Canada to develop mountain biking trails. The Canmore Nordic Centre was the hub of this development, offering a range of trails for riders of all levels. From 1998-2000 the Canmore Nordic Centre hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World cup, which put Canmore on the map as a destination for mountain bikers, and it continues to attract riders from all over the world. Starting in 2002, Canmore was the finish host of the TransRockies Challenge for the first 4 years of the event.

But it's not just big events that have put Canmore on the mountain biking map. The Canmore and Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) has played a crucial role in the development of the sport in the area. This volunteer-run organization has been working tirelessly for years to create and maintain trails, as well as promote mountain biking in the community.

The Stage:

The 2023 Singletrack 6 mountain bike race comes to a close with a stage in the scenic town of Canmore, Alberta. Riders will start and finish in Downtown Canmore, with the route based on the Rundle’s Revenge race that takes place every June. 

The stage kicks off with a road climb up to the Canmore Nordic Centre, where riders will tackle a series of cross-country ski trails before hitting the first singletrack climb on Killer Bs. The stage continues on classic Nordic Centre singletrack broken up by sections of ski trail. The newly connected Rundle Riverside connector trail has been added to the far end of the first loop before riders return to the Stadium area on EKG and FYI trails. 

Riders will then head back out for the second loop, which features lower Odyssey, Blue Coal Chutes, Long Road to Ruin, EKG, and Orchid. With only 800m of climbing, this stage may be the easiest of the 6 in this year’s event, a fun and friendly way to wrap up six days of amazing singletrack riding in the Canadian Rockies. 

The clock stops before riders leave the Nordic Centre, which means that the final descent and ride into the downtown finish are a neutral parade finish for safety reasons. Riders are encouraged to maintain their order of finish coming across the final finish line. The downtown finish offers an iconic conclusion that conjures up legends of the original Transrockies Challenge finish in 2002, making it a memorable end to an amazing six days of racing. 

Distance: 35.3 km

Elevation Gain: 800 m

Timed Descent: 118 m descent over 1.5 km, Lower Odyssey/Blue Coal Chutes

Aid/CP: 22 km

Map:

View on Ride with GPS.

All Routes Subject to Change.

*Elevation data may be highly variable by device or mapping platform, as different software may use various data sources and calculation methods. Our total elevation gain for the stage is a middle estimate based on readings from multiple devices.