UCI Mountain Bike World Series Mont Sainte-Anne: Preview, schedule and how to watch live
The leaves might be turning colour, but there’s still time for one final dash around the trails of Quebec for the world’s best mountain bikers. Continue reading to learn more.
Cycling Mountain Bike
While the heat of summer gives way to the mild days of autumn, the world’s best mountain bikers are preparing to end the UCI Mountain Bike World Series with one final blaze of glory in Mone Sainte-Anne from 3-6 October.
The venue, nestled amongst the gorgeous Laurentian mountains of Quebec, Canada, will host the UCI Mountain Bike World Series for a record setting 29th time. The familiarity of its wooded trails will be a welcome sight to athletes worn out from a long season, even if it puts the focus squarely on racing rather than exploring.
Olympic champions, World Series winners and rising stars will all be in attendance, with vital world cup points on offer across cross-country short track (XCC), cross-country Olympic (XCO), and downhill formats.
With multiple titles up for grabs, there’s bound to be plenty of action during the final round of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
Read on to find out more about the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series Mont Sainte-Anne, including the schedule, key athletes to follow, and how to watch mountain bike action live from the mountains of Quebec.
World cup battles reach their final chapter at Mont Sainte-Anne
The 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series wound its way through the jungles of South America, mountains of Central Europe and rugged backcountry of North America to arrive at the final race weekend of the season.
One of the most compelling battles heading into the final weekend of racing this season is the men’s cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup title fight.
South Africa’s Alan Hatherly leads the XCO world cup rankings, but he’s yet to seal the deal ahead of the season finale.
The 28-year-old from Durban, South Africa has raced into a league of his own during the second half of the season, winning his first-ever world title, completing an XCO and short course double at Les Gets and snagging a bronze medal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
A win in the short course (XCC) race would be enough for him to claim the XCO world cup title. However, the title fight could come down to the final XCO race of the season if Hatherly is beaten in the short course race on Friday.
While his lead in the XCO world cup rankings is sizable, it is not insurmountable. At least, that’s what France’s Victor Koretzky will be telling himself.
The experienced rider from Montpellier, France sits second in rankings behind Hatherly and will need to ride superbly in Mont Sainte-Anne to stand any chance of beating the South African.
It will be a busy weekend for Koretzky, however, as he will also need to fend off New Zealand’s Samuel Gaze in the short course race to claim the XCC world cup title.
Nonetheless, Koretzky will be encouraged by his recent XCO victory in Lake Placid, and boosted by his silver medal performance at Paris 2024.
The women’s XCO world cup title fight is much more straightforward. Switzerland’s Alessandra Keller will leave Mont Sainte-Anne with the title if she finishes 34th or better in the short course on Friday.
The 28-year-old from Ennetbuergen, Switzerland has yet to win an XCO world cup race this season, but her consistency and steadfast attendance at world series events has been rewarded with a massive points haul.
The season finale in Mont Sainte-Anne represents a dual opportunity for Keller, who could snag the XCO title and win her first XCO race of the season in the same weekend. She’ll certainly be among the favourites for victory in Mont Sainte-Anne, but it won’t be a ride through the park for the Swiss rider.
Her strongest challenge might come from the duo of Savilia Blunk and Candice Lill, who are the only riders mathematically capable of snatching the XCO world title away from Keller.
While the possibility of Keller losing the title fight remains slim, the pair will certainly fancy their chances at victory in the XCO race on Sunday.
Team USA’s Savilia Blunk has produced strong results throughout the season, while South Africa’s Candice Lill has found her best form late in the season. Both riders finished off the podium at Paris 2024, and missed the podium once more at the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Vallnord, Andorra, making victory at the season finale all the more appealing.
Keller, Bluck and Lill will also need to watch out for Great Britain's Evie Richards and Austria’s Laura Stigger, who finished ahead of the trio at the recent Olympic Games.
Richards recently won the short course event at the world championships, while Stigger has a history of victory at Mont Sainte-Anne.
Schedule for the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series Mont Sainte-Anne (All times local GMT -4)
Legend: XCC – cross-country short track; XCO – cross-country Olympic discipline
Thursday 3 October
- 16:30 Women's XCC U23
- 17:05 Men's XCC U23
Friday 4 October
- 12:00 Women's Elite Downhill Qualification
- 12:30 Men's Elite Downhill Qualification
- 13:45 Women's Junior Downhill Qualification
- 14:00 Men's Junior Downhill Qualification
- 14:45 Women's Elite Downhill Semi Final
- 15:15 Men's Elite Downhill Semi Final
- 16:30 Women's Elite XCC
- 17:05 Men's Elite XCC
Saturday 5 October
- 11:30 Women's Junior Downhill Final
- 12:00 Men's Junior Downhill Final
- 13:15 Women's Elite Downhill Final
- 14:00 Men's Elite Downhill Final
Sunday 6 October
- 09:00 Women's XCO U23
- 11:15 Women's XCO Elite
- 14:00 Men's XCO Elite
- 16:00 Men's XCO U23
2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series Mont Sainte-Anne: How to watch live
Viewers can watch the UCI Mountain Bike World Series on Max, Eurosport channels, discovery+ and Max (in selected markets), and across several local and national broadcasters. Viewing information specific to each market can be found here.