[sherijumper]

Thought I`d throw up a few pictures from the Canada cup in Edmonton this weekend . I was briefly there for the morning races . I was going to head back for the Elite category but chose to go riding in Ft Saskatchewan this afternoon instead

There are more pics on my blog , just click on the signature link . You may have to scroll down a little bit .

 

[gord962]

Nice pics, Ken! I'm glad I made it into your film, twice! I am in the pic that is third from the bottom (I'm in the RVC kit.) Could I get you to send me the original file??

 

[trent205]

i happened to see some of this race yesterday! very cool stuff man! So i got a question, do these guys make money from these races? If not this race in particular, is there any money to be made whatsoever in mountain bike racing?

 

[oilerfan30]

The 2pm start had cash prizes, those are Junior Expert and Elite level riders. FAST!
I can't remember the amount, but I know top 15 Elite men got some, and top 10 Elite women. Not sure about the Junior Expert, but I think it was only the top 5, or 3?
If you want to make money mountain bike racing, you have to be unbelievably fast, and get noticed by a sponsor..
Still not exactly a get-rich-quick scheme, or even a get-rich-at-all scheme. It's all about loving the sport.

 

[trent205]

believe me i know all about doing something just for the love of it! lol there aint much money in my sport either! lol I was just curious if they did. Seems like a wonderful way to make a living! everyone ive met so far involved with mountain biking has been great! seems the ****** bag quota in this sport is very low! lol

i am also curious is there a limit on bike weights and how many speeds your bike can have for different races? or is it more of a just show with a bike and give it all you got?

 

[rockyuphill]

UCI points races have a mandated prize money structure. This is the financial requirements document for an organizer of MTB races in Canada. Most of the prize money is listed in Euros as it's a UCI requirement.

 

[trent205]

hey i cant say D.O.U.C.H.E ? LOL sorry

 

[oilerfan30]

Mountain biking has stayed relatively free of the crazy regulations that other disciplines of cycling has (road biking!).
If you have a safe-working bike and a helmet, you can race.

And I agree, I have played a lot of sports, and the friendliest people I have encountered in competition have always been cyclists. Not many other sports where your competitor will strike up friendly conversation after, before, or even during an event.

 

[trent205]

well the real reason i ask is i dont want to get laughed off the train when i show up with my old ass bike! lol i noticed yesterday everyone had top of the line gear! lol theres got to be like a jalopy race im sure! lol

 

[oilerfan30]

I'm guessing you saw the 2pm start, where, yes, almost everyone was riding a bike worth more than $5000. But those are Elite level racers, theres a bigger range of bikes in the lower categories, and even then, nobody is going to laugh at you. People just love to see the sport gaining traction, no matter who it is or what bike they are riding. You will love it, hope to see you out there!

 

[trent205]

well that is awesome to hear! and yes it was after 2pm. Id love to just jump right into the bigginer races and see how i do? is there a chance i would be able to do so in a race here in edmonton in the next month or so?

 

[Slowup]

Looks like the start/finish was under the 9th street bridge?
I left Alberta before mountain biking was on my radar but I did come back for the World Master's race in '05 which was held at Terwillegar Park and good fun.

 

[oilerfan30]

http://www.albertabicycle.ab.ca/events

Not a ton left on the calendar this year, but the Devon race is 30 minutes out of Edmonton. Still nationals in Canmore next weekend, and provincials in Hinton.

 

[trent205]

that is awesome! i will have to try and make it out to atleast one this year. is there a place for people to just view these races? thanks again for all your help!

 

[oilerfan30]

If you mean view as in the Beer Gardens that were right beside the course, that is a rariety (although Nationals will have one).
The Alberta Cup races have no beer gardens, but that's alright, it's more enjoyable to hike to a tricky section of trail and watch the fast riders rip it up (or you might see me, starting with the fast riders, but I am by no definition of the word actually fast...

 

[trent205]

well as long as it is all good to just find a spot and watch than im down! this is very exciting i cant wait to try this! lol

 

[rockyuphill]

Typically there's two or three good spectator spots on any course so wandering around the course to get to those spots during a race is a good way to fill the 20 minutes a lap typical of most races.