The country’s top mountain bikers are in Langford this week for the 2025 Canadian XCO/XCC Mountain Bike Championships – and for the first time, they’re racing for national titles on the trails of Jordie Lunn Bike Park.
More than 350 riders from across Canada are competing over four days (July 17-20) in cross-country Olympic (XCO), short track (XCC), and team relay events, with Saturday’s elite races set to draw the biggest crowds.
The championships are being held as part of the Langford Bikefest and are sanctioned by Cycling Canada.
“It’s a massive event – easily one of the biggest national cycling events in the country this year,” said CJ Young, Victoria hub manager for Cycling BC. “And for a lot of these athletes, this is one of the best venues they’ve ever raced.”
The park’s 4.5-kilometre loop features punchy climbs, tight descents, and fast, flowing singletrack, all set against the backdrop of Langford’s growing reputation as a cycling destination.
Riders will complete up to eight laps of the course in Saturday’s elite races, with the women starting at 2:30 p.m. and the men at 4:30 p.m. The races will be streamed live on CBC Gem.
Thursday’s short track races saw Vancouver Island riders dominate.
Cumberland’s Carter Woods claimed the elite men’s title, while Duncan’s Jennifer Jackson – currently ranked in the world top-10 – took the women’s crown. Both are among the favourites heading into the weekend’s longer-format XCO events.
Also expected to contend are national team standouts like Cole Punchard, who won last year’s elite men’s XCO title, and Isabella Holmgren, who recently placed top-10 on the road at the Giro d’Italia.
On the U-23 women’s side, UVic students Ella MacPhee and Marin Lowe – ranked first and 12th in the world for U23 riders, respectively – are among those to watch.
Saturday’s races will feature the U17, Junior, U23, and Elite divisions. Youth and masters categories have already been underway, with the event offering “Challenge” divisions to make national-level racing accessible to a wider range of riders.
Young said the venue is already turning heads nationally and internationally.
“There’s already some talk of this track getting a UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) C1 event in the future, which would bring in even more talent from around the world,” he said. “But what’s just as exciting is the development it’s already driving here locally.”
With the bike park now a training hub for young athletes, he said local clubs are already seeing a difference.
“When you see young kids now, they’re way ahead of where kids were even five years ago,” he said. “This is their home turf. Instead of growing up around a soccer pitch or hockey rink, they’re riding trails every day. You can see the next generation already coming.”
Racing continues through Sunday, wrapping up with the Team Relay, a fast-paced team event featuring provincial and trade squads.
