After a not so long drive and a way too long stop&search at the border, we made it up to Bromont, Canada for round #6 of the UCI World Cup! Pre riding for XC will take place today, 10am-1pm. We'll be there to catch some pre-race interviews, then we'll head out and take a look at the course for Sunday's Cross Country. Bromont has been pounded with steady rain all week, so things are looking a bit slippery out there. They held a Canada Cup race here in early July that turned in to a long hike-a-bike after a big storm passed over. The sun is supposed to make an appearance this afternoon, but they are calling for more rain tomorrow...

119 Men and 72 Women are on the list for this one. Headlining the women's race will be top ranked rider in the world, and last weekends Canadian winner, Catherine Pendrel. She'll try and make it two strait World Cup wins as well as a second consecutive win here at Bromont. Top Europeans include Margarita Fullana (ESP), Elisabeth Osl (AUT), Irina Kalentieva (RUS), and Lene Byberg (NOR). Includng Pendrel, 26 North Americans will start here in Bromont. They include Marie-Helene Premont (CAN), Willow Koerber (USA), Marry McConneoug (USA), Georgia Gould (USA), Heather Irmiger (USA), Emily Batty (CAN), Lea Davison (USA), Chloe Forsman (USA), Amanda Sin (CAN), Kelli Emmett (USA), Katie Compton (USA), and adopted North American Katerina Nash (CZE). 

The Men's race should see the most competitive race ever here at Bromont. With the World Championships in Mount Saint Anne next year, al the top riders made the trip over to Canada this month to preview that course. Of the 119 on the start list, last weekend's champion, World Cup leader, and top ranked rider in the World Julien Absalon comes in as the odds on favorite. Best hope from this side of the pond will be Geoff Kabush. After his strong third place at Mount Saint Anne, Kabush is in great position to take his first ever World Cup victory this weekend. Top foreigners here are Burry Stander (RSA), Jose Antonio Hermidia (ESP), Wolfram Kurschat (GER), and Christoph Sauser (SUI). 38 North Americans will be on the line, including a strong representation for the U23 ranks. Some of those 38 will be Adam Craig (USA), Todd Wells (USA), Sam Schultz (USA), Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA), Derek Zandstra (CAN), Seamus Mcgrath (CAN), Mike Broderick (USA), Andrew Watson (CAN), Max Plaxton (CAN), Barry Wicks (USA), Eric Batty (USA), Carl Decker (USA), Colin Cares (USA), Adam Snyder (USA), Troy Wells (USA), Ethan Golmore (USA), Stephen Ettinger (USA), Macky Franklin (USA), and almost Americans Manny Prado (CRC) and Rotem Ishai (ISR).

As with the U23's, there is a strong group of Juniors here from the USA trying to quaify for one of the remaining spots on this years Word Championship team. Already qualified rider and USA Junior National Champion Russell Finsterwald leads a group of six Americans in Bromont. They include top American at Mount Saint Anne Zach McDonald, Seath Kemp, Wesley Lamberson, and Brae Patten. Also racing this weekend is American Jill Behlen. Second at Nationals earlier this month, she'll try and earn her ticket to Worlds this weekend.

Time to get out the camera and get to work! Check back soon for pre race interviews, course preview, and more from Quebec... Full Coverage from this weekend is HERE.