My last race in Canada was a Junior World Cup stage race in Val-d'Or. Teams from across the globe gathered in literally the middle of nowhere to race road bikes on long, boring roads 4,000 miles North of the equator. Yet, the town shut down, spectators flocked to the road sides, and TV helicopters hovered above for nearly two weeks. In Canada, they see something in cycling that Americans don't.

This weekend was my first hands-on encounter with the Canadian MTB scene, and it was (to quote an American expression) "totally rad!" For starters, the course was great. I love the riding in the North East US, and this was like that, only better. Good n' technical single track descents/ climbs and a great use of the space available. I'm sure Canada has some great 50 mile loops to ride, but for race day, I'll always take the 5-8k version. I'm pretty sure if you stood in the middle of the course for the race, you would have seen the leader 20+ times. Combined that with some of the most over the top hospitality I've ever witnessed, and the whole experience was an A+.

All that's missing up there is a few more A list racers to make it legit. Honestly, I don't get where everyone is. Maybe this weekend is bad timing and some people are on a mid-season hiatus, but that doesn't explain the absence of US racers in Canada for the past (forever?) years. Everyone rolls in for the WC's once a year and then their gone. With a full schedule of UCI C1's and 2's, I'd think the Wells/Craig/JHK crew would hit a couple a year? The US Cyclocross racers made the trip to Toronto last fall for a UCI race, what's different about Mountain Bike? And for the 15th+ place guys on the US circuit, Canada could/should be a great recourse. Just as a basketball player will use the NCAA to develop and build their name before entering the NBA, I could see races like Canada Cup's being a place for some developing talent to fight for podiums, points, and perhaps most important to the developing pro: prize money. I don't run a team, but if I did I'd defiantly be more impressed by wins and podiums than 30ths. And as a racer, I'll take the race that lets me win my money back any day.

USA has the national series. Canada has the World Cups. Isn't there somewhere we could meet in the middle? A North American PRO XCT? Spread those world cups out between the US and Canada? Anyone heard from Mexico... what're they up to?

Maybe I'm missing something?