As a professional World Cup mountain bike racer, the majority of my time is spent on the road. From January to September, I travel around the world for training and races, rarely staying in the same place for more than two weeks at a time. Most recently, I’ve just returned to Ontario from the Czech Republic, where we raced the third round of the UCI MTB World Cup, and before that, were racing the second stop in Albstadt, Germany.

International travel is definitely one of the coolest parts of the job. We get to see so many obscure corners of the world (races are usually in small villages) and get to experience the culture outside of traditional tourist zones. Aside from the human elements, seeing the surrounding countryside is my favourite part. I am a nature lover at heart, and seeing all the different terrain the world has to offer is pretty spectacular.

Usually, we are lucky enough to have a few days at the beginning or end of a race block to appreciate the travel life. Once we get within a couple days of the race, however, the focus and atmosphere begin to change.

The atmosphere of a World Cup is heavily charged. The athletes, staff, and fans are all on peak form, ready for Sunday’s showdown. At any given time, you can hear tires whirring on stationary rollers, see athletes reviewing footage to determine the best lines, and witness fans geeking out over new gear and their favourite athletes.

Amongst all this chaos, it is our job as athletes to find our zone of optimal focus. Tuning out the noise while also absorbing the electric energy of the event is a fine balance. You have to draw inward – ground yourself – while allowing yourself to be inspired by the atmosphere. When you can perfect that balance, there really is no feeling like it; focus, excitement, purpose, and clarity all intersect to create this state of hyper-presence. This feeling is one of the things that keeps me coming back to the sport year after year.

Once the gun goes off and the race is underway, all of this fades away. The only things that exist in that hour and a half of racing are the course, your body, and the competitors you’re racing against. As a racer, the lead up is where nerves run high and electricity crackles in the air… right up until 15 seconds to race start.

Spectating a World Cup is something special, too. Venues will see up to 50,000 people roll in to watch the races, heckle riders, and scream like mad from the sidelines over the course of the weekend. It really is something to behold. There is only stop of the World Cup in North America this year (in Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec, from August 10-12), and those fans can be counted on to bring their A-game. And, for those that can’t make the trip out to experience the uniqueness of a World Cup, the races are always broadcast live on Redbull TV.