Cumberland opens the final original BC Bike Race
Well, it’s all happening. After a year of anticipation, the final 7-day BC Bike Race is underway. With a massive field of 855 riders from 35 countries, the stoke is at an all time high. The 20th year is starting in a rider-favourite, and a BCBR classic, with a beautiful day of sweet singletrack in Cumberland,
The first day of the 2026 BCBR started with some super-fresh trail, courtesy of the United Riders of Cumberland, and finished with a classic combo of the Sobo no Michi climb trail and sweet flow on Vanilla.
Skinnies and fresh trail: welcome to B.C., Nino!
Day one turns up the heat with photo-finish sprint
While today was the first day in a long week of racing, the men’s field was already racing full throttle. After some testing of the legs and checking out of the competition, the win came down to a three way, photo-finish sprint between past champion Peter Disera, hot younger talent Carter Nieuwesteeg and, of course, the G.O.A.T., Nino Schurter.
On the climb, it was Nieuwesteeg that was trading pulls on the front with Schurter. The Canadian led into the first section of singletrack.
“I think we were all trying to pace it. Nino was trying to suss us out. We all kinda knew what we were getting into with him,” Nieuwesteeg recounted. “I knew if I had any shot of getting to the finish line near him, so I sprinted the group for the singletrack. But yeah, I had Nino on my wheel. That’s kind of a crazy thing to say. We got to the climb trail and I could barely breathe, he rolls up beside me and calmly says, ‘Hey, the trails are really nice today,’ hey?”
Schurter, for his part, is settling into Canada quite nicely. The Swiss legend is enjoying his “retirement” tour after leaving the World Cup behind.
“The first climb was quite hard, I could feel the journey coming over here but it was a good first wake up call and some super cool trails.”
Schurter was seen looking around on the climb, gently encouraging some of the younger locals to help set the pace on the climbs, before following Nieuwesteeg into the first big descent.
“I wanted to see a bit, I don’t know most of the guys. My goal is to have fun out on the trails and it’s good to follow someone that knows the trails,” Schurter said of his strategy on Day 1. There’s still six days left, though. “If every day is like this, I’m looking forward to it!”
With some heavy rain looming in the forecast, racers could see another side of B.C. riding by Monday.
What a way to start the final seven-day BC Bike Race!
There’s only one winner on the results sheet, but everyone had a pretty good day out on the trails.
The first stage winner of the 2026 BC Bike Race, taking the sprint at the line, is Peter Disera. The Canadian Olympian trailed early on on the climb but kept fighting his way back to the leaders all day.
“I just paced myself at what I felt my max was for the climb. I’ve ridden cumberland a decent amount, so I could give away some time going into the descents and close it down. I don’t have a ton of top end speed right now,” Disera said, perhaps being a little coy about his fitness. While Disera is also retired from World Cup racing, you don’t end up bar to bar with someone like Nino. The many-time Canadian national champion caught the leaders coming into Scat/Brat/Bonestorm and gave it a go, getting some space between himself, Schurter and Nieuwesteeg by the time he hit the dirt road back to the finish line.
“It was the first time I’ve done a legit sprint like that in a while. It hurt,” admits Disera. The reward is a stage win ahead of Schurter.
“I’m just happy to be here and have a good time. Coming away with the win today was definitely unexpected and not necessarily what I was going for. But when the opportunity presents itself you go for it.”
Disera takes the win, Schurter settles for second and Nieuwesteeg starts his week on the podium in third.
Bradley Wright finding the flow already on a dusty Day 1
Ruth Holcomb looking at home on Vanilla in the Fox DH
Holcomb and Nash celebrate a great day of racing on sick single track
The BCBR rookie takes a win ahead of the champs
On the women’s side, Ruth Holcomb found herself climbing with a trio of past BCBR champions.
“I know Katerina and a lot of the other girls have done this before, know the trails and are really experienced, so I’m just trying to keep a low profile if I can and make moves where I feel like I have an advantage. Then just follow Katerina for the rest.”
That low profile could be hard to maintain. Holcomb, the 2025 Life Time Grand Prix U23 champ, distanced the Queen of BCBR, Katerina Nash, to take the first stage win of 2026. The Santa Cruz racer is making her debut at the BC Bike Race and already enjoying the Ultimate Singletrack Experience.
“It was incredible, so fun. That climb was, it was a big one. But then you’re at the top and you get to go downhill all day! The trails were so good.”
Katerina Nash, who settles into second place, had her eye on Holcomb in her sights even before the week started.
“She’s the real deal. It might be her first BCBR, but I knew she’d be one to watch and she proved today she’s got the complete tool set. It’ll be fun to try to stick on her wheel a little longer here or there,” Nash said after the finish.
For Nash, the final 7-day BC Bike Race is not an event she was going to miss.
“BC Bike Race has been such a big part of my career. My first one was in 2009, maybe? I didn’t do every one, but a lot of them. It felt like the right thing to do, and I’m stoked to be here!”
Walter and Simms debrief after a day on the trails
Sandra Walter finding speed on the Fox DH
Nash isn’t the only BCBR champion making her return for the 20th year of racing sweet B.C. singletrack. Sandra Walter, the defending champion, claimed the final spot on the podium.
“It was a long climb to start, but we just had a girls group which was nice. Things are more unknown with my training and how I’m feeling, so I’m just here to have fun and practice racing before I do some World Cups”. Walter, who was showing signs of a crash at the finish line, said of how her day went “The first singletrack was very fresh. I caught something and went down. Then it was Mags and I for a bit, then I was alone, then I rode with Hannah, which was super fun.”
Hannah Simms led out Walter on the dirt road back to the finish line, but Walter takes third place on the day. Simms finished right behind her with another champion, Maghalie Rochette, crossing the line fifth.
“In my mind, the person who wins the BC Bike Race is the person who’s having the most fun. Some years it’s about actually winning. I’m not as fit as I was in previous years when I was battling for the win, so this year, it’s about pushing myself and enjoying it.”
Fifth is a pretty solid start for someone who says they’re not in their best shape ever. Rochette admits she is happy with how the race started.
“I actually surprised myself hanging in with these guys on the climb. I didn’t ride super well on the first descent but it got better and I had a great time, so we’ll see. Maybe I’ll surprise myself on the next days. I’ll keep pushing, keep trying and keep having fun!”
A past champion with growing confidence should put the riders ahead of her on notice. Especially with six more long days of racing on tap.
Carolin Gehrig putting her enduro skills to good use on the Fox Timed DH
Course crew is stoked to be back racing, too
The iconic Cumberland Main Street start is back for the 20th anniversary
Comox Valley Pipe band sent racers off with some extra flare
2026 BC Bike Race hits the road to Campbell River
Sunday serves up one of the longest days of this year’s BC Bike Race, at least on paper, at 47.6 km. Campbell River rewards a little effort with a lot of speed, though. There’s 843m of elevation gain along the way, but Snowden Demonstration Forest’s smooth trails should still serve as a salve for any riders suffering after going out a little too hard on Day 1.
Rotary Rock and Roll, Dean Martin, Tres Hombres, all beautiful winding ribbons of singletrack taking riders deep into the green room. Another exciting day in the Ultimate Singletrack Experience.
Flow, rocks, dust, sun: Day 1 had it all
Just six more days…
2026 BC Bike Race Results: Day 1 – Cumberland
Open Women
1st. Ruth Holcomb 1:38:41.0
2nd. Katerina Nash 1:39:27.5 (+46.5)
3rd. Sandra Walter 1:40:57.3 (+2:16.3)
4th. Hannah Simms 1:40:58.2 (+2:17.2)
5th. Maghalie Rochette 1:41:53.5 (+3:12.5)
Open Men
1st. Peter Disera 1:20:28.9
2nd. Nino Schurter 1:20:29.3 (+0.4)
3rd. Carter Nieuwesteeg 1:20:29.7 (+0.8)
4th. Justin Peck 1:22:12.2 (+1:43.3)
5th. Max McCulloch 1:22:46.7 (+2:17.8)
Fox Timed DH – Vanilla
Men
1st. Max McCulloch 5:06.9
2nd. Geoff Kabush 5:12.0
3rd. Peter Disera 5:12.4
4th. Carter Nieuwesteeg 5:19.6
5th. Nino Schurter 5:19.7
Women
1st. Katerina Nash 5:44.8
2nd. Ruth Holcomb 5:46.6
3rd. Maghalie Rochette 5:55.3
4th. Carolin Gehrig 6:00.4
5th. Anita Gehrig 6:00.9
It’s good to be back on Vancouver Island