2026 BCBR: Stage 5 Tzouhalem – Presented by Rocky Mountain

Ruth Holcomb put the pressure on down Rocky Mountain Ridge, and it paid off with a stage win and more time on GC

Rochette rides the rollercoaster  

One of the four women hitting the top of the climb with Holcomb and Nash was Maghalie Rochette. The Sainte-Adele, Que. racer, and 2024 BCBR champ has had an up-and-down week this year, mixing solid results with mechanicals and a stop to help a fellow rider after a crash. On Tzou, Rochette was on the move.

“Today was awesome! We rode together as a four for maybe half the race. Then Ruth and Katerina ripped down that rocky descent. Hannah and I were a little more careful, maybe. But then I could see them all day. I was nursing those tiny cramps in the legs, so I couldn’t go faster. But it was an awesome day, I loved it.

Those cramps allowed Hannah Simms to add another BC Bike Race podium to her week, finish in third behind Holcomb and Nash. Five days in, Rochette isn’t the only rider dealing with a body that is fighting back against the effort. How does the past champ manage her recovery?

A cold tub in the ocean and then I’m getting a tattoo this afternoon! I think that’s a good strategy.”

Is the tattoo BCBR themed?

“Pretty much! It says “Good old days,” to remind me the good old days are now!”

We couldn’t agree more. And if you’re not here living the good old days this week, here’s our polite reminder that registration for the 2027 BC Bike Race is already open.

Disera and Schurter sprint showdown extends into Cowichan

On the men’s side, BC Bike Race saw an unprecedented fourth sprint finish in five days. While Schurter broke the stalemate in Hammerfest to take a lead in the GC, there’s still racing to be done. On Day 5, the sprint went in the Canadian’s favour. Disera led into the Fox DH down Bumble Bee and, with little room left to contest a downhill sprint, took the win.

“Now I have a comfortable lead, so the plan for today was just to follow,” Schurter said after the finish. “It was quite a short day with lots of cross country-style trails. The last bit was quite fun, with all the jumps.”

Disera admitted that, while he tried to put in some efforts, the legs were feeling the cumulative effect of doing battle with the 10-time world champion.

“I’m pretty mangled. Warming up this morning I couldn’t really get the body to do anything. So it was nice to start with AGT after that brutal first five minutes,” Disera shared. “I tested him a couple of times but it’s really hard, especially with him. I got a gap a couple of times but, if I mess up one turn, he could see I messed up he’d be right back on me.

If the G.O.A.T. wants to sit on your wheel, he’s going to sit on your wheel.

“Yeah, he’s not going to let me go, ever.”

With a lead established, Schurter wasn’t hiding his plan for the last few days of riding.

“Just defending and having fun and checking out the trails. It’s a bit more relaxed now that I have time to play with. So just hope the tires stay together and have a good last two days!”

The Californians hunt overall spots

While the Schurter-Disera duel continued, it was Justin Peck leading the opening climb up A Grand Traverse. By the finish though, he was, like many riders, showing signs of a crash.

“I clipped a stump hiding in the grass and it sent me flying over the bars. It happens. Those guys are definitely pushing it on the descents.” Peck said at the finish line. The Californian was still smiling, though. “Today was great. Those trails were so fun, especially that last descent.”

Makes sense. Peck was pulling for blind doubles and hitting all the local’s gaps on Double D and Bumble Bee.

“Might as well! I don’t know any of these trails, so it’s hard riding them blind. Especially when the other guys know every line through there. So I’m just doing my best to hang on. The top five in GC is still pretty tight and there are two big days coming up, so rest up tonight and hit it again tomorrow!”

Another Californian working hard to keep up with the locals on B.C. trails is Tobin Ortenblad. The Santa Cruz racer finished right on Peck’s wheel, in sixth on Wednesday.

“The rooty, slebby stuff is pretty unlike anything I have at home. But a few bits yesterday were good with that good, damp well, it’s a dumb word to use, but loamy dirt. I’m figuring it out a bit, I can tell I’m at a disadvantage compared to some of the local guys. But I’m sharpening up a bit.”

Ortenblad has a diverse racing background but has, lately, been helping push the U.S. gravel scene. Joining BCBR means skipping this weekend’s marquee Unbound gravel. The choice, he said, was easy.

“We’ve done that race so many times and it’s pretty much the same thing every year, same views. Nothing’s changing. This is the last year BCBR is a seven day race, and we both weren’t super keen on Unbound. Santa Cruz is looking to get back to some proper mountain bike racing. So it was an easy decision to come here.”

If you want to see a bit more detail on what Santa Cruz is up to in mountain biking, check out our bike checks on Holcomb and Ortenblad’s race rigs. Are they enjoying the experience?

“It’s been awesome. Super fun racing, super pretty views and two amazing host houses so far. You go to Kansas and you pay 10K for a shitty Air B’n’B? It’s an easy choice to come here.”

Grand Tour finisher Antoine Duchesne finding the flow at BCBR

If there’s one racer that is likely not feeling the heat after five days of racing, it’s Sainte-Adele, Que.’s Antoine Duchesne. The former road pro has finished multiple Grand Tours, including the Tour de France. As the week rolls on, he’s just hitting his stride.

While now retired from racing on the road, Duchesne is enjoying his off-road return to stage racing with the BCBR experience.

“Ot it’s really good! This is my first mountain bike race ever! So I’ve been riding my pace, riding with friends, today was a really cool day. I’m feeling good and enjoying the trails, the bike goes well, so I’m having fun.”

Following Duchesne around the trails, you’d never guess Duchesne only had two years on mountain bikes. The former road pro’s been sending it into the B.C. gnar at speed.

“I’ve been riding with Mags [Rochette] and Dave [Gagnon], they’re always teaching me cool tricks and how to be flowy. And I know two wheels, so I learn pretty quick.”

It’s a solid argument, but not every road pro that’s shown up at BCBR has adapted to the gnar as effortlessly as Duchesne.

So, what’s harder. BCBR or a Grand Tour?

“Ah, I have to say a Grand Tour,” Duchesne says.

What’s more fun?

“Oh, BC Bike Race, 100%!”

Locals running the men’s team competition

As the race moves south, the Rocky Mountain duo of Dave Vunic and Cody Canning are extending their lead in the Team of 2 – Veterans 80+ category. Both are BCBR veterans in the solo category from Victoria, B.C. that decided to team up for this year.

“The whole idea was that Cody and I usually do this race solo. We’d been training a lot together and just hanging out, riding on our local Victoria trails and we thought we’d be a good team together. We support each other on the highs and the lows and, at the end of the day, we’re high-fiving.”

That cohesion shows in the results. The Rocky Mountain team lead their category and, as they get closer to home, are continuing to extend.

“It was nice to sleep at home last night,” Vunic says. “We’re close to home, there’s nice trails. We’re going well on the downhills, catching a lot of people and surviving on the uphills. Cody and I are going well together.”

“I don’t know if we’re quite faster as a team, but almost,” Canning added. “There are strengths and weaknesses, we’re showing each other lines and helping with pacing. Individually we’d maybe be a little faster, but not much.”

Also helping? The Rocky Mountain Element’s they’re racing. After picking one up during Rocky Days, Canning built his up the night before Day 1. With just half an hour on the bike to set it up before racing started, it’s proving to be a winning bike.

BC Bike Race returns to Gnarnaimo

If Tzouhalem delivered some respite from the big days, Nanaimo throws racers right back into the fire. There’s 33.9 km on tap, with elevation creeping back up over 1,000m for the day. Three of Nanaimo’s fantastic and very different trail networks are on tap: The Abyss, Mount Benson and Westwood Lake.

Included in that course is a choice selection of Vancouver Island classics, like the namesake Abyss trail, and a suite of trails making their BCBR debut to keep racing fresh even for returning riders. There’s a special new finish line waiting to quench rider’s thirst, too.