What do you get when you take three cyclists from Manitoba and throw them into not one, but two weeks of competition at the Games? A lot of miles, a few laughs, and solid insights into what it takes to tackle both road and mountain bike races at a high level.

‍

We caught up with Tyler Hartle (Winnipeg), Soren Weselake (Portage la Prairie), and Loïc Savard (Brandon), three Team Manitoba riders taking on both weeks of competition. 

‍

While most athletes are packing up after one week, these three are just shifting gears.

‍

“It feels pretty cool, especially to get to experience St. John's and explore a little bit more rather than having to cram it into one week.” — Tyler

‍

“I’ve really enjoyed the Games so far - I'm looking a lot more forward to this week than the last, so, should be good.” — Soren

‍

“It's really interesting actually to see all the people leave and everybody come back, new people, different faces.” — Loïc

‍

Bike, Explore, Repeat

For these athletes, the competition is exciting but the Games are also all about connection, discovery, and - yelling at each other mid-race. After one week, there have been many memories made. 

‍

“Just to ride my bike and explore new places. It’s my favorite way to explore a new place.” —  Tyler 

‍

“I really like meeting all the new people. I knew a lot of the Canadian mountain bikers, but I hardly knew any road bikers, so it's cool to get to know those people last week.” — Soren

‍

“It’s fun to hang out with all the different people you’re with in biking, and to talk to people all the time.” — Loïc

‍

...but when it comes to communication on the course?

‍

“It’s more yelling than anything,” they laughed.

‍

‍

Roads One Week, Hills the Next

Switching from road to mountain biking isn’t just about trading tires—it’s different tactics, mindset, and preparation. This is Soren’s first Games where he’s competing in mountain biking.

‍

“I don't have to worry as much 'cause I'm not as much of a mountain biker, more concerned about the roads, so this week I can kind of have a little bit more fun while still trying to do well.” — Tyler

‍

“I can actually know what I'm doing now. I had no idea last week. It was a bit of a shock to the system.” — Soren

‍

“I feel stronger on the mountain bike than I do on the road bike. I feel like I can do more and get a better position in the end.” — Loïc

‍

Picking Favourites

So far, there’s been a healthy mix of results and surprises. But which race takes the top spot?

“Well, I only got to do 2 out of 3 races last week, but, I would say the road race is pretty good over the time trial.” — Tyler

“My best result was the time trial, but I had a lot of fun in the road race. It was really neat to do that. The one I’m looking most forward to is the XCO (cross country race) which is on Wednesday this week.” — Soren

‍

“I like the road race... but the Crit, even though it was points and I didn’t like that, it was really fun.” — Loïc

‍

Turning Tricks on Trails This Week

Whether it's three hours in a road race or an hour on the trails, preparation matters.

‍

“I eat the same amount of stuff during the day… during the race, it changes a little bit more. You can eat more in that time frame because you’re not having to worry about your stomach having issues for a 3 hour race.” — Tyler

‍

And road racing has its benefits for mountain biking prep, too.

‍

“I definitely learned better tactics through the road, and I think that'll help me cause this will be a pretty tactical mountain bike course. It has more in common with the time trial than I would have imagined” — Soren

‍

Why Do Both?

“There's so much variety and they do complement each other. Road riding makes you strong for mountain bike, and skills on a mountain bike make you good on a road bike.” — Loïc

‍

These guys have raced in some pretty epic places, and a few left lasting impressions.

‍

“Cape Cod, last year.” — Loïc

“This year I got to go to Puerto Rico and race there, which was pretty sick. But my favorite racecourse is probably Canmore—you can't beat the Rockies.” — Soren

‍

“I would say St. John’s or Wenatchee, Washington was really beautiful because it’s on the west coast, but also St. John’s has been really nice.” — Tyler

‍

Whether it's sprinting up steep climbs or yelling at your teammates mid-race, these three are proof that just riding your bike and having fun—and a sense of humor—can take you pretty far.

‍